MALA!KA Bared Fire, Soul and Frenetic Jazz Poetry in Out the Back Door –

Through syncopation and a bold synthesis of soul, RnB, trip-hop, pop, and jazz, MALA!KA hit her stride with the standout single, Out the Back Door, from her seminal EP, At the Café. The track reaches the epitome of scintillation as it lures you into the warmth of a multi-sensory sojourn, escorted by biting lyricism and jazzy reverie to temper the sharper teeth of her narrative. What MALA!KA spills here feels raw, unfeigned, and unflinching.

There’s a striking cadence in her diction, a precision that echoes the spoken fire of contemporary poets in the vein of Kae Tempest, while carrying the same kind of diaristic sting that Kate Nash once cut with, only hers is forged from deeper soul. Against erratic percussion, her vocal melodies pour like liquid gold, never forced yet always resolute. The words refuse to sugar-coat, confronting the archetype of those who weaponise language without sincerity, using words as masks rather than mirrors.

Just when the sting is sharpest, a swanky jazz blues middle eight breezes in, offering a cool detour before the riot resumes. Sax lines spiral, percussion grows frenetic, and MALA!KA ensures the finale is nothing short of fearless experimentalism. It’s a reminder of her refusal to stay in one lane, and her determination to let emotion dictate form, not formula.

Born in Wilmslow with roots in Pakistan, MALA!KA has been shaping her sound against the backdrop of Liverpool’s vibrant music scene, where she has already headlined sold-out shows. Her debut EP, At the Café, cements her as one of the most authentic rising forces in the UK soul-pop landscape.

Out the Back Door is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast