Sinkane's music transcends boundaries and borders
- Text by HUCK HQ
- Photography by Ed Andrews
“Not having any connection to where I was prompted a lot of questions,” muses Ahmed Gallab aka Sinkane. “Who am I? Where am I from?”
Ahmed’s nomadic childhood culminates in sound: an uplifting wave of ambient beats that channels all the complexity of his East Africa/Utah/Ohio multi-textured origins.
Following stints as a session musician with Yeasayer and Caribou, Ahmed is now making his own statement as Sinkane, a four-piece that’s ostensibly a solo project – and a vision that’s as dynamic as his nomadic start.
Huck caught up with Ahmed at his show in Hackney, East London to explore his personal and musical roots.
Check out Sinkane. Pick up The Origins Issue to learn more about Ahmed Gallab’s nomadic roots.
You might like
The utopic vision of Black liberation in ’60s & ’70s jazz
Freedom, Rhythm & Sound — As Pan-African optimism spread across the world in the postcolonial era, Black-led record labels gave artists space to express themselves away from the mainstream. A new book collates 500 groundbreaking albums and their covers.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Analogue Appreciation: Wesley Joseph
Forever Ends Someday — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, visual and sonic shapeshifter Wesley Joseph.
Written by: Wesley Joseph
The Strokes condemn US imperialism in Coachella set
Oblivius — The band finished their performance at the festival’s second weekend with a montage of bombings in Gaza and Iran, along with images of world leaders that the CIA has been accused of overthrowing over the past century.
Written by: Noah Petersons
The heady bliss of Glastonbury Festival after the music
Not Done Yet — While the weekend’s headliners and stacked line-ups usually draws the majority of the attention, much of its magic occurs after the music stops. Mischa Haller’s new photobook captures the euphoria and endless possibilities of Glasto’s “in between” moments.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Confronting America’s history of violence against student protest
Through A Mirror, Darkly — In May 1970, two separate massacres at American college campuses saw deaths at the hands of the state. Naeem Mohaiemen’s new three-channel film memorialises the brutality.
Written by: Miss Rosen
The cathartic roar of Vietnam’s hardcore punk scene
Going hardcore in Saigon — In a country that has gradually opened up in recent decades, a burgeoning youth movement is creating an outlet for youth frustration and anxiety. Frank L’Opez reports from the country’s biggest city’s underground.
Written by: Frank L’Opez