We’re missing songs of the summer. And, for many of us still in lockdown, we’re missing the summer entirely. Rafi’s new single “Dumbfound” gives us back some of what we’ve lost this year in ease and carefree spirit. With his friends on the beach, and shot simply by Bledar Fida and Thalia Perez and edited … Read More
A syzygy occurs when three planetary or celestial bodies are in alignment — when the sun, earth, and moon are in a straight-line configuration. Qais Essar and Alam Khan’s latest single, “Syzygy,” brings their traditional rabbab and sarod instruments into a new kind of alignment. They wrote and recorded the song all in quarantine, from … Read More
The 9-track R&B collaboration Blue Hour, a joint venture from Atlanta producer Hazi and Houston recording artist Noel, wouldn’t be possible if a mutual friend didn’t introduce the two musicians to each other. An instant familiarity with one another and compatible approach to music allowed Hazi and Noel the gravity required to make emotionally self-aware … Read More
There is something about this time that feels interminable – the repetition of state violence, the close-quartering during a mass plague, the forced abrasion of our political climate, it all seems to extend forever. There is no expiration date because, in truth, it never had a start date. One of the things I miss most … Read More
Kohinoorgasm’s newest single, “Exhausted,” dropped this month. The single is the artist’s latest exploration of themes common in her work, questioning how to navigate a world shaped by burnout-inducing capitalism. Using experimental production and her hypnotic vocals, she asks poignantly: “How can I free my mind / when I don’t own it?” The release is … Read More
Longing for closeness meant something very different in February, when Raveena’s Moonstone EP was first released. Now, Raveena’s signature sensual sound elicits something familiar during a time when everything else is incomprehensible. Attempts to make actual sense of what’s happening in the world feel misguided. Universalization feels dangerous when, despite the pandemic affecting everyone, those … Read More
Listening through Falak Fahim’s discography, it’s clear just how musical his sound has become. His new EP, Pick Your Cheesecake, Tisha, hit streaming last month via 617banks, the Dallas, Texas collective home to Fahim and his co-conspirators. Baritone singer Zuberi makes a guest appearance on all three tracks, while witty rapper Hassan contributes a verse … Read More
Curtis Waters’s sophomore album Pity Party will get you just as in your feelings, as the title suggests. On the record, Waters flips between addressing his own emotional growing pains directly and taking on a persona of cold detachment. The result is a journey through palpable and familiar angst, a story of someone vaguely hoping … Read More
“I want to come to a place like this every day and stay in peace,” one band member says, water rushing by. Another responds, “Why not…why can’t you machan?” This is just a brief moment in The Soul’s 2019 film Where We’re From. The video showcases the Sri Lankan band exploring the nature of the … Read More
Chippy Nonstop is a visionary DJ and producer currently based in Toronto. Chippy is known for throwing parties that are affordable, inclusive, and by and for the queer POC community. As one of the creators of Intersessions, she helped to create a series of free DJ workshops for femmes and women of color to share … Read More
