Sevdaliza’s “Shabrang” is a slow but intense whirlwind of emotional sound.
The Dutch-Iranian singer combines classical and electronic motifs in this intimate record.
Sevdaliza has established a unique sound with her two EPs, The Suspended Kid and The Calling, as well as her two albums, ISON and Shabrang. The latter is her most recent work, including 15 soul-gripping songs with a runtime of just over an hour. Produced alongside Mucky, this acutely balanced mesh of alternative R&B, art pop, trip-hop, electronic, and classical genres is a genuinely pleasant listening experience given the right audience. (1) It takes you on an emotional journey by combining unexpected instruments, piercing vocals, and vulnerable lyrics.
Listening to the album reveals a deep personal journey that is uninterrupted by the occasional foreign languages used in the lyrics. The story is told exclusively through sound, with the lyrics a supporting mechanism that adds to the experience if intentionally analyzed. With spiritual undertones and ample mentions of gods and angels, a theme of personal growth and enlightenment flows through the entire work. Each individual song fits well into the whole as they teeter at their own points in the spectrum between traditional and contemporary auditory themes. While some only feature classical instruments such as the violin and piano, others are heavily layered with techno beats and low basslines. This provides a holistically engaging experience that proves to be entertaining for a very particular audience.
Sevdaliza “Shabrang” Album Cover (Courtesy of Fat Beats)
If this may be considered a drawback, the album is certainly tailored to individuals who are already interested either in Sevdaliza or the niche genres that she represents in this album. Her work fits so tightly into the framework that she created for herself that it limits the listenability on a larger scale. It is definitely not a traditional pop album that can be enjoyed by the masses.
Sevdaliza’s tone starts off slow and methodical, with her first song Joanna being a pleading love letter that invokes melancholy almost immediately. This song is like stepping into the world she has crafted in this album, introducing the style in a timid and restricted fashion. The violin creeps in a third of the way into the track, right before a period of calm that leads to the heart of the piece. Certain motifs are repeated throughout the song, something that remains true for the entirety of the album. This unifies the whole body of work even further and ensures that it reads as one piece despite its combination of wildly varying musical genres.
The steady opening is continued with the next few songs, each retaining an aspect of its predecessor but with heightened intensity. In Lamp Lady, she builds up tension to the point where the listener is enticed to move with her sound and channel its wavelike patterns of strength through motion. This tension is dragged out even further with All Rivers at Once, which contains areas of dissonance and improvisational instrumentals in preparation for the release.
Habibi, the fifth song, is arguably the climax of the album in which the listener becomes fully submerged into Sevdaliza’s sound as though it is a body of water around you. The calm and powerful delivery of this piece fosters an unequivocal emotion. Towards the end, the piano, violin, and vocals interact with each other in an unsettling way which is quickly resolved by a repetition of the main instrumental theme. This finishes off the incredibly powerful song with tranquil confidence.
Sevdaliza “Shabrang” Imagery (Courtesy of Yahoo Entertainment)
As the record progresses, more electronic sounds are introduced, pairing well with the repetitive vocals and lyrical themes. About two thirds into the tracklist is my favorite song of them all. Oh My God is an energetic piece that travels seamlessly between points of calmness and intensity. It is the epitome of the entire album’s tendency to build and release tension encompassed into one song. The unexpected treatment of the vocals simultaneously makes it stand out from the other tracks.
To finish off this whirlwind of an album, Sevdaliza de-escalates again with classical sounds, this time paired with even more experimental vocals. The slowed pace adds to the thoughtful lyrics, which are in turn disturbed by their unique delivery. In Human Nature, for example, her sharp voice gets so high in pitch that it dissolves into a flute sound, making it impossible to distinguish when one stops and the other begins. This fusion elevates the spiritual undertones at the root of the song.
The album’s varied pace, unique instrument and genre combinations, exploratory vocals, and personal lyrics work together to deliver a powerful, grandiose listening experience. As described above, the pace starts slow but later translates into a lively performance that once again mellows out at the end. This works extremely well and makes for an engaging musical journey capable of engulfing the listener entirely. A sense of transformation is conveyed through the album’s variance from beginning to end.
The pairing of piano, violin, and flute with electronic beats are unexpected, raw, and characteristic of Sevdaliza’s sound, placing this album comfortably within her style. At the same time, it is not something that has been seen extensively from her before, making it a pleasant surprise to the attentive listener. This dichotomy of fulfilling expectations while simultaneously bringing something entirely new is threaded throughout not only this album but all of Sevdaliza’s work. It seems to be her entire essence, making this body of work a genuine expression of her authentic self.
Lastly, her vulnerability in the lyrics partnered with her distinctive vocals is a pleasure to listen to. She mostly uses a deep and monotone voice, conveying strength and serenity despite the emotional themes. This display of power is pleasant to hear and invokes a sense of vigor.
Overall, “Shabrang” is an hour-long emotional journey through Sevdaliza’s inner world, touching on sensitive themes, introducing experimental instrumentals, and exploring vocal capabilities. The album cover highlights her display of vulnerability through power with her stoic pose despite a bruised face. It is a must-listen for any fans of Sevdaliza, as it falls within her already established sound while innovating and expanding on some of her existing themes.
