Though Kodie Shane is the lone female member of Lil Yachty’s Sailing Team, she’s got her head in the clouds rather than her hands on deck. Atlanta-born, Chicago-raised Shane has quickly made a name for herself by releasing records of a futuristic variety: EPs include 2060, Little Rocket, and Zero Gravity, which she unveiled in December. Just a month later, Shane has debuted the newest chapter in her intergalactic saga, Big Trouble Little Jupiter.
The 10-track mixtape enshrines the exciting flavor of R&B that keep her listeners hooked, and earned the teen considerable critical praise (Pitchfork called her “the most talented member of Lil Yachty’s motley crew” and the Sailing Team’s “anchor”). Big Trouble Little Jupiter‘s beats burst with infectious energy, as Shane’s elastic vocal punctures and plays with the bubblegum rhythms. She’s got a serious ear for hooks, and — in the vein of Young Thug — is fearless in adapting her voice to punch up her track’s texture and melody.
Big Trouble Little Jupiter is packed with a dynamic variety of sounds that signal just how bright Shane’s future is. “Like a Rockstar’s” title indicates its stepped-up, thrashed-out energy; “Twins” is a syrupy slow cut a la Future. And “Your Side” has the lo-fi 80s synth vibes and piano elements that make Awful siren Abra’s productions so enthralling, yet Shane samples R&B legends En Vogue (!) to take things in a different, choral direction.
The record’s production duties were handled largely by Matty P and D Clax, the maestros integral to Shane’s sound. “I grew up around music, it’s almost all I know. I made the decision to pursue it when I was 13, and it’s all I’ve wanted to do,” Kodie told i-D over the summer, after the Sailing Team had wrapped its performance at Fool’s Gold Festival. “Matty P has produced everything I’ve pretty much ever done; he gave me a Mac laptop with a whole bunch of beats on it. I just was going through the beats, picked what I liked, and wrote to it.”
Despite dropping four releases in less than a year, Shane doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. She’s now signed with Epic Records, and is embarking on a coast to coast US tour in February (New Yorkers can catch her at the Knitting Factory). And though the little rocket is soaring on her own, we’re expecting more tag-teams with her motley crew of Atlanta sailors. “We go in the studio and really try to have fun with what we’re making, have fun with each other, and have fun with the youth,” Kodie told i-D of working with the Sailing Team. “We want to show kids not to be scared to try new things or be themselves.”
Read: Get to know Kodie Shane, Lil Yachty’s ‘little sister’ and the Sailing Team’s next star
Credits
Text Emily Manning
Photography Eric Chakeen