3 weeks ago
13
Of Earth & Wires follows Dua Saleh’s 2024 debut full-length album I SHOULD CALL THEM, with “Flood” and “Glow” arriving as the first singles from the upcoming record, featuring Bon Iver — who has worked with Saleh on previous projects, including Travis Scott’s UTOPIA.
Speaking about the tracks, Saleh explains: “These songs came together organically while creating in Minneapolis. What started as a session tied to a Travis Scott track opened into a free-flowing jam with local producers, including Psymun. I sat back with Psymun’s dog, Synth, listening as a beat took shape, while I turned over melodies and words in my head.
“‘Flood’ formed first. Justin freestyled the hook in the moment, and I later wrote to the beat. Watching his cathartic process and hearing the emotion move through his voice pushed me to confront parts of my past I hadn’t fully faced. The flood became an allegory for staying afloat rather than drowning in grief, shaped in part by memories of experiencing climate-related flooding while living in Cardiff, Wales.”
Discussing “Glow”, they continue: “’Glow’ emerged from that same openness. The session felt unusually fluid. We were all writing together, following instinct. Justin’s enthusiasm, emotional honesty, and melodic intuition made everything feel effortless. What stayed with me most was how he continued to show up afterward, excited by the demos, retracking vocals, and helping shape arrangements as the songs evolved. I’m deeply grateful for the care he brought into this process, and I hope we find our way back into rooms like that again.”
Commenting on the inspiration behind the album, produced by Billy Lemos (SZA, Paris Texas, Tinashe), and the process of making it, Saleh adds: “I think we got like six songs within the span of three hours. The war in Sudan was taking place, AI was emerging, and it just felt like the world might be ending. I was just kind of ruminating on where I could find my place as an artist amongst the terrain of AI, and I was lonely and overwhelmed. I missed my mom and my siblings; I felt like I was losing my accent being there, just questioning the notion of home on many levels. I started weaving an album around the music that we had made together, that we had collaborated on with other producers from Minnesota, where I grew up.”
Of Earth & Wires tracklist
"5 Days"
"B re a t h e"
"Flood (feat. Bon Iver)"
"Cállate"
"Firestorm"
"I Do, I Do"
"Keep Away (feat. Bon Iver)"
"Glow (feat. Bon Iver)"
"Speed Up"
"Anemic (feat. Gaidaa)"
"ALL IS LOVE (feat. aja monet)"
English (US) · 