Sudanese songwriter Ahmed Gallab, aka Sinkane, is back with Mean Love, his fourth solo full-length under that moniker, due for release on 2nd Sept via DFA and City Slang. His PR invited us to “listen to the funky new single ‘Hold Tight’ on http://www.thefader.com/2014/06/10/stream-hold-tight-the-funky-new-single-from-dfa-records-sinkane. All the young people were out of the East London News office when we tuned in – but, even though the average age of the listening journalists was 53 and a half, we listened all the way through and thoroughly enjoyed it. As his PR goes on to put it, “Hold Tight” – the record’s groovy and soulful first single – is a sleepily wrought ballad featuring Gallab’s satin falsetto (You want me/ you call me/ you want me for reaaaal) over warm, liquid guitars and a smartly simple, gloriously funky bassline. Sinkane is on tour this autumn, including several dates with another multi-instrumentalist, Helado Negro. Catch him at the Shacklewell Arms on Thursday, 11th September: no, really, go and drink it up. Download a free ticket at: http://eatyourownears.eventgenius.co.uk/events/Sinkane/index.html For more information (including reviews of Brixton eateries visited on his June stopover!), go to: https://www.facebook.com/SinkaneRa STOP PRESS: Catch the London gigs on 16th and 17th June (see Facebook).