Weighing of the Heart
With the release of her debut album, Nabihah Iqbal makes two big announcements. Firstly, that she’s leaving her old Throwing Shade moniker behind. By embracing the name she was born with, she proudly wears it as a female British Asian artist making electronic music. Secondly, that she will be releasing her album on Ninja Tune. Incorporating live instrumentation more than before, ‘Weighing of the Heart’, takes on a bolder, more inclusive sound than her previous releases. Channeling influences from the likes of CAN and Bauhaus, she melds moody, propulsive basslines with shimmering synth atmospheres. The title alludes to an Ancient Egyptian myth about judgement and the afterlife, the concept of which underlies various ideas that are explored throughout the album. The album’s intertwining styles are underpinned by Iqbal's writing, drawing on themes of existential doubt, pondering the struggles and pleasures which mark day-to-day life. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the lead single ‘Something More’ - released today - her subdued vocals exploring the feeling of being eternally unsatisfied with what you’ve got. In addition to her music production, Nabihah has hosted a bi-weekly show on NTS since 2013, exploring the musical traditions of different countries. She has also received several commissions from other corners of the arts: she recently took part in a group performance as part of the Barbican’s Basquiat retrospective and collaborated with Wolfgang Tillmans at his major Tate Modern exhibition. She’s received plaudits from publications including Pitchfork, The Guardian, The Fader and Complex. She has also had radio support from Huw Stephens, Monki, and Toddla T on Radio 1, Jamz Supernova on Radio 1Xtra, Gilles Peterson on Radio 6Music and Zane Lowe on Beats 1.
On her debut LP, British producer Nabihah Iqbal—fka Throwing Shade—has a rare touch with inky new wave synths and drum machines, emerging as a songwriter of impressive emotional heft.
Nabihah Iqbal, an ethnomusicologist and NTS Radio DJ from London, used to make lush, abstract dance music as Throwing Shade, and released a series of acclaimed EPs on labels such as No Pain in Pop and Ninja Tune.
After performing under the moniker Throwing Shade, Nabihah Iqbal has embraced her given name for the release of her debut LP, Weighing of th...
Nabihah Iqbal has ditched her Throwing Shade moniker - and her debut album under her own name doesn’t shy away from tackling big themes.