Sevdaliza
“One Armed Lullaby”
Digital Single
One of the brightest breakout artists of 2015, the talented vocalist puts a cap on her excellent year with this wistful bedtime story. She’s already crafted two extremely strong, underrated EPs — The Suspended Kid and Children of Silk — and one of the finest videos of the year, and “One Armed Lullaby” features many of the hallmarks of that excellent work. Her music has real restraint, and she uses negative space more effectively than just about anyone (FKA Twigs?), punctuating her breathy, muscular vocals and adding extra contrast to her oft-undulating arrangements. It’s an affecting, delicious sound, and I’d be shocked if her career doesn’t explode in 2016.
