“GOAT” is a dynamic, poignant electro-pop single from East London-based multidisciplinary artist Salwa. Fusing moody underground synth-pop with traditional Middle Eastern percussion by darbuka player Sass Khoury, the grooving track reinterprets the ancient scapegoat narrative while also exploring generational trauma, dysfunctional family aspects, and global political power structures.
Suave bass and hissing rhythmic elements commence “GOAT” with both momentum and intrigue, bolstered further by a debonair vocal presence that shifts between a personal lens and more all-encompassing allure. “My sisters are cold, my mother is jealous,” Salwa’s lush vocals let out, seamlessly coexisting with the sparse yet effective instrumentation. The bass tones swell into a synth-y warmness, culminating into a vibrant synth buzzing as the vocals move from nonchalant introspection to soulfully dreamy singing. A reference to “my mother’s sadness and jealousy” is especially catching, complemented by pulsing rhythmic danceability and glitzy synths.
Musings on one’s own mortality follow, venturing into a second half that wholly embraces that infectious synth-pop glow. The vocals are largely absent across this synth-fronted section, arriving into a conclusion where Salwa’s “he might just be my god” ruminations conclude with a haunting finality. A memorable pop contagiousness melds with artful insight on the role of a scapegoat — both in its familiar sense, and on a global scale with the Middle East’s relationship with global power structures. “GOAT” is an enveloping standout from Salwa.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
