Emay, hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, drops the lead single off of his upcoming self-produced album Ilah. The track is called "Israfil" or "angel's trumpet." Israfil is the name of an angel in Islam responsible for ringing in the day or resurrection by blowing the horn it wields. Angel's Trumpet also happens to be the name of a poisonous flower. This dual meaning must be kept in mind when analyzing Emay's exploration of the internal conflicts incepted within him by the expectation of society for him to forgo his dreams. While making it is, more often than not, an impossible struggle poisoning the minds of many, it also stands to be a resurrection of sorts that delivers a select few to a life of transcendence. Despite being discouraged by family, friends, and strangers alike, Emay plans to situate himself in the latter of the two and offers "Israfil" as a preview of that plan.
The production is pleasurably bare-bones, consisting of labored, industrial drums accompanied by live horns compliments of fellow Hamiltonian Aaron Hutchinson. The track is a strong lead single off an album that promises to outline Emay's intellectual development from early life to now, making stops along the way to contemplate Islam and God more generally, building towards the discovery of a universal objective. Lofty claims indeed, but Emay seems to have a better handle on this life shit than most of the rappers on your Soundcloud feed. Be on the lookout for Ilah dropping sometime this year.
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