7/10

While plenty of singer-songwriter types have been looking to make their mark on the year ahead, there has been no-one quite like LA-based frontwoman Sasami emerging from the fold. With a distinctly melancholic direction, she has fallen away from the typical sound of other musicians in her ilk and opted for a darker yet more progressive style, one that praises minimalism over fanfare. And as she finally releases her long-awaited self-titled debut album, we are treated to an array of blissfully laid-back and harmonious cuts that all seem to share this vision of progressive and euphoric songwriting.

Written during a time when she was out of a romantic relationship for the first time in years while also on a non-stop tour, Sasami was able to breathe creatively for the first time in her life. With an almost endless amount of time to work on expressing herself, the tracks on this new collection each give off this feeling of personal self discovery, whereby she builds of each composition as it plays. Keeping the record as sparse as possible when it comes to production, she has been able to create a cohesive selection of ideas that not only conjure up a succinct and engaging album, but one that draws you in and serenades as it plays.

Its humbled and downtempo direction all remains very charming throughout as Sasami manages to make plenty of noise without having to raise her voice. Her debut sits as a confident and captivating release with all the hallmarks of a competent artist at the helm.