Nightshifts welcomes us into his cosmic universe with new album Stir

Nightshifts - the moniker of Andrew Oliver - was created with the intention of making music to challenge people to stay present with the musician explaining, “I very often get caught up thinking about past situations, and looking towards future ones. I write a lot about this imbalance. And ironically, the times I feel most in the moment are when I’m working on music.”

While Stir might help to alleviate some of those symptoms, it certainly propels you into a whirlwind of contemplation. Everyone likes to say that their music transports listeners to another place, but in the case of Nightshifts, there is no other way to word it. His ability to blend a multitude of sounds and textures undoubtedly takes you to places you’ve never been before, making it difficult to compare him to any other artists. Pair that with his unforgettable visuals and it all becomes clear that this artist has been sent to us from another dimension, (adorned in a space suit and all.)

For some, the past couple years have been detrimental to their artistry, finding it hard to seek any inspiration during such bleak times. But for Oliver, he took his experiences and spun it into an album which not only helped him out of his own spiral, but gave others a helping hand, offering some solace with its sheer relatability. Life itself can be hard, with obstacles being thrown at us with each and every turn, but combine that with a global pandemic and suddenly we’re left paralysed, not knowing what to do, or where to go. Oliver explains, “The album was a journey of me overthinking different facets of my life, like where I should be by this age (By Now), imagining a romanticized version of my life had I taken different paths (Beach), and already missing a time that I’m currently in (20s). It was a cathartic process that led me to realize the only truly important moment is the one right in front of me, and not the ones that are out of my control in the past and future.”

From the infectious “Tunnel Vision” which dances with plucky melodies, to the lyrical rap lines from The Game in “20s,” Nightshifts covers all bases. Exploring all corners of his imagination, he takes us on all the highs and lows, with “Rest” and “Beach” showing a more chilled-out, mellow side to his sound. The first track to be released off of the album was the 2020 single “Kicks,” which has since amassed an impressive amount of streams and still remains to be a fan favourite. Stir is proving to be a listening experience worthy for any occasion and one you won’t find anywhere else.