– THE CHARM OFFENSIVE –

Sinkane’s Everybody may feel like an explosion of everything that is good in life but it hides some serious messages.

On the surface, its joyous, infectious mix of Sudanese rhythms, jazz sensibilities and psychedelic rock energy give it a part Kula Shaker jam, part “Crazy in Love” hook-bait, part Femi Kuti sermon vibe.

But one watch of the video reveals the messages that Sinkane (known to his Mum as Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab) has embedded in the lyrics.

As the artist himself says, “Everybody is dedicated to the brave men, women and children fighting against oppression in places like Brazil, Sudan, and all over the world.

“The people I met during filming [of the video] taught me to smile and dance, even in the midst of a daily life oppressed and undignified by politics and those who consider themselves superior. They are tired of fighting, and yet they fight every day. They are the heroes of the film. They are the heroes of life.”

Gallab’s forthcoming album is called Dépaysé – French for “to be removed from one’s habitual surroundings.” This is the fitting lead-off single.

MORE FROM THIS WEEK’S MIX:

SINKANE | LITTLE SIMZ | SWEET JOSEPH | SQUID | MUTUAL BENEFIT

You can find all of the tracks reviewed above in the 45 Revolutions per Minute playlist below or click to access the 45 RPM Playlist on Spotify itself.

If you like what you hear (or even if you don’t), please engage in dialogue with me @45rpm_Reviews on Twitter. And, if you’d like to receive updates weekly, please subscribe to the email list to get these recommendations sent to your inbox weekly.

– SV –