Riz Ahmed has returned today with a new track called “Once Kings”, which follows up his impressive mini-album The Long Goodbye from earlier this year. On the new track he says:
“This is the most personal track I have ever made, drawn from the same experiences that inspired the film Mogul Mowgli. It’s about events forcing you to face what really matters; fame or family, success or spirituality, the pressure and desire to represent your people or the need to preserve your own health and well being. I think a lot of people can relate to this feeling of re-thinking their priorities, during this pandemic.”
The time when Riz could make joke songs with Heems in their duo Swet Shop Boys seem a long way in the rearview now. While The Long Goodbye displayed more of his political bent, it also still had some humorous spots, but “Once Kings” puts all of that lightness aside in favour of a gritty and pulsating track where Riz observes his place in the world. Utilising pitch-shifted samples of Asian music to create an overcast atmosphere, he spirals out from his own stresses to give an overview of all the faults he sees around him – racism chief among them.
You can listen to “Once Kings” on streaming platforms or watch the video, which was directed by Myriam Raja and features clips from the forthcoming film Mogul Mowgli, below.
Riz Ahmed is performing a special digital live show commemorating The Long Goodbye on December 19 – tickets will be on sale from Tuesday at mif.co.uk and bam.org.
