Sevdaliza is an iconoclast. Analyzing and deconstructing reality and what it means to be a human being in her lyrics, the singer consistently challenges the listener to do the same in their own lives. She pursues that theme once again on “Darkest Hour,” her first song since last year’s The Calling. While Sevdaliza often prefers the murkiest of production — skittering, shape-shifting beats that feel just a tad bit evil — this time around she incorporates a subtle dance groove about halfway through to boost the track from its gloomy depths; fear not, it’s still just as dark an affair as we’ve come to expect from the singer.
Less lyrically intricate than past releases, Sevdaliza keeps mostly to a handful of repeated phrases over its 4:32 runtime. Almost like a mantra, she details a perfect world in which she is the perfect girl; a world we are told almost nothing about, other than that she resides in a “forest home.” As the track continues to unfold, she declares herself “the dream” before addressing the other person in this haven: “you’re the nightmare.” The listener would not be blamed for believing this person an enemy, but the singer muddies those waters by revealing that they have “climbed [her] heart” in the second verse (I use that term loosely). As the synths kick in, the repetition of “Darkest Hour” allows the listener to get lost in the movements it entices them to make. In one of her most straightforward efforts, Sevdaliza unleashes her most interesting track yet.
Rating: 4.5/5