Pressure, the debut collaboration between mau from nowhere and hihi, is a visceral, genre-splintering odyssey that thrives in contradiction.
Born from dislocation and connection in the chaos of London, the album plays like a transmission from the emotional edge, where hip-hop fractures into jazz, soul, and noise, only to be reassembled with razor-sharp intention.
Tracks like the blistering “here we are again” and the disorienting “what’s all this then” set the tone early, exploding with warped textures and syncopated percussion. “peace:war” and “let it pass” pull back the curtain on a softer, introspective palette, while “portals” and “e6” dive headfirst into dreamy escapism and romantic reverie, respectively.
As the album unfolds, its emotional and sonic scope only widens. “a_m_h” is a standout moment of joyful chaos, featuring an electrifying lineup of Nairobi’s rising voices, while “Green hill zone” delivers one of mau’s most heart-wrenching performances, contemplating mortality with striking clarity. “miss you” and “silly” bring the record full circle, turning personal reflection into an act of release and lightness. Even more experimental cuts like “plastic mouth” and “back into the blur” (if present) underscore the duo’s refusal to settle into a single aesthetic.
Pressure is as much a document of survival as it is a celebration of transformation, bold, raw, and entirely its own.
