XXIX

We love getting lost in the shadowy landscapes of Wafia Al-Rikabi, one of the most exciting electro-pop subversives we’ve encountered in a long time. After a string of independent singles and a viral hit alongside Future Classic labelmate Ta-Ku, the Brisbane vocalist/songwriter’s debut EP is a headphone-ready rush of deep bass, slinking vocals and dusky, downtempo beauty. The gracefully melancholy vocal of “Heartburn,” is filled with gripping emotion, where the down-tempo grind of “Fading Through” finds her in an etherial duet with Vancouver Sleep Clinic. Somebody came into this house and left a trail of blood and soul,” she sings on “شيطان”—and the track brims with enough raw emotion that she might as well be singing about herself.