mau from nowhere and hihi Join Forces on the Bold Collaborative Album ‘Pressure’

FFO: Little Simz, JPEGMAFIA, The Alchemist, Obongjayar, Yinka Bernie, BINA, Madlib

Genres: Alternative Hip-Hop, Alternative R&B, Electronic, Afro-Soul, Dance, Indie

Two rising experimental voices—mau from nowhere and hihi—collide on their debut collaborative album Pressure, an ambitious genre-bending project that meets at the fringes of hip-hop and emotional excavation. Though from opposite sides of the globe, the two artists found themselves in London, grappling with the intensity of unfamiliar environments. Amidst the chaos, they discovered a shared language at the left edge of hip-hop’s center, forging a sonic partnership rooted in collage, contradiction, and catharsis. “A huge part of this project was playing telephone with a lot of the rap music we grew up on,” they explain. “Honouring a sound that’s been so formative for both of us as artists while still infusing our own unique styles into this story of diving into a new space, drowning, and doing our best to continue treading water.”

Across 11 tracks, Pressure builds a vivid, emotional mosaic. From the uproarious, Madlib-nodding opener "here we are again" to the syrupy dissonance of "peace:war", the album continually pits contrast against clarity. "what’s all this then" spins melancholic absurdity through breakbeats and deconstructed guitar rhythms, while "let it pass" offers a soulful invitation to sit with discomfort. The dreamy "portals" searches for joy amid escapism, "e6" grooves with romantic ease, and "a_m_h" bursts with electric bravado—an exuberant posse cut spotlighting Nairobi’s finest. On "Green hill zone", mau confronts mortality and love in one of the album’s most raw moments, while "miss you" and "silly" close things out with reflections on renewal and the power of not taking life too seriously.

Pressure is as emotionally expansive as it is sonically daring—a cross-cultural, cross-genre conversation between two artists unafraid to stretch, bend, and break the form to make something wholly their own.

Artist bio: mau from nowhere

Kenyan-British artist mau from nowhere is charting an authentic and innovative creative path, rapidly evolving his sonic identity with a sound that blends global influences and local roots. Raised across Nairobi, the UK, and the Netherlands, mau draws inspiration from Outkast to Bloc Party, fusing elements of hip-hop, R&B, and electronic music into a genre-blurring style that defies convention. His serene, airy sound and melodic raps strike a unique balance between heartfelt introspection and sonic experimentation, earning acclaim for singles, a four-track EP, and his standout debut album, "The Universe is Holding You." In September 2024, he released "SOFT STEPS," a deft seven-track project praised by CLASH, Atwood Magazine, and 1883 for its soulful songwriting and urgent energy, with CLASH noting it allows mau to "step confidently into the unknown." Recognized as Apple Music’s East African Up Next artist in May 2023, mau continues to transcend genre boundaries through thoughtful collaborations and a distinct musical voice, offering a refreshing, emotionally resonant perspective in today’s nostalgia-soaked soundscape.

Artist bio: hihi 

As a pure rejection of the traditional intent behind maximalism, hihi crafts lush, hyper-produced, and intricately detailed soundscapes to explore nuanced, often anxious self-reflection. At its core, hihi’s music is driven by a compulsive need to collage, treating clashing genres as expressive instruments in themselves. Their sound fuses the muddled guitar shimmer of shoegaze, the low, trunk-rattling sub bass of Memphis trap, and brittle, candy-coated synths reminiscent of SOPHIE, forming a chaotic yet vivid sonic world where each element strains for space. The result is a claustrophobic emotional intensity, evoking the sensation of a creature clawing its way out of the sludge. Through this sonic chaos, hihi explores themes of disillusionment, fractured identity, and the uncanny feeling of a second self hiding beneath the skin—delivering music that is as unsettling as it is emotionally exacting.

Discover mau from nowhere:

 INSTAGRAM | X | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY

Discover hihi:

INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | X | SPOTIFY

PREVIOUS PRAISE FOR mau from nowhere…

“a trailblazer defining music within” - okayafrica

“maũ displays his ability to create melodies within his hook and bring out a lighter.” - Forbes

“mau has been etching his name into Africa’s alternative scene one song at a time.” - NATIVE

“The EP is a testament to mau’s ability to merge hip-hop, alternative Afro-fusion, R&B, and electronic soundscapes.” - NBHAP

“Don’t sleep on this artist.” - 1883 Magazine

“displays his soulful songwriting, while also lacing the results in mau’s frantic energy.” - Clash

“mau from nowhere as an artist who is not afraid to push boundaries, offering listeners a sound that is both personal and universal.” - Fame Magazine

“His ability to apply his sonic vision in exciting new ways makes him one of the most compelling and innovative artists emerging on the global music scene today.” - Plastic Magazine

“This EP is a testament to mau’s artistry and his ability to navigate life’s challenges with grace and creativity.” - The Pit LDN

“mau charts an authentic and innovative creative journey, rapidly evolving his sonic identity.” - Wordplay

“mau from nowhere kicks down the door with, Soft Steps.” - CULTR

“Soft Steps, is a testament to mau’s growth as an artist, pushing him confidently into the unknown while staying true to the inventive energy that first captivated his fans.” - Atwood Magazine

“a multitalented artist.” - Mixtape Madness