Shamir offers a heart-wrenching and lush cover of "Dsharpg" for Sharon van Etten's "epic Ten"

Sharon van Etten has tapped the eclectically talented Shamir for her latest single/cover off epic Ten, this time for a visceral rework of the sonorous ballad “Dsharpg” off Etten’s Epic. In keeping with the other singles that have been previewed so far, like IDLES version of “Peace Signs,” the covers are loyal to the raw ache that Etten so effortlessly delivers in her songwriting and tired croons. Shamir’s cover of “Dsharpg” takes a lusher approach with the instrumentation, creating a swell of crescendoing tones that reverberate behind his piercing howls guided by that heart-wrenching tenor.

There’s a quiver to Shamir’s cries, an echoing of the doubt that swirls at the center of the song’s prolonged list of queries that dig at the literal heart of its owner’s passionate musings. And that anxious doubt bursts from Shamir’s chest in a dire and desperate need to discover their answers, it’s a dynamic waltz of emotion that travails the stratospheric limits of the singer/songwriter’s vocal prowess. It’s also one of the reasons Etten chose Shamir in the first place, knowing he’d provide an otherworldly variation of her song — wringing out every drop of heartbreak from it.

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“I was drawn to Shamir’s music by the immediate authenticity and originality of his voice and instrumentation choices. It felt simultaneously throwback and very here and now. So many genres melting into one another, I couldn’t peg it and I loved every minute of the wild ride. Not to mention that his vocal range is from another universe and his arrangements are dark and stormy. Self admittedly, I have a harder time keeping up with music today, but Shamir’s music stands out as truly original and a force to be reckoned with in his reimagining of a time where I grew up fondly, angsty and dreaming.”

Epic Ten is out April 16 and will be accompanied by Epic Ten: The Documentary and Concert on both April 16 + 17. Purchase tickets here. Visit Shamir’s website and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and announcements. And keep up with Sharon Van Etten via her website and Instagram.