Fresh Kicks 91: Ehua

We first became aware of Ehua when we premiered her debut track ‘New Moon’ in September 2018. Released via our Best of British Breakthrough Label 2018, femme culture, the track was an atmospheric and percussive cut, which blazed a trail for her subsequent ‘Diplozoon’ EP in November.

Fusing elements of bass music, gqom, Hard Drum and house, the London-based Italian-Ivorian DJ/producer made an ambitious statement on that debut EP. With intricate rhythms, rousing samples and a keen sense of experimentalism, its four tracks showcased one of the most promising Hard Drum focussed producers in the UK, whose ear for infectious technicality has been blooming now for over a decade.

“I've been clubbing in London for the past ten years, as well as spending all my time around music producers”, she tells DJ Mag, describing her musical nascence and enduring love of genres like gqom. “Starting to make music myself came naturally. As for my percussive style – intricate drum patterns just blow my mind. I love rhythm, I love percussions and I'm going to learn to play the drums one day. That's certainly one of the things that made me become interested in gqom.

"I also wrote a lot about it on GRIOT, the online mag focusing on arts from Africa and its diaspora which I co-run, and on other music platforms," she adds. "I followed the evolution of gqom since it landed in Europe and I believe it has been the most groundbreaking and inspiring music innovations in recent years.”

With more gigs and music in the pipeline for 2019 (along with some soundtrack work, which she has dabbled in before), the future is looking bright for Ehua. As part of our Fresh Kicks mix series, she has stepped up with an hour of hypnotic gqom and bass rhythms, featuring tracks from the likes of Deena Abdelwahed, TSVI and femme culture founder Elkka, as well as several original cuts. Check it out below. 

Buy 'Diplozoom' from femme culture's Bandcamp.