Toronto artist Mustafa (aka Mustafa the Poet, and Mustafa Ahmed) self-describes his music as folk. That said, his newest release, the serene “Air Forces,” certainly blends genres. The Jamie xx- and Frank Dukes-produced track ruminates on violence, faith, fame, friendship and more, and furthers these inquiries in the Kid. Studio-directed visual treatment. Altogether, the intensely emotional song sounds subtle and soothing—and emphasizes Mustafa’s originality.
St Vincent: New York (Acoustic Version) St Vincent (aka Annie Clark) recorded a stirring, acoustic rendition of her sublime “New York” as part of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s virtual gala, which is streaming in full until 20 May. Gently lit in a dark room, Clark performs an exquisitely stripped-back version of the resplendent song, a sombre ballad that mourns a relationship and name-checks various …
The most recent installment of Jamie xx’s monthly radio show for NTS manifested as a joyous, hour-long DJ set with The Avalanches. Jamie xx (aka James Smith) said the back-to-back performance was an “actual dream come true” and the setlist spans genres and eras, including tracks like Hamilton Bohannon’s “Me & The Gang,” Theo Parrish’s “Early Byrd,” Carly Simon’s “Tranquillo (Melt My Heart),” plus several …
