Thomas O’Shea steps into the spotlight with Generation Z, a debut album, as a lived-in diary of modern youth. Self-produced and emotionally unfiltered, the record captures the whiplash of growing up online—where identity, ambition, love, and burnout all collide at once. Blending pop, alternative, and electronic textures, O’Shea taps into the restlessness of a generation raised on endless information, collapsing timelines, and impossible expectations. There’s humor here, frustration too, and plenty of self-awareness, all stitched together with sharp production instincts and an ear for sticky melodies.
The album opens with “Intro,” setting the tone immediately. A distorted, robotic voice floats over rippling, ambient textures, while a slow, steady beat anchors the track. Wispy female vocals drift in softly, almost weightless, before another voice rises behind them, ethereal and glowing. It feels like logging into a digital world that’s calm on the surface but humming with unease underneath.
Later on, “Artificial ‘Intelligence’” leans harder into that tech-shaped anxiety. A hard-hitting, smacking beat locks in with a tightly synced melody, instantly nod-worthy. O’Shea’s voice comes through airy and glassy, drenched in reverb and lightly distorted, blurring the line between human and machine. A gliding piano threads through the track, adding warmth and contrast to the robotic edges, making the song both catchy and unsettling in equal measure.
The title track, “Generation Z,” is the album’s most direct and playful moment. Built on a thumping beat and a bouncy, infectious melody, it delivers sharp social commentary. Lines questioning why working so hard still leads to “pennies in the bank,” poking at generational wealth gaps, and calling out lazy stereotypes to the new generation land with punchy clarity. It’s fun, it’s biting, and it sticks in your head long after it ends.
Generation Z succeeds because it documents the chaos honestly, turning confusion, irony, and frustration into something you can dance to—and think about later.
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Review by: Naomi Joan