Album Review: SHERELLE - WITH A VENGEANCE

Ever since her laptop was stolen, SHERELLE has never given up on creating more tunes as a DJ. Now in 2025, ‘WITH A VENGEANCE’ is a debut album that’s emboldened and sprightly, having enough sharpened tones to give the assembly of Footwork and Jungle cuts the impact they need to land.

The story behind SHERELLE’s potential first album was a sad one, starting off with her laptop being stolen during a train transport in Amsterdam, with the finished files for what was supposed to be her debut album all kept in that stolen laptop. It was an anguished moment for her, yet that did not stop her from pushing herself through as a DJ. Two years later, the creation of her album is supported by fellow producer Tim Reaper. One song a day. Less than 15 minutes to work on each track. It’s a challenge of making something under time pressure, a challenge that SHERELLE is taking to take and focus on.

Thus, ‘WITH A VENGEANCE’ is built upon SHERELLE’s hawk-eyed dedication, filled with the sharp textures of footwork and the overall rhythmic style and atmosphere of Jungle that combines into a bubbling stew of well-produced, and frankly thrilling cuts. “WITH A VENGEANCE” and “XTC” has a heady atmosphere pillared by those blaring alarms and rumbling bass grooves; the Cameo Blush collaboration on “LOVE YOUR ENEMIES” simmers those shuffling rhythms on top of the wandering sax accents; “SPEED (ENDURANCE)” is an apt title for its ravishing 5 and a half minute rave session, gradually opening up these infectious melodic segments that come from the synths and the rhythms; and ‘FREAKY (JUST MY TYPE)’ might end up sticking out like a sore thumb at first, but it works as a needed exhale from the blaring atmosphere, where the refreshingly saucy queer winks are delivered exceptionally with George Riley’s charismatic vocals alongside the set of bouncy rhythms and ethereal synth pads.

For as much as the album delivers upon that title, certain clumsy transitions (“DON’T WANT U”) and head-scratching tonal additions (the vocal chops of “XTC SUSP9ND3D”) do hamper the impact that this album is trying to carry. Fortunately, the tight creative mode that SHERELLE went under the making of ‘WITH A VENGEANCE’ is left with more hits than duds, a snapshot of keen textures and melodies that are all cohesive and clear-cut. Vengeance might end up deflated along the way, but for SHERELLE, it only keeps her energy going.

---

Favorite Tracks: ‘WITH A VENGEANCE’, ‘XTC’, ‘FREAKY (JUST MY TYPE)’, ‘SPEED (ENDURANCE)’, ‘LOVE YOUR ENEMIES’

Least Favorite Track: ‘DON’T WANT U’