9.1/10
mau from nowhere (who enjoys both Kenyan and British origins) has fashioned an intergalactic hippie sound that finds home in the hearts of the wandering. He culminates his thoughts and experiences into soothing and inviting music, while drawing from a variety of cultures that fuses hiphop with traditional soul productions.
On his latest ‘SOFT STEPS’, mau from nowhere offers an acoustic representation of an adult’s ambition for love and a happy life. We find his authentic reflections across romantic and self-motivational themes, as he effects a sort of comfort that transcends the roller coaster thrills on the album. It is as softly dramatic as it is achingly sensual.
Drums patter with the sort of energy that fuels a beachside bonfire as mau from nowhere saunters into ‘Fly’ with an indelible excitement at living. Swinging from the accepting lines of “Me and madness we can’t be strangers,” he is aware of the burden of his existence. However it is something he quite naturally navigates singing, “Everyday we find a way/ We find a why…” Bass strings and keys are willing agents of this escape, and they will be important motifs through the project as he tells his tale. They ferry his baritone melodies and graceful consciousness as he ambles from anxiety into the embracing arms of content and happiness.
And thus, mau from nowhere’s optimism spreads throughout the project with a searing energy. As we transition from track to track, he juggles his manifestations with artful yearnings. On ‘Remind(h)er’, with MAUIMØON playing wingman, his rap verse fondly flips through intimate memories and outlines the endless romantic possibilities that they could lead up to. He follows up with ‘Crooked’, where he takes utmost devotion to his convincing. “We should make a movie/ We should buy a mansion/ You’ve been thinking too much / I’ll be your distraction.” he sings.
However, just when the resilient lover begins to pick up speed, the sails are lowered and on ‘don’t pick up’ the bass percussions and strings make a melancholic return. A breakup is hard enough but mau from nowhere is somehow graceful about it, never failing to view things from his glass-half-full perspective. “Part ways in the night knowing later I’ll find you / The right time and the wrong place but it’s all good…” he raps.
His empathy bounces off onto ‘By Your Side’, where he leaves the door open – just in case. Hope sifts through the ceiling again, and we dine with the sonorous guitars. It is just as well, with Suté Iwar bringing important depth and NAiLA providing an intricate balance to the track: “You’ve been complacent, steady time-wasting / we keep adjusting…” And as mau from nowhere reclines to reflect on the head boppy ‘Restore’, he seems to have learned something vital and he relates to us lessons on self awareness and discernment.
He begins to draw the curtains on his story, but not before reassuring us that he is healing on ‘My Love’, and he even, probably, returns to the happy mau from nowhere as the project replays and starts from the top again.
‘SOFT STEPS’ pleasantly reveals mau from nowhere’s personality with his creative confidence, infectious positivity and generous empathy shining through the album. When things go wrong, he relates his emotions with honest vulnerability and you can’t help but be empathetic.
This album triggers excitement with an immersive production that perfectly blends the raw emotions that are filtered through it. It is amazing how his features and lyrical exercises hit the bullseye with sublime poetry spreading across tracks. mau from nowhere also offers a cohesive arrangement with smooth transitions that polishes the overall theme; however there are standalone songs that could vie for the top shelf of RnB and soul playlists.
For young passionate lovers, mau from nowhere makes a very important connection between their mental health and the start of a romantic relationship. When he says ‘SOFT STEPS’, he exquisitely describes the care with which we must handle our emotions rather than the confusion and downward spiral that may usually ensue. He is saying that we must show appreciation for life and love no matter the situation, and no matter how long it lasts.
