Female MC Deyah will release her new EP Care City on Friday 10th April. This follows her 2019 EP Lover Loner and is an open book to the last few months which has been “the darkest period of her life so far.”
Venthouse Suite, the first single from the EP, is out now and is a mellow track with a bubbling baseline and pared-back accompaniments. We’re introduced to Deyah’s soft, husky vocal in the confessional lyrics “I got an ice box where my heart used to be.” She then smoothly transitions from her whispered vocals into her personal rap style laying bare her emotions in lyrics such as “I deal with depression but settle for what is coming.” The track is about Deyah’s experience of being judged and mistreated by others and the outro is powerful where she calmly speaks “be careful how you treat other people. You never know the impact you’re going to have on them, good or bad.”
Opokosire opens with the announcement “welcome to care city, a place where your pain is welcome, your past is accepted and your future is supported. We hope you enjoy your stay.” It sets the tone for the vibe of the EP: inclusivity and self-care. The track has a strong beat with deep keys and gentle percussion overlaid and turns funky towards the end as Deyah moves from rap to spoken word.
Planet X showcases Deyah’s breathy vocal with an atmospheric echo. The guitar strums and minimal electronic elements lend the track a funky vibe but is updated with a 2020 edge when Deyah switches to rap.
SYS has a deeper bassline and manipulated harmonies. Deyah seamlessly flips from soft, echoing vocals to her confessional rap style, spitting lyrics such as “I never had the heart to break hearts without cause.”
Ciao has an addictive bassline peppered with electronic beats and the lyrics touch on tough subjects such as drugs, therapy and past relationships and you can hear the angst in Deyah’s voice as she raps so concessionally.
Mars opens with soaring strings which are spine-tingling when coupled with the reverberating guitar strings. The ethereal melody and hard-hitting chorus of “I was on Mars, you were so down to Earth. You couldn’t save me but you could’ve seen my worth” sets this track apart from the rest of the EP and displays Deyah’s most vulnerable side.
Final track Liquor Lament has a heavier beat and Deyah exhibits a heavier rap style to compliment it. There are multiple nods to spirituality in the track where Deyah raps “I never felt so far from the God I proclaimed to know” and the chorus of “Jesus save me from myself.” Deyah displays her vulnerability on this track as she tries to reconnect with her spirituality after straying from the path.
Care City is raw and confessional and puts Deyah on the map as emerging new talent. Deyah has been praised by notable artists such as Rick Ross, Wiley, JME, Little Simz, Lily Allen and Jessie J and has played at festivals such as Reading & Leeds, Boomtown and Outlook. BBC Music Introducing described her as “an absolute phenomenal talent.”
Care City will be released on Friday 10th April. Find out more about Deyah here and have a listen to Venthouse Suite below.