Autumn is quite the melancholic and nostalgic season. Even though here, in Abu Dhabi, the eternal summer weather does not bring the same vibes as a rainy, foggy, and sobby fall like somewhere up North, the tiredness from a whole year of studying, working, or traveling is taking its toll on everybody. Therefore, I dedicate this issue to mass nostalgia, and the picks for this week are not in any way revolutionary, surprising, or super eclectic. If the weather won’t bring us the cozy and comfy fall vibes, then at least this week’s recommended playlist will.

IOTA by Lous and The Yakuza

Don’t be misguided by the name, Lous and The Yakuza is only Marie-Pierra Kokoma, a Congolese-Belgian supermodel, actress, and, most notably, performer of French hip-hop and soul fusion music. She returns with a second LP, titled IOTA, which is at the same time much of the same old hip-hop beats with sensual RnB type of vocals and a new direction in terms of themes and messages. In her previous works, which are her 2018 LP Gore and several singles that appeared serendipitously in between then and now, Lous and The Yakuza was a project focused on self-exploration through music and revealed deep emotionality. The new album is more about female empowerment and finding that “inner goddess” that a lot of RnB female artists have been trying to portray in their recent music as well. It is definitely an album based on trends, but the French rap and the Afrobeats elements spice it up a little bit and distinguish it as a more niche project than most others currently topping the charts.

Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin (released Nov. 8, 1971)

When there’s an opportunity to talk about the legends, you take it without hesitation. It is The One album of Led Zeppelin everybody knows and should know. This is a pivotal record for the whole genre of hard rock, which was still being defined and imagined in the early 70s. Led Zeppelin are one of the pioneers in this genre: taking inspiration from the Rolling Stones’ blues-based rock and adding some gut-wrenching guitar solos and an exceptional drum beat, one that many contemporary drummers still struggle to replicate precisely, they paved the way forward for the hard rock frenzy that ensued. And you find all the basics of the genre in Led Zeppelin IV: “Black Dog”, “Rock and Roll”, “When the Levee Breaks”, “Stairway to Heaven”, “Going to California”, “The Battle of Evermore”, “Misty Mountain Hop”... this is almost the entire album, and every single one of these tracks is to this day rotated daily on rock radios all over the world. The immense impact this album had on the music industry is beyond measurement.

If you’re new to the genre and you only want one hard rock record to waste your time on, it might as well be this one. But I am certain that after such a powerful introduction to the genre, it will not be your last album, especially not by Led Zeppelin.

Is This What It Feels Like to Feel Like This? by The Wombats (to be released Nov. 18, 2022)

The Wombats are a very safe rock choice. Even though they go for mixing alternative with punk, they remain an unproblematic band both in terms of music and public image. Yet they are also underground enough to impress both a basic alternative fan and a rock devotee. Their previous records are more sarcastic and festive than anything else, and I would expect the same from the upcoming record. This means it will also most likely not disappoint.