Continuing a steady stream of terrific releases, MALAK returns with ‘Dopamine’. In her usual fashion, ‘Dopamine’ features a stunning vocal performance, pristine audio quality, and a rich colour palette to the packaging, MALAK continuing a trend of her releases being some of the region’s more reliable outputs in the realms of soulful pop and electro that fans of Billie Eilish will find rewardingly familiar.
‘Dopamine’, in contrast to her latest release ‘3ala Bali’, features a slower tempo, while maintaining her trademark vocal delivery style and her lyrical themes of longing and being unable to get over someone. The delivery of ‘Dopamine’ is colourful and features more nuanced melodies, if more intricate and twisting than her earlier releases. The song showcases MALAK vocal abilities as a singer whose effortless deliveries are intimate and relatable, and showcases MALAK’s skills in weaving a melody that gently pulls on the heartstring.
The production is a joint venture from Amr Omar and MALAK herself, with the mixing and mastering done by Maher El Mallakh, the sound is deceivingly minimal on the surface, MALAK’s voice, and a number of harmonies, and a twisting synth bass line that establishes the song’s moving, melodic, core. Other than those, the song is filled with sonic detailing that comes in the form of synth lines, floating, processed, and fluttering.
MALAK’s ‘Dopamine’ is a piece that showcases a ton of colours, a unique sound that MALAK seems to be establishing with her music. Technically good, but more importantly, it possesses a pop appeal that suggests that MALAK’s name and tracks will be around for some time.
