On Dunya, Mustafa expands the delicate, deeply personal storytelling he introduced on When Smoke Rises into a richer, more complex exploration of life, love, and loss. The Toronto-based artist uses his poetic voice and intimate folk-inspired soundscapes to reflect on the fragility of the human condition, weaving in the complexities of his Sudanese heritage and his experiences growing up in Regent Park.
The album’s title, Dunya, borrows from an Arabic concept that encapsulates the fleeting and often trying nature of this world. For Mustafa, who has faced grief, violence, and displacement, this theme resonates profoundly. Where his debut served as a tribute to the departed, Dunya captures the uneasy moments after loss—when mourning shifts into the rhythms of survival. His voice, tender and raw, channels a breadth of emotion, from regret and longing to quiet resilience.
Throughout Dunya, Mustafa reexamines the places and people that have shaped him. Tracks like “Leaving Toronto” capture his estrangement from his hometown with a simmering ache, while “Gaza Is Calling” reflects on a lost Palestinian friend and the emotional barriers wrought by conflict. These songs mix traditional folk elements with electronic textures, crafting a sound that feels at once grounded and expansive. Instruments like the oud and masenqo are seamlessly blended with modern production, showcasing Mustafa’s ability to create music that bridges worlds.
The album’s collaborators—including Aaron Dessner, DJ Dahi, and Rodaidh McDonald—enrich its emotional and sonic depth, adding layers of rhythm and melody that elevate Mustafa’s meditative lyrics. On “I’ll Go Anywhere,” Flamenco claps and children’s voices lend a cosmopolitan charm to a spiritual ode, while the soft flutes and loops on “Hope is a Knife” evoke an aching vulnerability.
Mustafa’s voice remains the centerpiece, threading together the album’s themes and textures with its hushed intensity. On “What Happened, Mohamed?” it carries the weight of elegy, while “Old Life” imbues nostalgia with a sense of bittersweet joy. Even the deceptively gentle “SNL” (short for “street nigga lullaby”) offers a poignant reflection on cycles of violence, softening harsh realities with a tone of warmth and intimacy.
At its core, Dunya is a meditation on survival and transformation. Mustafa doesn’t shy away from hard truths but approaches them with an eye toward healing and connection. The love he expresses—whether for his city, his faith, or those he’s lost—feels harder-earned but no less potent. In exploring the transient beauty and pain of this world, Mustafa delivers an album that is deeply personal, culturally resonant, and sonically rich, cementing his place as one of contemporary music’s most thoughtful and evocative voices. – Jason Felton