Rafiki releases ‘Black Smoke’, the first single from his upcoming project

Released today, 'Black Smoke' is Rafiki first single from his upcoming project ‘Anand Mahal’ — the album drops May 31 on Munich-based label, Permanent Vacation.

The project is a sharp departure from Rafiki’s typical dancefloor-ready sound and instead takes a more melodic approach. It’s slow and introspective throughout the project, showcasing a new sound from the artist.

According to Rafiki, he wanted to create a more melodic body of work specifically for Permanent Vacation as a tribute to the outfit he admires.

The first single ‘Black Smoke’ opens with an ethereal ambience before being met with punchy percussion and captivating vocal lines from Tara Lily.

It blends retro and futuristic synths with pop sensibilities, with lyrics exploring themes of addiction, love, and the vibrant energy of Mumbai.

While ‘Black Smoke’ may diverge from Rafiki’s signature style, its biggest asset is its bold creativity, with those strange synths that haven’t left our heads since we first heard them.

The rest of the project is excellent as well, with a wide variety of synths, eclectic sounds and bold ideas being centre stage on all of the tracks. Keep a look out for the closer ‘Lofi Dreams’. It’s just as ambitious as the others but is the most club-ready of the bunch and is really something else.

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Speaking to Mixmag Asia about the single, Rafiki said: “Writing ‘Black Smoke’ was a brand new experience for me as a producer. Working with another musician and writing music out of my comfort zone while keeping my musical flavour was a fun challenge for me.”

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He continues, “Tara and I met in Mumbai a couple years back while she was on tour. We got in the studio whilst I was still developing this track. Initially, I created the form, bass, synths and drums. She brought a unique vibe to it, writing and singing dark hooks and improvising on jazz piano. We’re from different musical spaces but came together to create something unique. Melodic, electronic with a jazzy dark edge. Captivating yet nonchalant. Her energy really took the track to the next level for me and I hope people feel the same when they listen to it."

Rafiki is the mastermind behind the longstanding agency Krunk and its offshoot label, Krunk Kulture.

Listen to ‘Black Smoke’ below.

Henry Cooper is a Writer at Mixmag Asia. Follow him on Instagram.