Fresh from her work on the groundbreaking supernatural film drama Atlantics, Fatima Al Qadiri returns to Hyperdub with Medieval Femme, a darkly romantic song cycle inspired by the classical poems of Arab women. Under lilac skies, Arushi Jain makes circles in the soil on the first track from her upcoming album of ambient synth ragas. Meanwhile on ‘Motorbike’ Leon Bridges gets lost in the languors of love, with direction by Anderson .Paak and cinematography by Tehillah De Castro.
Through the strictures of distance, the synth stalwart and Ecstatic label boss Not Waving forages for the crackling fires of friendship, with meditative trance-pop featuring the hushed voice of Marie Davidson. The Nairobi-based electronic artist KMRU releases a compendium full of first takes and static distortions. BXB LOVE blends buzzing guitars and cheerleading vocals on a scuzzy ode to self-empowerment. And the Welsh producer Koreless makes a comeback after more than five years with a music video which melds death dances and cheese-rolling competition.
Xiu Xiu team up with Susanne Sachsse on the title track from their album of duets. Claire Rousay transfigures the mundane as aching strings and dappled sun shade the close to a softer focus. Farah shares a taste for the forbidden fruit. Dominick Fernow and Philippe Hallais summon the spirit of the rainforest. And while Armand Hammer and The Alchemist and Caroline Shaw with SÅ Percussion give their winning combinations another shake, songs by Throwing Snow, MIKE, Lakeyah, and Miranda Lambert round out the best of the week’s music.
Playlists: Spotify Ā· Apple Music Ā· YouTube
* * *
Fatima Al Qadiri – ‘Medieval Femme’
* * *
* * *
* * *
MIKE – ‘Crystal Ball’
* * *
Lakeyah – ‘Perfect’ (feat. Yung Bleu)
* * *
BXB LOVE – ‘IGNORANCE SONG’
* * *
Xiu Xiu – ‘OH NO’ (feat. Susanne Sachsse)
* * *
Arushi Jain – ‘My People Have Deep Roots’
* * *
Not Waving – ‘Hold On’ (feat. Marie Davidson)
* * *
Caroline Shaw & SÅ Percussion – ‘Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part’
* * *
claire rousay – ‘a kind of promise’
* * *
Leon Bridges – ‘Motorbike’
* * *
Armand Hammer & The Alchemist – ‘Stonefruit’
* * *
Farah – ‘Fountain Of Youth’
* * *
Sleater-Kinney – ‘Worry With You’
* * *
* * *
Miranda Lambert – ‘Tin Man’
* * *
BERWYN – ‘RUBBER BANDS’
* * *
Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement – ‘Phosphorescence on Rowing Oars At Night’
