As you may or may not have noticed over the past couple years, we’re in the middle of a flood of new music written and recorded in reaction to the possibility (and then the policies) of President Donald J. Trump. Such is the case with Dépaysé, the new album from cosmopolitan pop-rock artist Sinkane, AKA Ahmed Gallab. According to the charismatic frontman, the album tells the story of “an immigrant’s journey of self-discovery in the Trump era,” and that story is soundtracked by vibrant songs that draw from American rock ’n’ roll, African pop, modern blues and deeply funky grooves. The skilled players Gallab calls on make Dépaysé an impressive listen, and his perspective—born in London to Sudanese parents and raised in America—makes it unique.

by Ben Salmon