Maja Skillz delivers the perfect kiss-off to an abuser in debut single slow-jam "FALL APRT"

03 February 2016, 10:30 | Written by Andrew Hannah

(Tracks)

(FKA Twigs) (Nao) (Shy For Shore)

Normally one half of colourful 80s-influenced Norwegian pop duo Shy For Shore, Maja Skillz has gone solo with a brilliant and powerful opening gambit.

Retelling the final stages of a relationship destroyed by an abusive partner, Maja Skillz has left the 80s behind and created something close to the 21st century pop made by the likes of FKA Twigs and NAO. It's a song which combines the glitches and twitches of electronic music with the soulful and slow beats of modern R&B.

The real treat here is that Maja Skillz's vocals aren't buried under a myriad of effects or pitch-bent out of any recognisable human form; they are left powerful and relatively unadorned, surprisingly pure and direct for a track of this genre and completely appropriate for delivering lines like "nothing that you can say / nothing that you can do / will turn me back into this / will never see your hands as fists again...no!"

It might be the case that Maja Skillz wrote this for herself, but it stands as an anthem for anyone who has been or is a part of such a damaging relationship. "FALL APRT" is a misnomer - if anything, this is the sound of her picking up the pieces and moving on stronger than ever.

"FALL APRT" is out 8 February, and you can listen below.