Listen: Roadburn release recordings of Backxwash's European live debut

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Born in Lusaka, Zambia, rapper and producer Backxwash's work is based in the horrorcore, hip-hop and industrial metal genres, and includes a culmination of themes around the intersection between faith, identity, and queerness.

In April, the magnificent Roadburn Festival in Tilburg hosted Backxwash's European live debut with two special shows, performing MA NYIMBO YA GEHANA & NINE HELLS. You can now relive both performances with the festival's audio recordings, made available via VPRO 3voor12. Listen to both shows below.

"Once again, industrial rock and trap metal are Backxwash’s canvases of choice. But this time, a far more concentrated sense of wrath burns deeper within Backxwash, rendering her music a shade darker and bleaker. In fact, with more pronounced fury and possession barreling from her chest about condemnation and eternal judgment over noise rock arrangements, hell has never felt more real in Backxwash’s music. It’s as if every moment was constructed with fire and finality in mind" - Loud And Quiet

Backxwash performs at Le Guess Who? 2023 on Friday, 10 November. Also performing at the festival are a.o. James Holden, black midi performing The Beatles, Wolf Eyes, NAH, Armand Hammer, Attila Csihar, Void ov Voices, Kali Malone's 'Does Spring Hide Its Joy' ft. Lucy Railton & Stephen O’Malley, and many more.

Photography by Paul Verhagen