Multi-platinum duo Disclosure share their new single “King Steps” —a wildly exhilarating collaboration with fast-rising British-Gambian rapper Pa Salieu. Out today via Disorder/Capitol Records, the larger-than-life track marks Disclosure’s first new music since earning a GRAMMY nomination for their chart-climbing summer smash “She’s Gone, Dance On.”
A hard-hitting banger built on their fiercely inventive sound design, “King Steps” adds to Disclosure’s longtime legacy of boundary-pushing collaborations with such eclectic acts as The Weeknd, Lorde, AlunaGeorge, Aminé, slowthai, and Sam Smith (who featured on their platinum-certified breakthrough single “Latch,” a No. 7 hit on the Billboard Hot 100). This time around, brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence offer up a powerfully infectious anthem fueled by the supremely commanding vocal work of Pa Salieu — one of the most dynamic new voices in Britain’s burgeoning hip-hop scene, whose widely lauded new project Afrikan Alien provides “a new blueprint for pan-African pop,” according to Pitchfork.
As Guy Howard explains, “We’re excited to continue showcasing the darker, harder side of our sound with “King Steps.” UK Garage has always been a core influence in our music, and it’s incredible to see its impact growing so much over the past year. Collaborating with Pa Salieu—who’s delivering some of the best music coming out of the UK right now—makes it the perfect time to release this track.”
Says Pa Salieu, “I’m an Afrikan Alien, and I know that garage music isn’t a genre people might expect me to jump on- but that’s what being an alien is about, moving from planet to planet, sound to sound. I stepped into Disclosure’s world and together we created an atmosphere that blends where we’re both coming from. That is true collaboration.”
Following a challenging period of incarceration, Pa Salieu has returned with a renewed sense of purpose, channelling his reflections into his music. His latest singles, “Belly,” “Allergy,” and “Round & Round” as well as freestyles “Epiphany/Crash” signal a bold new chapter as he pushes boundaries in both sound and storytelling. With new projects on the horizon, Pa Salieu continues to use his voice as an instrument of expression, aiming to uplift and inspire while delivering an unfiltered glimpse into his journey. “My genre is freedom of speech,” he proclaims, embodying his revolutionary spirit and commitment to authenticity.
The latest in a series of powerhouse singles from Disclosure, “King Steps” arrives on the heels of the genre-warping “Arachnids” — an October release conceptualized by Guy as an “ever-evolving creative puzzle of sound design and groove exploration.” Since sharing the spellbinding instrumental piece and its accompanying video, Disclosure have amassed praise from the likes of Rolling Stone (who hailed the “darkly textured track”), Billboard (“one for the afterhours, with crisp, syncopated percussion creating a foundation for waves of synth and a warm, inventive breakdown composed primarily of duduk”) EDM.com (“spins a web of unsettling rhythms that creep up your spine, far removed from their signature house beats…this is Disclosure in a new skin”), and more.
