A sophomore marking Kash Kaaria’s artistic trajectory after half a decade, ACME Vol. 1 sees the UK-based songstress honour her musical and cultural roots. An inventive brand of Afropop ensues, built upon the trifecta of funk, electronic and pop. Crafty storytelling—relayed in Swahili and English—is integrated into the resultant sonic frameworks and bolstered by the Kenyan artist’s soulful vocals. Kash Kaaria is an artist in tune with her craft over these five groove-fiiled tracks, refreshingly combining a diversity of styles in ways simultaneously nostalgic and futuristic. The common themes running through ACME are love and self-discovery, relatably teased out with quirky and sensual lyricism. This universality in both sound and messaging epitomises Kaaria’s ethos: embracing her unique identity whilst maintaining broad appeal. A wide-ranging fusion follows as elements of hip-hop, acoustic and EDM accompany Kaaria professing a belief in love ("Wako Wangu"), soundtracking a romantic getaway (“Moves”) and bemoaning unrequited love alongside Ndovu Kuu ("Si Unipende”), before closer "Maua" blooms in self-affirmation and encapsulates the EP’s depiction of a journey ongoing.