Kelela‘s New Avatar promises a rich mix of sounds shaped by her early years in the D.C. indie scene while still embracing the electronic textures and experimental sounds she has become known for. The album will also feature collaborations with PinkPantheress, Fousheé, and A. K. Paul. Speaking about the project, Kelela shared: “This album finds solace in confronting. I don’t want the music to be a distraction from what’s really going on in the world; I want it to make sense in this crazy moment while helping people get in touch with the beauty and joy they’re also experiencing.”

Alongside the album news, Kelela has also unveiled the hypnotic new single “linknb”, following the previously released album opener “Idea 1”. Produced by Oscar Scheller, “linknb” blends Kelela’s unmistakably fluid vocals with shimmering guitars that subtly remind us of ML Buch’s dreamy sound palette. In the track, she sings: “It’s not hard to be brave / Easier to give too much away. All I know is that I paved the way, underpaid.” The song arrives with a visually striking video directed by Mischa Notcutt, filled with atmospheric city shots. Watch and support below.

Their new project, Big city life EDITS, just dropped via Escho, reimagining one of our favourite releases of the year, Big city life. Since the original LP came out in May, we’ve been captivated by the way it captures everyday chaos with a kind of hazy, escapist magic. And spoiler: “You got time and I got money” will most likely rank high on our end-of-year list.

Smerz’s Big city life EDITS invites an impressive lineup of artists, including luminaries Astrid Sonne, Erika de Casier, Clairo, Molina, Fine, Fousheé, ML Buch, Haloplus+, and more, to reinterpret the songs they love. The duo describes the project as a way to “let the music pass through people you admire,” transforming it into a living mirror, full of new textures and emotions.

In the meantime, the pair continue their sold-out world tour across Europe and the UK. And one piece of advice: catch them if you can.