Dubstep Queen SICARIA Nods To Moroccan Heritage In The Fiery 'Still Swingin'

Fresh from tour dates across the US, contemporary dubstep queen SICARIA today shares her new single ‘Still Swingin'. The release marks the latest drop from SICARIA's forthcoming debut EP Blood, Sweat & Self - set for release 17th November via her freshly minted label Club Confi:DANCE. 

Intertwining distinctive krakeb rhythms and percussive elements from Gnawa music, ‘Still Swingin' is a deeply personal record that sees SICARIA dig into her Moroccan heritage. The result is a vivid, rhythmic tapestry that weaves together elements of tradition and innovation, paying homage to the past while boldly forging ahead into the future.

‘Still Swingin' stands as a testament to the power of music and its ability to transcend boundaries and tell a story that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

Speaking on ‘Still Swingin', SICARIA said -

“'Still Swingin' holds a special place in my heart, it represents a departure from the familiar sounds of dubstep, offering a unique glimpse into the diverse tapestry of my musical influences. Drawing deeply from my Moroccan heritage, it serves as a love letter to the rich traditions and captivating rhythms of Gnawa music.

Gnawa ceremonies have always held a profound fascination for me. Their deeply hypnotic, trance-inducing melodies use music and dance to summon ancestral saints, believed to possess healing powers. To recreate this entrancing atmosphere, I wove in rhythmic melodies and call-and-response chants that echo the spirit of Gnawa.”

‘Still Swingin' is joined on Blood, Sweat & Self by recent drop ‘Freak 2 Freak', the cut featuring a strong female vocal, laced between a dark and heavy bassline that sets the tone of female empowerment. The single landed last month to props from Radio 1 Dance (Jaguar), DJ Mag, Hunger, TRENCH, Radio 1 (Marta sitting in for Annie Nightingale), Oculate, Reprezent, Rinse FM and more.

SICARIA's forthcoming EP Blood, Sweat & Self is a complex 4-tracker exploration of self, inspired by the artist & photographer Cindy Sherman and her decades-long performative practice of photographing herself under different guises. Within the boundaries of 140BPM, the EP will see SICARIA weave in different elements of her psyche, from her Moroccan heritage to sugary vocal chops that nod to SICARIA's softer side.

Born and based in London but of Moroccan descent, SICARIA cites her envelopment of SWANA culture as the main influence shaping her identity growing up, providing a continuous exposure to music ranging from Classical Arabic to Egyptian Shaabi, Algerian Raï to Moroccan Gnawa and everything in between.

On the scene for six years as one half of the imprint Sicaria Sound, the duo were noted as the undisputed champions of dancefloors worldwide whilst owning responsibility for exposing dubstep as a culture to an entire new audience. With impressive appearances on Boiler Room, BBC Radio 1 & 1xtra, NTS and Red Bull Radio they rightfully claimed their title as club mainstays.

Now as an individual artist, SICARIA seeks to carry forth this legacy into her new ventures, having already experienced two solo North American tours and delivering highlight sets at both Basscoast and Shambhala festivals in Canada and her recent viral Skrillex, Flowdan, Peekaboo B2B set for Badders Radio.

Characterised by her boisterous personality and fueled by her passion for the genre, SICARIA continues to be strongly praised within the dance-music community for supporting everything which is exciting and forward-thinking in dubstep, cementing her status as a heavyweight advocate for lively, chest-rattling 140 bpm sounds. With fans at the likes of tastemakers CRACK, RA, Mixmag, Boiler Room, and a packed global touring schedule still to come this year, SICARIA is poised to blow.

LIVE DATES

Fri 20 Oct 2023 - Melkweg, ADE, Amsterdam 
Sat 21 Oct 2023 – Freedom Mills, Leeds, UK
Fri 27 Oct 2023 - 23 Degrees, London, UK 
Sat 28 Oct 2023 - Gonzo's Two Room, Norwich, UK 
Sat 04 Nov – DEF x Peekaboo, Atlanta, USA
Sat 11 Nov – Aäniwalli, Helsinki, Finland
Tue 14 Nov 2023 - The Tuesday Club, Sheffield, UK
Fri 01 Dec 2023 - Motion, Bristol, UK 
Fri 08 Dec 2023 - Drumsheds, London, UK 
Sat 27 Jan 2024 - Roundhouse, London, UK

Photo Credit: Melony Lemon

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