Ahmed Gallab has a silky, higher-toned vocal, subtly fine guitar chops, and music that breezily spans across genres—rooted in grooving, easygoing Afro rock and Sudanese pop, and dosed with elements of electro, krautrock, prog, and funk. As Sinkane—interchangeably Gallab’s performance moniker and the name of his band—he sings in English and Arabic (check out the fantastic ““U’Huh”) in songs that showcase his cascading guitar harmonies and generally jubilant lyrical outlook. He’s said that most of his music is based on his life, and this year’s Dépaysé is too, but on a deeper level than usual. According to a letter issued with its release, it’s “the story of an immigrant’s journey of self-discovery in the Trump era.” by Leilani Polk