Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist and Sa-Ra member Shafiq Husayn has announced the release of his long-awaited sophomore solo album, The Loop. 

Scheduled to release March 29 on Brooklyn’s Nature Sounds in North America and London’s Eglo Records for the rest of the world, the 17-tracks across The Loop feature a unique and experimental mixture of neo-soul, R&B, jazz, fusion, and hip-hop, cast through the lens of Los Angeles culture over the last decade. It marks Husayn’s first solo release since 2009’s Shafiq En’ A-Free-Ka. 

A large number of artists appear across the album, including Erykah Badu, Thundercat, Flying Lotus, Hiatus Kaiyote, Bilal, Robert Glasper, Coultrain, Chris “Daddy” Dave, Anderson Paak, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Jimetta Rose, Fatima, Computer Jay, Kamasi Washington, Bilal, Nia Andrews, Seven Davis Jr., Om’Mas Keith, N’Dambi, and many more. 

The album comes accompanied by a series of paintings from acclaimed Japanese visual artist Tokio Aoyama, working in tandem with Shafiq Husayn to create a painting for each song on the album.

Stream the Flying Lotus co-produced track “Walking Round Town” below, with pre-order for the 2LP, CD, cassette, and digital versions of The Loop here. 

Tracklisting

01. The Flood

02. May I Assume feat. Jimetta Rose & Fatima

03. My-Story Of Love / Starring You

04. DMT (The Whill)

05. Between Us 2 feat. Bilal

06. Mrs Crabtree feat. Erykah Badu, N’Dambi & Aset SoSavvy

07. On Our Way Home feat. Fatima & Jimetta Rose

08. Walking Round Town prod. Flying Lotus

09. Cycles feat. Hiatus Kaiyote

10. Message In A Bottle feat. Coultrain

11. It’s Better For You feat. Anderson Paak

12. Show Me How You Feel feat. Karen Be

13. Hours Away feat Om’Mas Keith & Coultrain

14. Twelve feat. The Dove Society

15. Picking Flowers feat. El Sadiq

16. Optimystical feat. Robert Glasper

17. New Worlds Over