Full details emerge on debut Fatima Al Qadiri album

The Asiatisch album for Hyperdub is described as a “simulated road trip through an imagined China”.

Most recently lauded for her work as part of the Future Brown outfit alongside Nguzunguzu and Lit City Trax boss J-Cush, multidisciplinary artist Fatima Al Qadiri first came to prominence in 2011 with the Genre-Specific Xperience EP on UNO, which combined grime-inspired production with the musical heritage of her native Senegal. 2012’s Desert Strike EP went even more into the realm of the conceptual, delivering a record for Kingdom’s Fade To Mind imprint that played on her time spent living in Kuwait as a child, while her work under the Ayshay moniker for Tri Angle explored vocals in a unique manner.

Initially revealed last month, the Hyperdub-released Asiatisch will be Al Qadiri’s debut album, and looks to expand on the political themes of Desert Strike in a new and unexpected way. Described as a “simulated road trip through an imagined China”, the record acts as a homage to the style of grime known as “sinogrime”, itself influenced by Asian motifs and melodies, and “revolves around the fantasies of east Asia as refracted through pulpy Western pop culture”. If that wasn’t enough to sell you on the concept, opening track “Shanzhai” is a “nonsensical Mandarin” language cover of Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”.

Hyperdub will release Asiatisch on LP, CD and digital formats on May 5.

Tracklisting:

1. Shanzhai (for Shanzhan Biennial) ft. Helen Feng
2. Szechuan
3. Wudang
4. Loading Beijing
5. Hainan Island
6. Shenzhen
7. Dragon Tattoo
8. Forbidden City
9. Shanghai Freeway
10. Jade Stairs