Khaled Said enjoys the freedom of making whatever kind of music he wants, which lately has been devoted to intense explorations of souls in solid and unforgettable songs.
Hailing from Montreal, Canada, Khaled Said’s generosity on these songs, his willingness to write about the good and the bad of human experiences, is downright humbling to listen to. This EP, Time to go, moves back and forth between the themes of struggle, pain, love and relief of a refugee family’s journey. While the sad themes outweigh the joyous, the songs and their presentation make it clear that none of this came easily.
The storytelling is emotive and thought provoking throughout the entire EP. Scenes of the family on the move and the sacrifices they have to make to reach their destination are vividly described in the tracks “Drop of rain” and “Land”, with Maya and Danny’s powerful vocals beautifully painting the bittersweet images over the music.
Khaled Said is surely one of the most distinctively poetic songwriters currently out there, and here he also speaks with his producer’s wand. His production choices, from top to bottom, are flawless. And with the closing track “New day” it really finds him present on this EP with one goal only; to serve heartfelt songs, and he does so with grace and ease. It’s largely to Khaled Said’s credit as a songwriter and composer, along with his collaborator’s vocal prowess that there isn’t a moment that rings hollow or falsely sentimental. Regardless of your views on this sensitive and complicated topic, it would be almost impossible not to be moved by this music.