EP Review: MAFRO – 'Higher'
Those looking for an aural pick-me-up to help ease the winter blues need wait no longer as emerging UK electro artist MAFRO releases his second EP ‘Higher’ via London label LG105. A highly-anticipated follow up to debut EP ‘Bloom’ (released almost exactly a calendar year ago), Higher is an impeccably timed serotonin-boosting release; a five-track tonic for all Blue Monday/Dry January survivors.
Having already worked with the likes of TSHA and Diplo and in solid company with label-mates Loods, Mall Grab and Japer Tygner, MAFRO has been described by the NME as “Dance music’s next major breakthrough act”. The North London born multi-instrumentalist has established himself as a savvy and resourceful producer who delicately pulls together a myriad of genres (look this way 2-Step and UKG heads) and draws from a wealth of cultural influences including his own Irish/Jamaican heritage.
By his own admission, MAFRO’s journey towards crafting a sound that felt both authentic and instinctive involved huge amounts of toil and experimentation: "When people ask me about the music I create, I often respond with a smile, saying it's ‘crossover electronic music that can't be easily labelled.’ And you know what? That feels right to me. It embodies my journey, from feeling slightly out of place growing up to finally creating music that is authentically me."
Whilst the intricate, often downtempo but always engaging production of ‘Bloom’ has levelled up, this new EP has a marked focus on nostalgic, vocal-centric songwriting with each of the releases five tracks featuring a different vocal collaboration.
EP opener ‘Bad Enough’ is a showcase of MAFRO’s tendency to meld euphoric, club-ready instrumentation with wistful vocals. “Don’t say it’s over now, you know I’m still hurting” fellow Londoner Talie sings over the buoyant track, her vocals hemmed in by building steelpan rhythms and palpitating synths.
In a further nod to musical heritage, ‘Love Me’ (vocals provided by emerging talent Eldé) also features steelpan rhythms but has more of an out-and-out garage feel. On release as a single back in September, this bouncy UKG track was picked up by Spotify for their RADAR: First Listen feature garnering MAFRO with flocks of new listeners.
East London queer artist Qhairo provides the breathy, gospel-inspired vocals for ‘Try’ with MAFRO’s choppy synths and stark piano chords elevating the track onto a sonic spectrum somewhere between Maribou State, fellow LG105 luminary Ross from Friends and Jayda G (surely an enviable position for any contemporary UK-based electro artist).
Closing the EP is ‘No Teacher’; a deliciously downtempo slow-burner. Here MAFRO’s 2-step influences are most pronounced, with syncopated drums and indiscernible vocal chops leading the way to defiant and empowering choral refrains from talented Brighton-born singer IYAMAH.
With Higher, MAFRO seems to have settled on a soundscape that is in equal parts confident, bold and coherent. There is a linearity both to his song structure and his story and it feels inspiring and melancholic in all the right places. A bit like January.
'Higher' by MAFRO is set for release on 26th January. Available via LG105 and on all streaming services.
Words by Eliot Otelli
