• A contemplative album theme
• Sefa’s instrumentalism shines bright
• Classical music meets modern ideas

It’s been a moment since my previous review came out. The dance music industry seems to be on the verge of a path that is unenjoyable personally, so I barely find a song that makes me think “damn, this is it!”. Although, there’s still a shining glimmer of hope in all this void. Even at the risk of sounding like a blatant admirer, Sefa is one of the rarer specimens who always manages to brainstorm with his creativity to create catchy records. His latest album, “Klaagzang” (which means “elegy” (poetry themed at grief/sadness) in Dutch), as one might imagine, is no exception to that brilliance.

Skipping past all the brass tacks and the technical know-how and my usual meticulous descriptions of the constituents of the tracks, you can find all that out by yourself by listening to the LP a couple of times. The album’s musical character is flawless, which isn’t unexpected from a guy who spends most of his days playing the piano, organ, and even harpsichord.

Yet, what else turns “Klaagzang” so special?

Well, considering that Sefa is still twenty-one years old is uncanny at the depth of the message that he tries to convey with this compilation. While other renowned commercial artists, even the ones in their forties, still push out tracks that are only centered around money, parties, and girls, this versatile young producer dares to seek topics at an age where most people would care only about the glamourous aspects of life.

“Klaagzang”, “Dear God” and “Killing In The Name” are straightforward examples of what I stated above. They carry a strong introspective intent, as well as a bitter social critique reminding me of the older hip-hop (yes, there was a time when rappers said more than words such as “weed” and “money”). Whether you agree or not, it is admittable that this youngster has the boldness to express his opinions in front of millions of potential listeners.

Finally, as my thoughts wind up on this brief analysis of “Klaagzang”, I would like to refer to the way Sefa rescues older melodies and re-models them. “Tourdion” uses a melody from the 15th century, that surprisingly, still works in the modern context. This bridges the gap between classical music, which is often remarked as outdated although it forms the very base of all contemporary genres we listen to nowadays.

I will conclude by telling you that, in my undeterrable opinion, this is the best album of 2022 so far!

You can listen to “Klaagzang” here:

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