Let me ask a simple philosophical question: who do you trust? I don’t mean your family and friends; I’m wondering about something a little different: art. I was thinking about this a few weeks back, as I bought an album without having heard a single note of it. There aren’t many musicians whose new music I will buy without sampling the goods, but such is my trust in this musician. Enter American producer, DJ and singer-songwriter Syd. I think she’s utterly electric.
My first introduction to Syd (née Sydney Bennett), 24, came a few years ago, when she was a DJ in the hip-hop collective Odd Future (she officially departed last year). She seemed like the quiet one in the rambunctious group; her vibe is an appealing, unaffected chill. Then I heard her sing with her band the Internet, and what came out of her mouth was so unexpected, it made me stumble. Her voice is silky and breathy, reminiscent of Janet Jackson. It’s also thoroughly girlish, a fact belied by her uniform of hoodies, straight jeans and that stunning short haircut. Her voice is also absurdly, moodily sexy: a sound that makes you raise your eyebrows, especially when coupled with her lyrics (sample: the super-sultry Special Affair, which is steeped in a melange of sex, weed and general good times: “I can get you high if you wanna climb”).
Syd is an old-school cool kid with the visuals to match. Like all the best pop stars, she just oozes sex appeal. It’s a little intense, but in a good way.
But back to my recent purchase: Syd’s solo debut, Fin. I was right to trust her, because there are no flaws in any of those 12 smooth R&B tracks. She’s a perfect pop star.
