Ahmed Gallab can count a lot of stars in his musical camp. The frontman for the Sudanese-but-Brooklyn-based band Sinkane got pulled onto stage by Usher at SXSW 2013 to sing Sinkane’s “Runnin.” Gallab has spent time with Of Montreal, Yeasayer, and Caribou, and Sinkane even performed alongside David Byrne and Damon Albarn for a series of performances highlighting the long-lost synth-funk singer William Onyeabor.
Sinkane’s new album Mean Love comes out September 2 (via LCD Soundsystem’s own label DFA Records, no less), and if first taste “Hold Tight” is anything to go by, Sinkane could be a household name before long. Gallab draws from both his Sudanese upbringing and a wider soul/R&B umbrella. The hook on “Hold Tight” is supplied by a rubbery bass line, and the wah-wah guitar and heavy drums recall Curtis Mayfield, but brought into the 21st century. Gallab’s falsetto cries of “If you want me / come get me” are positively eerie, lending a dark air to the psychedelic atmosphere. One to keep your eye on.
