Sad Girl

TSHA’s new album Sad Girl — due for release on September 27th on Ninja Tune — contains her most danceable work to date. As shown on recent summer single ‘Sweet Devotion’ with Caroline Byrne, the first track she’s been confidently able to slot between the New York and Chicago house and techno grooves of her acclaimed DJ sets.

Sad Girl sees TSHA welcome a new era, one where she’s putting her own vocal stamp on tracks and approaching the genres she’s always wanted to, rather than seeking approval from her peers. Beyond showcasing just the euphoric or melancholy sides of her character, TSHA puts it all on display. It’s a body of work that shows it’s OK to be sad, and you can even revel in it – you can’t have the highs without the lows, after all.

It’s the second full-length from the fast-rising UK star, and follows 2022’s debut album, Capricorn Sun, which was built on bright, melodic house foundations, bringing in UK garage and rave sensibilities. The record was named Album of the Year by DJ Mag and BBC R1 Dance, while Music Tech Mag made TSHA their Producer of the Year – which meant a lot, as a female producer whose production skills were often overlooked. Here she taps into her teenage years – the title nods to emo-y MSN screen names and Hotmail addresses – and you can hear it in the strokes of ‘00s R&B, rude electro and anthemic techno, recalling the bittersweetness and angst of early adulthood. Amid snatches of stillness and reflection, it’s a dance record at its core: hot club bumpers rub up against hypnotic floorfillers and MTV-worthy pop.