When Smoke Rises

Mustafa began working on demos in the late 2010s.{{Cite news|last=Caramanica|first=Jon|date=2021-05-28|title=Mustafa, a Folk Hero for a Weary Generation|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/28/arts/music/mustafa-when-smoke-rises.html|access-date=2021-05-28|issn=0362-4331}} Formal songwriting for the album began in 2019 in London with Swedish producer Simon Hessman also known as [https://concord.com/publishing-roster/simon-on-the-moon/ Simon on the Moon]. Following the songwriting process, frequent collaborator Frank Dukes came in to produce the album. His production was inspired by the Smithsonian Folkways anthologies of Sudanese and Egyptian music which he samples throughout the record. Additionally, tracks on the album were produced by London-based musicians James Blake, who contributed to "Stay Alive" and "Come Back", and Jamie xx, who produced "Air Forces" and "The Hearse".

Mustafa has noted that the songwriting of the record was influenced by Richie Havens, Joni Mitchell, and Leonard Cohen, as well as Sufjan Stevens' 2015 album Carrie & Lowell.

The album's name is in reference to Smoke Dawg who is featured on the cover art alongside Mustafa.

{{Music ratings

| MC = 79/100{{Citation|title=When Smoke Rises by Mustafa|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/when-smoke-rises/mustafa|language=en|access-date=2021-06-07}}

| rev1 = Evening Standard

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|last=Smyth|first=David|date=2021-05-28|title=Mustafa - When Smoke Rises review: a sad, beautiful tribute|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/mustafa-when-smoke-rises-review-b937405.html|access-date=2021-05-28|website=www.standard.co.uk|language=en}}

| rev2 = Exclaim!

| rev2score = 9/10{{Cite web|title=Mustafa Honours His Grief Through Beautiful Poetry on 'When Smoke Rises' {{!}} Exclaim!|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/mustafa_when_smoke_rises_album_review|access-date=2021-05-28|website=exclaim.ca|language=en-ca}}

| rev3 = The Guardian

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|date=2021-05-30|title=Mustafa: When Smoke Rises review – 21st-century folk meets bereft R&B|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/may/30/mustafa-when-smoke-rises-review|access-date=2021-05-30|website=The Guardian|language=en}}

| rev4 = Pitchfork

| rev4score = 7.3/10{{Cite web|title=Mustafa: When Smoke Rises|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/mustafa-when-smoke-rises/|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Pitchfork|language=en}}

| rev5 = Rolling Stone

| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite magazine|last=Conteh|first=Mankaprr|date=2021-05-28|title=Mustafa's 'When Smoke Rises' is a Softly Stunning Debut|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/mustafas-when-smoke-rises-1175622/|access-date=2021-05-28|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}

}}

When Smoke Rises was released on May 28, 2021, fourteen months after the first single "Stay Alive" was released. It was released independently by Mustafa under the name Regent Park Songs and distributed by Beggars Group. A limited edition of the album pressed as different colour vinyl records was released by a number of independent record stores including Rough Trade and VMP (Vinyl Me, Please).{{Cite web|title=When Smoke Rises|url=https://www.vinylmeplease.com/products/mustafa-when-smoke-rises|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Vinyl Me, Please|language=en}}

Mustafa appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 27, 2021, to promote the release of the record.{{Citation|title=The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon - Season 8 Episode 148|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-tonight-show-starring-jimmy-fallon/s08/e148|language=en|access-date=2021-05-27}} In the year leading up the release, Mustafa received significant press coverage, including profiles by The New York Times, GQ Middle East, Pitchfork, and American Songwriter.{{Cite web|last=Nagy|first=Andrew|date=2 February 2021|title=Mustafa Is Realising His Purpose|url=https://www.gqmiddleeast.com/culture/mustafa-is-realising-his-purpose|access-date=27 May 2021|website=GQ Middle East}}{{Cite web|last=Kameir|first=Rawiya|title=Mustafa's Meditative Songs of Mourning|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/rising/mustafas-meditative-songs-of-mourning/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Pitchfork|date=26 October 2020 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2021-03-30|title=Mustafa Speaks To His Experience, Not Through It|url=https://americansongwriter.com/mustafa-interview/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=American Songwriter|language=en-US}}

Overall, the album received generally favourable reviews from critics, with particularly positive support from Canadian publications like Exclaim!

Songwriting credits adapted from SOCAN and liner notes.{{Citation|title=When Smoke Rises - Mustafa {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/when-smoke-rises-mw0003479152|language=en|access-date=2021-05-27}}Liner notes for When Smoke Rises, Mustafa. Regent Park Songs RPS004DA, 2021, vinyl record.

{{Track listing

| headline = When Smoke Rises track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Stay Alive

| writer1 = {{hlist|Mustafa Ahmed|cityboymoe|Adam Feeney|Simon Hessman}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Frank Dukes|James Blake{{ref|a|[a]}}|Simon Hessman{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length1 = 3:01

| title2 = Air Forces

| writer2 = {{hlist|Ahmed|Feeney|Hessman|Mickey Newbury{{ref|A|[A]}}}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Dukes|Jamie xx{{ref|a|[a]}}|Hessman{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length2 = 2:58

| title3 = Separate

| writer3 = {{hlist|Ahmed|cityboymoe|Feeney|Hessman}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Dukes|Hessman{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length3 = 2:27

| title4 = The Hearse

| writer4 = {{hlist|Ahmed|James Smith|Feeney|Hessman|Matthew Tavares}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Dukes|Jamie xx{{ref|b|[b]}}|Hessman{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length4 = 2:04

