Nazar’s musical world centers around the extreme violence, injustice, and omnipresence of a repressive state during and after the 27-year Angolan civil war, while also exploring hope and pride in a country torn apart by conflict.

After the civil war ended in 2002, Nazar — who was raised in Belgium — returned to Angola. It was at this point that he began producing music, developing his own take on Angola’s Kuduro genre. Nazar inverts Kuduro, weaving in war sounds, lacing cold synths with percussion and swells of noise. His lyrics focus on massacres and violence, incorporating chants and taunts against the dictatorship. He calls this style Rough Kuduro, a term he coined through a hashtag on his SoundCloud page.

After signing with Hyperdub, Nazar released the EP Enclave, followed by Guerrilla. Both projects reflect on his journey, honoring the unnamed dead and piecing together Angola’s violent past to make sense of the present.

His second album, Demilitarize, is soon to be released on Hyperdub as well.

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