London-based artist Nabihah Iqbal, who’s known for previously releasing music as Throwing Shade, graces us with her second studio album, ‘DREAMER’. Having collaborated with notable names such as Zhang Ding, Sophie, and Wolfgang Tillmans in the past, Iqbal’s musical journey has thus far been marked by an exploration of diverse sounds and styles in terms of both genre and culture. Released under the esteemed Ninja Tune label, ‘DREAMER’ presents a stimulating fusion of pop,
electronica, synthwave, indietronica, and house, all guided by her dreamy and melancholic sensibilities. The record takes listeners on an immersive and deeply introspective sonic experience, weaving together warm synth pads, stripped-down percussive rhythms, and bright guitar riffs, alongside her own voice. One notable aspect is the absence of any credited features, which allows Iqbal’s artistic vision to take centre stage and showcases her prowess in all areas of songwriting and music production. Her talents particularly shine through on inclusions like ’Gentle Heart’, ’Sunflower’, and ‘Sky River’, which combine elements from a number of different sub-genres. As a whole, it doesn’t really have any bad songs, though at times will definitely be too indie for dance fans, and too dancey for indie fans, but if you go in with an open mind you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the time you get to the end.
Where to start:
Gentle Heart: Pulsing dance track with hazy vocals and a rhythmic bassline
Sunflower: Shimmering synth chords and filtered bass tones come together
Sky River: Heavy kick drums meet a wall of polished synth sounds
Previous from Nabihah Iqbal:
Weighing Of The Heart LP (2017, Ninja Tune)
House Of Silk EP (2016, Ninja Tune)
If you like this then check out:
Avalon Emerson – & the Charm LP (2023, Another Dove)
Carla dal Forno – Come Around LP (2022, Kallista Records)
Nabihah Iqbal – DREAMER LP is out now on Ninja Tune.