Tunisian Singer Koast Releases Dreamy New Neo-Soul Number ‘MAI’

After April’s ‘Digging in Water’ gave us a mid-to-late 90s R&B-inspired taste of her upcoming album, BTOWN Vol. 2, Tunisia’s coast has released her third and latest single. ‘MAI’ very much falls in the realm of neo-soul, boasting a dreamy elegance that’s a result of its fusion of subtle hip-hop and jazz-tinted R&B elements. The Paris-based singer’s vocals are soulful, her delivery at times earnest, with the lyrics seemingly talking of distrust and insecurity in a relationship. An accompanying animated lyrics video, animated and directed by Bechire Tayachi, maintains the overall aesthetic, using a mixture of  nature-inspired footage and fully-illustrated scenes that use pastel colours.
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Released on Tunisian label, BLOC C, the track also serves to tease what is thus far looking like a rather eclectic upcoming album from the artist, particularly when you consider that the first single, February’s ‘Se’aat’, was a darker number that steps further towards hip-hop with a slow crunk-inspired beat.

There’s an overall freshness to the track that’s owed to its simplicity and uncluttered production from Joshua Gaddis. At the same time, it evokes a sense of nostalgia and harks back to the late 90s and early 2000s, when neo-soul was at its peak as an richer, more organic alternative to the hedonist R&B of the time. This is a track that you could easily see fitting on a Jill Scott or Erykah Badu record.

 Follow Koast on Anghami and Instagram.