Coco Em is all about community: she’s the founder of Nairobi-based womxn collective Sim Sima, and is actively involved with Santuri Safari, a Nairobi-based non-profit organization that supports East African producers and DJs through workshops and other projects. Her debut EP Kilumi continues with this collaborative approach, enlisting six emcees, producers, and singers from different communities in Kenya to shape her electronic sound. By including traditional instrumentation, field recordings, and different Kenyan languages, Kilumi is a reflection of the country’s rich mish-mash of cultures and traditions, and an exploration of Coco Em’s own Kamba roots. But even if you don’t get the references or lyrics, this is a superb set that stands on its own.

– Megan Iacobini de Fazio