Mykki Blanco is evolving. Having spent the first 10 years of their career carving a trailblazing path through the world of hip hop – a decade that saw them release genre-busting projects like Gay Dog Food, Mykki Blanco & the Mutant Angels and their critically acclaimed 2016 debut album Mykki – the 35-year-old is stepping into the next phase of their career with music that represents an artist who now understands their limitless potential.

This journey began back in 2018. After completing a gruelling, years-long touring schedule, Mykki found themselves living in Lisbon, Portugal, slowly readying themselves to record new music. At first it was about figuring out what it was they wanted to play with sonically; but also, what was it they wanted to say? “I was thinking about what wholly original Mykki Blanco music would sound like,” Mykki says. “What if I didn’t sample but instead started working with sessions musicians to created my own?”

Of course, you can hardly call Mykki’s previous material unoriginal – they blurred genres, pulling rave, trap, grunge and punk influences into a swirling pool of experimental hip hop that celebrated queer and trans experiences. Yet, they admit that “at that point in my career, I didn’t know what my own music sounded like without any kind of direct, outside reference. That’s not a bad thing; that’s how the majority of music is made.”