London-based duo Farai will release a debut album via Big Dada, out November 30.

The duo, made up of vocalist Farai Bukowski-Bouquet and musician Basil Harewood Jnr. (a.k.a TONE) met five years ago through a video that TONE discovered of Farai performing with the Shop Floor Sessions collective. They met in Dalston’s Gillett Square and retreated to TONE’s home studio that same day, where they spent all night writing and recording. Their 2017 Kisswell EP arrived on NON-Worldwide last year. 

Ahead of the album, the duo have shared new single Punk Champagne’ / ‘This Is England, a double slab of warped, alternative pop channeling the bare bones ethos of post-punk, where the pair connect over upbringings dotted between different countries, and a shared heritage in the African diaspora (Farai grew up in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, until she was 11, and TONE’s father is from Guyana). 

“Punk Champagne” is characteristic of their stripped-back approach, composed of simply drums, vocals, and synths, its title a nod to a homemade cocktail TONE mentioned to Farai, made of buckfast and prosecco. “This Is England,” accompanied by a video directed by TONE, explores Farai’s reflections on work and hardship in contemporary Britain. The video is shot on a South London housing estate, a choice which TONE says reflects how “run down council estates crumble in the shadows of multi-million (or could be billion) pound private developments.” 

Tracklisting

01. Cray Cray

02. Lizzy

03. Punk Champagne (feat. TONE)

04. Social Butterflies

05. Talula

06. This Is England

07. National Gangsters

08. Love Disease

09. Secret Gardens

10. Space Is A Place (feat. Chris Calderwood)

 11. Radiant Child

Rebirth LP will land on November 30, with “This is England” streaming below.