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CMU Approved
Approved: Alewya
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 18 March 2021
Having built a following through live work and SoundCloud, Shy FX protege Alewya released her first proper release, the single ‘Sweating’, last summer. That also followed a guest appearance on ‘Where’s My Lighter’ from Little Simz’s ‘Drop 6’ EP. The latest established name to be drawn to her impressive talent is Moses Sumney, who joins her on new single ‘The Code’.
“My favourite moments in the studio are those when the flow is seamless and doesn’t need to be explained”, says Sumney. “We made ‘The Code’ within minutes of jamming together and it was just that, seamless. I knew we would have great musical chemistry and it’s been refreshing to work with someone as open, brave and inquisitive as Alewya. I know she has so much more great music to come”.
Alewya adds: “This track came so naturally. Moses has a way of understanding musical language and weeding it out of you – I was truly grateful for it. ‘The Code’ is essentially a song sung by the observer in me observing the shadow of me. [It] captures what we as a collective and individually are going through – an intense dark night of the soul”.
Although guitar is her primary instrument, Alewya weaves together a huge variety of sounds, from grime to east African folk to grunge to Arabic devotional music to dub. It all comes together with an effortless feel and infectious energy that is undeniable.
Watch the performance video for ‘The Code’ here:
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