Shamir -- Ten
Shamir dazzles with his album Ten, a true reckoning of where one has arrived in life – and where you want to be going.
Shamir dazzles with his album Ten, a true reckoning of where one has arrived in life – and where you want to be going. It's not often you find an album this vulnerable, but it's also rare to find one that is so innately catchy.
The album kicks off with "I Love My Friends," a touching tribute packed into a breezy pop tune. The song serves as a sort of overture, touching on the themes to come in a less rosy light: the death of a parent, the shattering of a relationship, and finding one's place. Even "neverwannago" depicts existential dread and an anguish-inducing relationship with clever wordplay and progressive groove, making peace with a painful chapter in life.
"Offline" is a gentle, sensuous song about presence and taking joy in another – in all senses of that term. Shamir's dreamy soundscapes only make his lyrics land more true: we are lulled by the musicians' confidence while every word Shamir uses feels like it has purpose and weight. Indeed, by the time we arrive at the album closer, "29," the song is no longer a meditative folk song like it could be at first blush – it's a battle cry for the higher standards that Shamir knows he deserves as he continues through his current crossroads.
