Brooklyn artist mal sounds, known by his government name Amal Buford, is preparing to release his debut album, 'Don't Hold Your Breath', on September 26. The album will be released via factory setting.
mal sounds has been selected for BandLab and NME's Get Featured initiative, which aims to provide emerging artists with exposure to NME's global audience. He described BandLab as a powerful tool and a social media platform for musicians.
The musician, who honed his dream-pop sound after an early 2020 experience in Valencia, stated that working on the album was a "healing and grounding experience." He described the album's narrative as exploring cycles and iterations, and coming to peace with them.
The album is intended to have a calming quality, with mal sounds considering how listeners might engage with it while cycling or walking. He aims to create music that helps people achieve a calmer state of mind and become more observant.