mau from nowhere re-introduces himself on vulnerable, oFF-KILTER debut, ‘MFN’
mau from nowhere has the innate ability to make you feel seen and validated through his vulnerability. He lets you in and in doing so creates an environment that is real and non-judgmental. You can ease into his music, shrug your shoulders and say “I don’t know if everything is going to work out but at least I’m not in this alone”.
Born Kamau Wainaina, the Kenyan multidisciplinary artists unique take on rap, and musicianship in general, draws comparisons to Noname and Loyle Carner, and is influenced by his experience as a product of the diaspora having moved between Kenya, the UK and the US. Previously known as maũ, the artists’ name change was catalysed by his move back home. “I think I’ve always approached my identity as having some sort of eventual resolution, where I commit to something clear and clean cut but since leaving New York I’ve become more comfortable with the lack of clarity.” he says, “Nowhere has a nice ring to it because it speaks more of a lack of importance on where I'm from rather than it’s non-existence. I’m here now, so where I’m from is somewhat irrelevant.”
As someone who likes to “grow out loud”, mau from nowhere invites us to experience his growth and decision to take a deep dive into his musicianship as he carves a more “pronounced narrative” for himself. While his music has always been introspective, this new phase sees him unlock a new layer of candid vulnerability as his poetic lyricism reaches new heights. There are no smoke and mirrors, or facades with him, just organic, raw streams of consciousness. Additionally, he pushes boundaries with his already off-kilter production, evidence of the maturation in his artistry. Crafting MFN, an acronym for mau from nowhere, was a cathartic process and release and serves as his re-introduction.
MFN’s titular track is bass-heavy and visceral. “Finishing that first song was a major turning point that allowed me to re-centre myself and plot my new course”, he comments. He gives us behind-the-scenes access as we hear him grapple with feeling burnt out, “Woke up with a long face/ Staring down the track and it's a long race”, self-disparaging thoughts, “every time I care about myself I’m feeling selfish”, and the pretence of the music industry. He clings onto his parents’ words, “But Tony told me run it at your own pace/ And Carol told me smile and smell the flowers for a while”, and reminisces on childhood memories for comfort. However, he finds resolution towards the end as the fatigue and pain carried by his melodic cadence morphs into tenacity: “I’m mau from nowhere, I’m not running anymore/ Drinking sunshine in my nightmares/I found beauty in my core”. The track's production becomes fuller, sonically mirroring his new-found will-power, as he layers his signature harmonies and introduces warm, crescendoing brass instrumentation .
The EP’s lead single, “Dogtail”, speaks on the exhaustion and sense of futility that miscommunication in relationships can cause through the idiom of a dog chasing its tail in circles. of his poetic lyricism and his ever-evolving brand of off-kilter production that peaks your curiosity and keeps you engaged. The consistency of the track’s bass-line keeps us grounded whilst adds a faintly disorienting quality, the emulate his frustration expressed through his lyrics. His choice in production sets the perfect stage for mau from nowhere to deliver punchy verses before switching up his flow on the chorus, showcasing his vocal versatility and adept ability at creating infections, memorable hooks.
“Maybe” is rhythmic and sonically experiential production-wise as mau from nowhere experiments with unconventional structures and sounds, and plays with distorting his vocals. He creates a mellow yet slightly jarring atmosphere that sounds like the in-between that the word maybe suggests. We hear him find clarity in the chaos and is subdued when he makes statements such as “I may not be here tomorrow” and “I understand the greatest love can still cause you harm”.
MFN closes out with “Habits”. In describing its creation process, mau admits that this, “was me really trying to write a song. I sat with the beat for a while and really restricted myself from rapping to see if I could say what I wanted in as few words as possible and make it resonate”. The song's uptempo nature and hint of Ed Sheeranesque pop sensibilities contrasts from the EP’s previous tracks but still stays true to mau from nowhere’s off-kilter style. mau from nowhere once again crafts a contagious hook, “Got some habits that I’m trying to live without and some others that I’m scared to lose”. The urgency in the underpinning, driving beat mirrors the tumultuous emotions that come with letting go of vices. Tottenham-based rapper Tahir delivers the consummate guest verse. The dark, grunge-like texture of his vocals adds a hardness to the song serving as a counterpoint to mau from nowhere’s melodic flow.
mau from nowhere’s ability to tap into his emotions and translate them into relatable, poetic stories, coupled with his versatility and left-of centre production make him an exciting act to follow. I, for one, am fully along for the ride.
