Photo by Aabid Youssef
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. Following up on his debut self-titled EP, Boutique Feelings, the singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist offered a first full-length album, Shwaya, Shwaya, making for a defining year 2025.
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 Canadian of Tunisian and Italian descent manages to create vibrant earworms where synthetic and organic textures shine alike, as evidenced by self-titled debut EP, Boutique Feelings (February 25th, 2025 via Mothland). 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.” Not a year later, Boutique Feelings unveiled Shwaya, Shwaya (November 21st, 2025 via Mothland), a debut long-player juggling elements from a wide range of genres and styles. Bombastic riffs drift into shadowy trip-hop textures, melodic verses dissolve into experimental psychedelia, as we are offered compositions and sounds that feel both familiar and otherworldly. The result is a sprawling soundtrack that balances raw rhythmic drive with sonic exploration, often pulling the listener into unexpected liminal spaces. Louder than War describes the music as “a strange amalgam of jazzy instrumentation, heady beats and, at times, furious rapping spat out from a velveteen voice.” According to Earmilk, “Shwaya, Shwaya is a powerful album with a distinct artistic tone that is undeniably Lakhdar’s, encouraging listeners to absorb each moment, let the melodies, rhythms, and messages reveal themselves, and to question rather than simply accept what they’re fed.”
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 notable events, including SXSW, The Great Escape, FOCUS Wales, Viva Sounds, M for Montreal, and FME.
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