Nabihah Iqbal reveals details for forthcoming album ‘Dreamer’

Nabihah Iqbal has unveiled details for her forthcoming second album set for release this coming spring, ‘Dreamer’.

The next album follows the producer’s 2017 debut ‘Weighing Of The Heart’, also due to land on Ninja Tune later this month, April 28.

The record ensues a trip to Pakistan to visit her grandfather who suffered a brain haemorrhage and saw the writer, producer, and broadcaster put together her most raw and reflective work to date.

During her time in Pakistan, Nabihah went back to basics using just an acoustic guitar and harmonium to create a dream pop-inspired body of work. “Going to Pakistan turned into a blessing in disguise,” she said. “It affected my perspective on music.”

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Before the trip, the producer had her studio burgled and subsequently lost all of her work including a full-length record due to land earlier in 2020.

“At the time, being forcefully removed from the whole scenario of the burglary felt frustrating, but it was the best thing that could have happened,” she explained.

The album spent two years in the work and is also set to explore grief, personal memories, identity, and more introspective topics in Nabihah’s most intimate lofi work yet.

The second release from the record, ‘Sunflower’, landed at the end of March following the shoegaze-influenced single ‘This World Couldn’t See Us’ earlier in the year.

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‘Sunflower’ was accompanied by a music video shot in Cape Town at the beginning of the year directed by visual artist Luh’ra. “The album is very visual and a lot of imagery came to mind while listening,” says Luh’ra.

“There were a couple of references to sunflowers on the album so we landed on the track, ‘Sunflower’. I had heard rumours of a beautiful sunflower field which seemed an ideal location.”

Nabihah Iqbal is also set to embark on a US tour this summer, starting in Los Angeles on June 1. She’s due to hit Seattle, Chicago, New York, and more over the course of June.

Listen to ‘Sunflower’, the latest single from her forthcoming record below, and check out the tracklist for ‘Dreamer’. Pre-order the album here.

Tracklist:

1. In Light
2. Dreamer
3. This World Couldn’t See Us
4. Sunflower
5. Lilac Twilight
6. Gentle Heart
7. Sky River
8. Sweet Emotion (lost in devotion)
9. A Tender Victory
10. Closer Lover

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Editorial Assistant, follow her on Twitter