To me, PBR&B is just a post-racial re-imagining of Blue Eyed Soul, a way to not to breed difference – or indifference – in the all too malleable minds of today’s 16 to 24 year olds. But if you de-mistify it all, it’s kind of the same thing, just with weaker vocals nuzzled out by more potent, very ‘current’ sounding synths.

Shy Girls aka Portland native Dan Vidmar, is perhaps a little more loyal to his more recent forefathers though – channelling a sound that’s more akin to Jon B (than say Prince a là How to Dress Well – especially vocally) on “Without”, the track that opens his long awaited EP, Timeshare. But unlike those that came before him, there’s a slight disconnect on his capability of channeling his lyrics through a viable, MOT friendly vehicle – occasionally stalling and stagnating awkwardly. R&B has never been known for it’s earth shattering lyrics, but the more you listen to it, the more you realise that there’s a difference between lyrics (no matter how ‘cringe’ they might be) that pack an emotional punch, to those that just…don’t.

‘Let’s take it steady like a sedative’, does not, and Shy Girls doesn’t have a powerful enough voice to force us to like, humour or accept this slightly nauseating simile, the way that Beyonce can. Still, that lyric is an unfortunate hook to an otherwise great song – a steady beat that’s soothing and sexy enough to act as the background music to that live-poetry scene in Love Jones.

The follow up track “Still Not Falling” is a tad bland – and if it wasn’t for the talent showcased in the opening track you’d feel like there’s no reason to continue listening to the EP, because, other than a few special moments that we’ll get to , there’s this wetness that runs through out, a sticky wetness that causes the EP not even to glide triumphantly to the heavens, or boldly and bravely to hell, but to the awkward, plains of purgatory, where all the boring people go.

“Second Heartbeat” manages to drive the EP forward, with it’s trudging, would be anthemic nature. It’s the most 80s sounding track on the record, but in a good way, and not in a Prince-pastiche way either. Lyrically it’s the equivalent to Jill Scott’s “Golden”, if she was talking about love instead of redemption, sonically think Twin Shadow without the big, disco-disco hair – very subtle, fairly effective.

Ultimately, the stand out track is plainly apparent in the following track ‘Voyeur’s Gaze’. With a strong percussion line, and danceable hook, it’s the first time that the instrumentation doesn’t either eclipse his voice or allow him to blend all to perfectly with it. In this track, his voice is just as point at the beat itself, working together to capture something special and memorable.

The EP closed on “Under Attack”, one of the more blogged about tracks this year has seen. It’s fair to say that this track rightly whetted the appetite of the likes of Cyril Han, but what it should have meant was a foundation to build upon and not leave to be glorified and left to it’s own devices like East Germany. It has it’s merits; the chorus is again, like much of the EP, is Dev Hynes friendly but its begs for more – and not the inconsistency that succeeded it, and that’s shown on Timeshare.