The enigmatic Sudan Archives is one to watch

Sudan Archives is a genuinely surprising artist. The 23-year-old self-taught violinist fuses the unusual ingredients of world music and a classical instrument with more familiar hip hop beats and cool R&B vocals to forge an enthrallingly unique soundscape.

She stretches her orchestral instrument beyond its customary Western use, plucking and tapping the strings and percussing the body, adding to the infectious bounce of her music. The imperfect, almost frantic and occasionally scratchy sound of Sudan’s violin is at odds with her graceful and unadulterated voice, yet these are seamlessly woven in with ethereal production and discreet harmonies. A technique reminiscent of traditional North African chaabi style of playing, ornamented with slides, trills, double stops, and the occasional classical touch – such as the unexpected reference to Boccherini’s Minuet in her feminized cover of Kendrick Lamar’s “King Kunta” – showcases her remarkable aptitude for bending and combining genres.

Her powerful aesthetic appearance and wide array of influences elegantly pervade all her music

There is something so appealing about Sudan’s autodidactic approach and understated performance: armed with nothing but her voice, violin and loop station, she effortlessly grasps the listener’s attention. There is no doubt that she lives for what she does. Her captivating presence and arrestingly introspective lyrics ooze enigma and a defiance that leaves the listener utterly convinced.

Above all, Sudan is relatable. She started making beats on an iPad, freely singing into it and gradually incorporating self-taught violin playing honed during church services. We are suckers for the story of the juvenile iPhone musician/producer-turned-famous, a la Steve Lacy; it’s a narrative that is bound to contribute to her rise to fame. Her powerful aesthetic appearance and her wide array of influences, ranging from experimental electronic music to West African rhythms, elegantly pervade all her music and show promise to attract a variety of listeners.

Sudan Archives’ self-titled EP released last summer with Stones Throw Records (Madlib, J Dilla, Mild High Club) placed her among some of hip-hop’s greats and confirms her as one to watch in 2018.