Photo by Johanna Barlet
Dusted with elements of psychedelia, compounded by ethereal sonic landscapes, and catapulted by melodic rhyme schemes, Boutique Feelings (Montréal, CA) invites reflection on socio-political norms while offering an alternative take on hip-hop. Subverting traditional compositional techniques, this new project from Karim Lakhdar—known as the singer, guitarist, and keyboardist for progressive psych rock collective, Atsuko Chiba—explores themes of cultural and personal identity through vivid offbeat storytelling and catchy distortion-mangled hooks, resulting in music that toes the line between rap, psychedelic funk, trip-hop, krautrock, as well as sample-based and electroacoustic music. The artist follows up on his debut self-titled EP by announcing Shwaya, Shwaya, a first full-length album scheduled for release on November 21st, 2025 via Mothland.
From the onset, Boutique Feelings aims to challenge genre classification by weaving together sprawling musical pieces where rap meets alternative and experimental music, Lakhdar noting that “the genesis of the project stems from a love for Hip-Hop culture, with influences ranging from OutKast and Madlib to Kim Gordon and Gorillaz.” Whether sampling a beloved song, haphazardly recording an acoustic instrument, or simply reverting to a field recording to tell a story, the singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist manages to create vibrant earworms where synthetic and organic textures shine alike, as evidenced by Boutique Feelings’ self-titled tryptic consisting of “Sundried Autumn”, “Trynna Do”, and “I.Y.W.M.” Rolling Stone QC writes: “Boutique Feelings blends hip-hop and electroacoustic music. Between ethereal soundtracks and chiseled rhymes, his music tackles social and musical norms, offering a disconcerting and essential listening experience.” Some of the main subjects tackled on the EP include media propaganda, the anxiety and uncertainty that it fosters, the destabilization of critical thinking, as well as societal standards leading to self-hate, anger, and impatience. On a brighter side, Lakdhar also advocates for self-determination and resilience, while celebrating his unique background as a Canadian of Tunisian and Italian descent by paying homage to his roots.
Though Boutique Feelings is in essence a solo project, sonic journals recounting Lakhdar’s personal journey, his brainchild takes on a whole new form live, as he is joined on stage by an armada of musicians that include flautist Vanessa Ascher, guitarist Eric Shaufhauser, keyboardist/laptopist Kevin McDonald, bassist David Palumbo, as well as drums and live video projections from Anthony Piazza. In celebrating the project’s open-ended creative process, the live concert is flush with improvised moments; songs often stretch into meditative soundscapes, providing equilibrium opposite high-octane verses and flashy choruses. Since being introduced in the Fall of 2024, the project has received invitations from a handful of notable events, including M for Montreal, FME, and Taverne Tour, all the while sharing the stage with the likes of Hua Li, Mike Chabb, and Magi Merlin.
Boutique Feelings is set to release “0 Goes”—a second single from Shwaya, Shwaya—on October 21st, 2025 via Mothland.
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