Within the The Deli’s archives we commended Shilpa Ray several times — lauding her noir music, stubborn-yet-honest lyrics, and unapologetic delivery — but her newest work is doing more than that. Though her new September LP isn’t out yet, she gives us a glimpse of what’s to come with new single, “EMT Police and the Fire Department”. This song is one of a dystopian Lower East Side, so abject it requires the EMT, police, and the fire department to be called. "The air was so thick, you cut it with a knife, and the crowds were so thick, it would make you wanna cut them with a knife" she recants through spoken word over what resembles a sound check. The story’s setting degrades as the song shapes together, and she repeats the title over a building drumbeat, ultimately exploding unlike anything we’ve seen from her — her jarring lyricism taking on the shape of a new beast delivered through ferocious yelps. This is as unforgiving as Ray has ever gotten. Door Girl, the upcoming LP, is inspired by her time working at Pianos; it’s only fitting her album release will be celebrated there two nights in a row, this coming September 20th and 21st. – Pearse Devlin
Check out the music video for her song below.