Album Review: Biig Piig – 11:11
2 min read
Jessica Smyth, better known as Biig Piig, is an Irish singer/rapper who settled in West London and has been releasing Eps and mix tapes since 2016… and has now graced us with her debut album, 11:11. The moniker ‘Biig Piig’ came from a desire to remove pre-conceived ideas, ideals and expectations on what she should be… so frankly I had no idea what this album, released through Sony Music, is going to be. I’m excited – let’s dive right in….
4AM sets the tone for the forthcoming – a hazy electro intro slouches into hushed vocals and deep synths, allowing a laid a back groove to drive the track tempo. Ponytail follows, which has the same tones, but a totally different tempo and feel to the track… for me, the way I would label it is if it was an indie reboot/homage of Kylie’s Love at First Sight. Cynical is a moody minimalist, bass driven belter (and probably my favourite track on the album), whilst Favourite Girl is a lo-fi synth lover’s dream. Short track I Keep Losing Sleep is a little hazy r&b beats firecracker, whilst 9-5 is energetic, with an incredible groove and catchy beat.
Returning to the earlier minimalist vibe, Decimal, uses a simple bass groove and highlights Jessica’s vocals, and this leads into Silhouette, which has an almost hypnotic quality to the beat. Entering the latter stages we have our first and only ballad (of sorts) in Stay Home, which is more of a moment than a theme, as penultimate track One Way Ticket is a one way ticket to club land – synths and uplifting choruses abound. Rounding off 11:11, we have Brighter Day which is a fantastic way to close out an album like this – soft and floating… with a sense of optimism and finality to proceedings.
11:11 is an excellent album. Jessica has kept it short in both album and track lengths, and this works in her favour – you can listen to it start to end and not skip forwards… you don’t have time to get bored of any tracks (not that you would)! I will have to listen to it a few more times to work out whether any tracks get added to my 2025 favourites list, or, indeed, whether the album in its entirety is added to my collection. It’s hard to predict the fortunes of a new artist on the scene, but I would not be surprised if the Biig Piig gets a follow up album – a cracking debut!