| title5 = Capo

| writer5 = {{hlist|Ahmed|Sampha Sisay}}

| note5 = featuring Sampha

| extra5 = Dukes

| length5 = 2:55

| title6 = Ali

| writer6 = {{hlist|Ahmed|Tavares|Feeney|Hessman}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Dukes|Tavares{{ref|b|[b]}}|Hessman{{ref|b|[b]}}|Rodaidh McDonald{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length6 = 3:12

| title7 = What About Heaven

| writer7 = {{hlist|Ahmed|Dylan Wiggins|Feeney|Hessman}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|Dukes|Pete SCUM Nebula{{ref|b|[b]}}|Nate Mercereau{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length7 = 3:38

| title8 = Come Back

| writer8 = {{hlist|Ahmed|Feeney|Blake}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Dukes|Blake}}

| length8 = 3:12

| total_length = 23:42

}}

{{track listing

| total_length =

| headline = Japanese edition (bonus tracks){{cite web|url=https://www.beatink.com/products/detail.php?product_id=11777|title=BEATINK.COM When Smoke Rises|publisher=Beatink.com|access-date=1 September 2021}}

| title9 = Come Back

| note9 = Live) (featuring James Blake

| writer9 = {{hlist|Ahmed|Feeney|Blake}}

| length9 =

| title10 = Ali

| note10 = Live

| writer10 = {{hlist|Ahmed|Tavared|Feeney|Hessman}}

| length10 =

| title11 = Stay Alive

| note11 = Live) (featuring James Blake

| writer11 = {{hlist|Ahmed|cityboymoe|Feeney|Hessman}}

| length11 =

}}

Notes

• {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies a co-producer.
• {{sup|{{note|b|[b]}}}} signifies an additional producer.
• "Stay Alive" features backing vocals by Sampha.
• "Air Forces" features uncredited background vocals by Frank Dukes.
• "Separate" features additional vocals from Fatima Ali and cityboymoe.
• "What About Heaven" features backing vocals by Sampha.
• "Come Back" features backing vocals by James Blake.

Sample credits

• {{sup|{{note|A|[A]}}}} "Air Forces" contains samples of "Heaven Help the Child", written and performed by Mickey Newbury; "The Age-Set" by Dinka People of Abyei from Music of the Sudan: The Role of Song and Dance in Dinka Society.
• "The Hearse" contains a sample of "The Spreading Horns" by Wife of the Paramount Chief from Music of the Sudan: The Role of Song and Dance in Dinka Society.
• "What About Heaven" contains samples of "Allah" from The Music of Upper and Lower Egypt; "The Tribe of Babo" by Dinka People of Abyei from Music of the Sudan: The Role of Song and Dance in Dinka Society.

Adapted from TIDAL, Jaxsta, and liner notes.{{Cite web|title=Credits: When Smoke Rises|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/183187821/credits|access-date=2021-05-28|website=listen.tidal.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Overview: When Smoke Rises|url=https://jaxsta.com/release/f37315cc-8dc0-59bb-b2cb-d2bf6b5695b2/81bfa454-1cb7-5f91-b429-76d9ca142a48/overview|access-date=2021-06-01|website=Jaxsta}}

Musicians

• Mustafa – vocals
• Ben Reed – bass guitar ("Separate", "What About Heaven")
• cityboymoe – additional vocals ("Separate")
• David Wrench – additional music ("Air Forces")
• Dylan Wiggins (Sir Dylan) – keyboards ("What About Heaven")
• Fatima Ali – additional vocals ("Separate")
• Frank Dukes – synth (tracks 2, 3, 5, 8); drum programming (tracks 3, 4, 6, 7); programming ("Air Forces"); guitar ("Ali")
• James Blake – synth ("Stay Alive"); vocals, piano ("Come Back")
• Jamie xx – synth ("Air Forces", "The Hearse"); programming ("Air Forces")
• Matthew Tavares – guitar ("The Hearse", "Ali"); synth ("Ali")
• Nate Mercereau – bass guitar, horns ("What About Heaven")
• Pete SCUM Nebula (The Antydote) – arranger, programming, drum programming ("What About Heaven")
• Rodaidh McDonald – synth ("Ali")
• Sampha – featured vocals ("Capo"); backing vocals ("Stay Alive", "What About Heaven"); piano ("Capo"); bongos ("What About Heaven")
• Simon Hessman – guitar (tracks 1–4, 6, 7); synth bass ("Stay Alive")
• Teo Halm – bass guitar ("Stay Alive")

Spoken word and dialogue

• Rax ("Stay Alive")
• Puffy L'z ("Air Forces")
• SAFE ("The Hearse")
• Ali Rizeig ("Ali")
• CAPO ("Capo")
• Smoke Dawg ("Capo")
• AK ("Come Back")

Technical

• Manny Marroquin – mixing
• David Wrench – mixing ("Stay Alive", "Air Forces")
• Chris Galland – mix engineer
• Jeremie Inhaber – assistant mix engineer
• Robin Florent – assistant mix engineer
• Scott Desmarais – assistant mix engineer
• Emerson Mancini – mastering
• Matt Colton – mastering

{{Halal Gang}}

{{Frank Dukes}}

Category:2021 debut EPs

Category:Mustafa the Poet albums

Category:Albums produced by Frank Dukes

Category:Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year albums

Category:Folk EPs

Category:EPs by Canadian artists