Genre-bending musical duo Tshegue have returned with “Mais” – their first single since “Na Boyi” back in November 2021. Released alongside the single is the visually captivating video, directed by Dazed’s editor-in-chief IB Kamara.
The Paris-based duo, who formed in 2017 and featured in last year’s Dazed 100, is composed of Faty Sy Savanet, who was born in Kinshasa but moved to Paris when she was eight, and Nicolas ‘Dakou’ Dacunha, who is of French-Cuban descent and hails from the Paris banlieue. Taking their name from a Lingala slang word for boys who loiter in streets (as well as Faty’s own childhood nickname), Tshegue’s music nods to their global roots, blending everything from African percussive elements to electronic melodies, with a decidedly punk spirit. Much like their previous work, “Mais” is an arresting union of varying influences; a stripped-back percussion line drives the rhythm, while a thundering bass line runs alongside sparse and atmospheric plucked strings.
The accompanying video features models painted in bold shades of red and blue, moving in unison against the backdrops of cryptic imagery – such as a bed draped with money, or a sun-like planet. Faty herself is seen in a variety of costumes, ranging from a gold chest piece to a wedding dress. The film shares some visual similarities with IB Kamara’s debut show as Off-White’s art and image director back in September, which Kamara and Tshegue also collaborated on.
Both the video and song for “Mais” work separately as powerful standalone pieces – but together form a hypnotic pair that demands attention.