Desire Marea mixes gqom with synthesizers and harsh noise on debut album

Exploring loss, displacement, love, and spirituality.

Desire Marea is releasing their debut album Desire on vinyl for the first time, via Mute this August.

Read more: A history of Mute Records in 10 albums

The album explores loss, displacement, spirituality, the divine and “the terrifying manifestations of love in the contemporary world.”

Coinciding with the announcement, Marea has shared new video for ‘Tavern Kween’. Inspired by their aunts who forged their own path in the typically male-occupied taverns of their hometown Amandawe, the track is described as “an ode for defiance and feminine manifestations everywhere.”

Desire is adorned with work by visual activist and photographer Zanele Muholi.

Pre-order Desire here in advance of its 6th August release, check out the artwork and tracklist below.

Tracklist:

2. Zibuyile Izimakade

3. You Think I’m Horny

4. Tavern Kween

5. Thokozani

6. The Void

7. Uncle Kenny

8. Ntokozo

9. Studies in Black Trauma