Earlier this year, Heems released Lafandar, his first solo LP in nine years, and it was our Album Of The Week. Today, Himanshu Suri is already announcing its follow-up, Veena LP. The Sid Vashi-produced single “Manto” is out now, and it features Vijay Iyer.

“Manto” comes with a music video directed by Nardeep Khurmi. About it, the director said:

Heems sliding into my DMs after he saw my debut feature Land Of Gold to tell me how much it meant to him was a career high point. I grew up with his music. Felt seen with his music. It was the first time I’d heard someone speak my language with my perspective. “Manto” started out as a love letter to one of Heems’s favorite artists, Joseph Cornell, and his film Aviary, and evolved into an exploration of inherited trauma and sharing our love for the women who made sacrifices in order to raise us, all to a sick beat. It was an honor to help bring out what’s in Heems’ heart.

“These two inspirations, these parts of me creatively, Joseph Cornell’s The Aviary and Guru Dutt’s Mr. & Mrs. 55 were released the same 1955,” Heems added. “This wasn’t that long after 1947’s Partition. So along with S.H. Manto and Amrita Pritam, all these thoughts were going around in my head.”

“Inter and trans-generational trauma is something that is starting to be spoken about more in psychiatry, and many if not most Indian families have been impacted by partition in some way,” Vashi said. “The way Hima discusses it on Manto is so visceral and I think it really highlights the emotional impact of historical traumas that can sometimes be overlooked in theoretical discussions.”

The album has guests like Hasan Minhaj, Cool Calm Pete, and Mr. Cheeks, as well as voicemails from his peers, including No Doubt’s Tony Kanal, Bollywood director Zoya Akhtar, and frequent collaborator Riz Ahmed. Watch the “Manto” video below.

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TRACKLIST:
01 “Veena”
02 “Ratatouille”
03 “Manto” (Feat. Vijay Iyer)
04 “Bourdain” (Feat. Mr. Cheeks)
05 “Underbelly”
06 “Rakhi” (Feat. Pavvan & Ajji)
07 “Flowers” (Feat. Navz-47)
08 “Juhi” (Feat. Hasan Minhaj)
09 “Dame”
10 “Banshee” (Feat. Cool Calm Pete)
11 “Righteous”

VEENA LP is out 8/23 on his own Veena Sounds.