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Album Review: “Children of Silk” by Sevdaliza

Disclaimer: This review contains content unsuitable for minors, work situations, and the well mannered. Read at the risk of being offended.

The singer and songwriter, Sevdaliza, is rather off the grid as of now.

Searching for her biography information is next to impossible. The only information available is that she was born in Iran and moved to The Netherlands at a young age. She emerged on the scene with her first official release, as well as a few tracks on Youtube and SoundCloud, with her video “Clear the Air,” which was featured on the website Pigeons and Planes in addition to the only biographical information online.

Sevdaliza released her most recent EP, Children of Silk, on November 24th of this year on SoundCloud. This was after another EP called The Suspended Kid, and several singles were uploaded to the website.

If you’re interested in artists like The Weeknd and Lana del Rey, then Sevdaliza’s sound is perfect for you. The EP, Children of Silk, is equal parts soothing, sensual, and haunting.

The EP begins with a song called, “The Inside.” Solely her voice and piano chords are present in the first few seconds of the song. The dissonant vocal tones prepare for a chilling sentiment through the end. The consistent and driving singular piano note adds to the eerie air. Eventually, an electronic keyboard and drum kit enter the mix and bring the soothing and sensual feel to the forefront. Near the end of the song, the notes of the piano begin to drop an added layer of dissonance. The lyrics are incredibly simple at only 12 lines with no more than 4 words in a stanza, which fits the track’s focus on the musical aspects.

There’s also a fairly strange music video paired with the song (which is NSFW):

“Amandine Insensible” is the proceeding track on Children of Silk. Quite possibly the most haunting moment of the entire EP is in the beginning of this song. This is a trickling down of piano notes that leads into the moment of which Sevdaliza reminded me of a mixture between Dido and The Weeknd, if there is such a thing. The beat of this song is reminiscent of “White Flag” by Dido, which includes a minute relation in the vocals, though they’re not entirely a similar sound. The slow tempo and melody create an intense sensuality that I’ve only ever discovered in The Weeknd’s earlier tracks before their mainstream appearance.

The penultimate song of Sevdaliza’s short EP is “Marilyn Monroe.” The beat of the previous song carries over to solidify a dark form of R&B, which is similar to The Weeknd’s sound, if not even more so. This track is specifically reminiscent of “What You Need” by The Weeknd. The haunting qualities are still present, though only slightly so, due to it being the most sensual song of the EP. In contrast, the lyrics of this track are rather sad. Sevdaliza sings, “I’m tryin’ to fix myself / And not care / Too much about you.” An underlying theme of empowerment outside of codependent relationships is refreshing in the midst of a sea of ballads that perpetuate the idea of dependency.

Photo via: podiuminfo.nl
Photo via: podiuminfo.nl

Lastly, Children of Silk features “Men of Glass” with a featured artist by the name of Rome Fortune. Sevdaliza ends the album with a soft violin sound as she croons the repeating line “This man of mine,” a rather possessive lyric. Rome Fortune eventually chimes in while rapping lines that seem to represent the man that needs to be fixed in the song prior. The lyrics speak to a sense of self-worthlessness. The song is rather slow and simple, though this could be my opinion peaking through. I prefer the other songs because of the way they’re unconventionality situated in the R&B genre, meaning that they bring that innovative haunting quality to the forefront while maintaining a simple and steady beat.

Sevdaliza’s EP Children of Silk was just, for lack of other wording because I’m so impressed, so fucking cool. She somehow mixes chill and soothing music, perfect for studying, with a dissonant and haunting quality that is wrapped with a bow of immense sensuality. If you like the R&B genre, or any of the musicians/artists mentioned above, definitely check this EP out, including her singles.