As the name suggests, Sheykh Forever is all about the groove, and the new one, “Where is my baby?” certainly has more than its fair share of that. But it is also one of those songs that the more you think about it, the more intriguing it gets, musically and, without a doubt, lyrically to.
Iraqi-born Mostafa Al, the man behind the moniker, clearly isn’t interested in neat musical categories; if he were, then attempting to fuse together disco gloss and heavy rock drive, lysergic, dream-state indie pop, and funky grooves would be the act of a madman.
But, madman or genius, my money is on the latter, this latest release sees him pushing his own, already expansive creative boundaries, becoming even more inventive, even more un-second-guess-able, even more unique, yet doing all that and still coming up with one of the most infectious and clever, psychedelic, day-glo indie-dance tracks of the modern age.
The fact that the music is so unique that he doesn’t really have much direct competition doesn’t detract from his achievements; in fact, it highlights how ahead of the pack he is.
Vocals come courtesy of KER, an emotive cry whose lament and relentless questioning juxtapose with the more fun sonics and ask us to rethink the precise meaning of the word “baby” here. Perhaps not just another throwaway song about missing your girl, but something more intense and vital, darker and more difficult. The question hangs heavy in the air— less a simple lyric more a demand that resonates long after the last notes have faded into the night.
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