Hailing from Oxford, Abdala Elamin, known professionally as Elmiene, exhibits heartfelt and thoughtful lyricism with powerfully rich vocals that soothe the soul to provide a relatable experience to listeners. Elmiene broke ground with the release of his first single ‘Golden’ in 2021, which established a momentum to his acclaim, sending him to the forefront of modern neo-soul and R&B. Since then, Elmiene has released three EPs: ‘EL-MEAN’, ‘Marking My Time’ and ‘Anyway I Can’  where the ‘Light Work’ singer has sonically developed into a prominent neo-soul artist due to his portrayal of intensely poetic sentiments – relating to his personal experiences.

The announcement of Elmiene’s forthcoming ‘For The Deported’ EP coincided with BRITs unveiling their Rising Star nominees for the 2025 ceremony, which Elmiene made the shortlist for. A prestigious award won previously by The Last Dinner Party in 2024. The winner of the Rising Star Award will be announced December 5, the eve of Elmiene’s EP release.

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The upcoming EP was revealed via Elmiene’s social media, where he released a stripped back performance of one of its tracks titled ‘The Deported’. In the video, Elmiene is seen in front of a red backdrop playing the keyboard whilst showcasing his vocal talent which although remains soulful, displays a softer side to portray a profound moment of desperation and sincerity – which is especially emphasised through the reiteration of “mother hold me”.

To accompany the post that teased the EP, Elmiene took to social media to describe the meaning of the EP, stating: “Sudan is the reason I’m here right now. Sudan is the reason I feel like I am as musical as I am or why I was so inclined to do poetry. Sudan is a country with a lot of history and tragedy and emotions and feelings and a really, really deep cultural history. I feel like there’s nothing like the words that we used to describe those complex things”.

With the ongoing escalation of conflict in Sudan, which has led to mass displacement and a dire socio-economic crises, Elmiene’s EP comes at an all-important time to raise awareness to the vital humanitarian aid needed in Sudan, during a time when global governments are failing to give adequate attention to the conflict and the thousands of people in need.  

Sudan is the reason I’m here right now. Sudan is the reason I feel like I am as musical as I am or why I was so inclined to do poetry. Sudan is a country with a lot of history and tragedy and emotions and feelings and a really, really deep cultural history. pic.twitter.com/rRZd406p3g

— Elmiene (@_Elmiene_) November 27, 2024

The ‘Someday’ performer does not shy away from deeply thought-provoking sentiments throughout his discography. In a conversation with Rolling Stone UK last year, the singer revealed his desire of candid lyricism and sonic themes and how they emerged from his passion for classic soul. He stated, this era of music featured musicians “speak[ing] about the unspoken and the unseen, in a way that’s tangible and so eloquent”, meaning it is somewhat inevitable for Elmiene to portray such themes throughout his discography and within ‘For The Deported’.

Elmiene’s ‘For The Deported’ will be released on December 6 and will mark the singer’s fourth EP which will further cement his artistry in the forefront of R&B and neo-soul.

Recently a post on their social media they had this to say, “Recorded amidst the enchanting echoes of church studios in crouch hill in january ‘23 is now yours to love, cherish and worship. None of this we could have achieved without our incredible producer @james_ellis_ford, engineer Jimmy Robertson, the incredibly talented musicians @elysiancollectivemusic who joined us, our beloved @calmcintyrestudio who shot the cover art, our generous and charming @islandrecordsuk and our tour de force of a manager @tararichardson75. Thank you, thank you. We love you.”

Nevertheless, the London-based quintet continues to face persistent backlash as “industry plants.” This label is commonly used to describe musicians who portray themselves as self-sufficient and self-made, yet covertly benefit from backing and financial advantages within the music industry.

In response to the ‘industry plant’ comments yet again, Morris had this to say, “We all had friends who were in bands in that scene in London – I feel like that’s the only connections we had. Like, ‘Oh, my mate’s in a band, so he can suggest us to play at this pub or we could open for this guy’s band that we know.”

The Last Dinner Party was formed when Morris, Davies, and Mayland met at King’s College, while Roberts and Nishevci attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. They were brought together by London’s vibrant music scene, each bringing their unique backgrounds. Morris and Mayland had a background in choir, Roberts was a trained jazz guitarist, Nishevci was a composer, and Davies had experience in a garage-rock band. However, just as they began rehearsing as a group, COVID-19 hit. Despite the frustration, Mayland describes it as a “good gestation period” that allowed them to truly find their identity as a group before making their debut.

Now that their long-awaited album has arrived, the band are also riding the more recent high of their performance at Camden’s Roundhouse on Thursday evening, the first of many career-defining shows set to take place this year.

Listen to the full album below Prelude to Ecstasy.