Nabihah Iqbal has dropped her Throwing Shade alias for a debut album on Ninja Tune, titledWeighing of the Heart.

Nabihah has hosted a bi-weekly show on NTS since 2013, exploring the musical traditions of different countries. Her first release was on Kassem Mosse‘s Ominira imprint in 2013. Following on from that, she put out two EPs on No Pain In Pop, a dance 12″ on Happy Skull, and Ninja Tune released her House Of Silk EP in 2016.

Iqbal boasts a MPhil (focused on African history) from Cambridge and has experience working in human rights law. She previously hosted a four-part series Relocate for i-D Magazine, and has received several commissions from other corners of the arts where she has collaborated with Chinese artist Zhang Ding, was asked by the Tate to compose music for the Turner Prize, collaborated with Wolfgang Tillmans as part of his Tate Modern exhibition, and was recently involved in a group performance at the Barbican as part of its major Basquiat retrospective.

The label describes Weighing of the Heart as a big statement in two ways: first, because Iqbal has taken her real name to stand proudly as a female British Asian artist making music; and secondly, because she’s moved her music in a bolder, more expansive direction.

The title of the release alludes to an Ancient Egyptian myth about judgment and the afterlife, the concept of which underlies various ideas that are explored throughout the album. Making her first long-player with these themes in mind, she’s honed a sound with a greater focus on live instruments, of which she has played them all. A notable addition to the sound is the guitar, which she’s been increasingly incorporating into her live shows. Often fed through heavy effects, it provides a counterbalance to the soft-focus, hazy aura of the record.

Tracklisting

01.Eden Piece
02. Something More
03. Saw U Twice
04. In Visions
05. Alone Together
06. Zone 1 to 6000
07. Feels So Right
08. New New Eyes
09. Slowly
10. Eternal Passion

Weighing of the Heart LP will land later this year, with “Something More” streaming in full above.