Anyone who knows anything about the secret corners of this city knows that ABRA rules these streets. From basement raves to daytime radio, the FADER to Fact Mag, the self-styled (and self-produced) Darkwave Duchess has infiltrated media outlets round the globe with her devious 808s and sensual swagger. But it’s been a hot minute since PRINCESS, last year’s steamy but subdued EP—and even then, everyone and their mother still flips back to the bangin’ singles from 2015’s Rose when they want to crank up the party.
Thankfully, ABRA is on her grind again. After this year’s handful of relatively chill collabs, “Bacardi” drives in HARD, with sledgehammer EDM beats that remind us exactly why we worship this freaky queen so damn much. If the words sound familiar, though, you’re probably quite the R&B junkie—she’s lifted the verses from Jagged Edge’s “Where the Party At,” and the chorus from Lumidee’s breakout hit “Never Leave You (Uh Oh).” (But that mega righteous, heart-throbbing flair that just beckons you to bow to your knees? That’s all ABRA, of course.) Turns out, the Duchess dropped this mash-up back in February at the Boiler Room, and now, after months of fans clamoring for the mystery tune, “Bacardi” finally surfaced on SoundCloud earlier this week.
At the moment, we don’t know what other instant hits ABRA may have up her sleeve. However, her emphatic caption to “Bacardi” — “LETS GET BACK TO HAVIN FUN WITH OUR ART XOXO” — could foreshadow some similar hijinks in the future. Let’s hope so, anyway.
More Info
Web: darkwaveduchess.net
Bandcamp: darkwaveduchess.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @darkwaveduchess
Instagram: @darkwaveduchess
SoundCloud: @darkwaveduchess
Twitter: @abra