Offie Mag

Are you okay? Because I’m not sure that I am. Ever since Khadija Al Hanafi’s latest project started beaming into my brain, it’s been pure chaos: Footwork so fire that one of my earphones ran away—presumably to share it with the world.

If you’re not familiar with producer and DJ Khadija Al Hanafi, now’s the time to catch up. She’s been crafting some of the finest blissed-out Footwork alongside raw, kinetic dance tracks in the scene today. On 2020’s Slime Patrol, those with a keen attention to detail will find the words “Hammam Lif Footwork,” written onto the cassettes back flap. Referring to a town in the north of her native Tunisia, famed for its enriching bath’s and hot springs. Why? The answer is clear the moment you press play.

Footwork and Juke may have their roots forever tied to the city of Chicago and the hardships that people faced in the projects of the south and west sides, where it came as an escape and an opportunity for people to come together. Hanafi however, is part of a more recent crop of footworkers, where she in particular has adopted a more relaxing and intimate sound. Yeah, these tracks will still work in the club—just come to a Brickcellphone and Wachuwan B2B, and you’ll see what tracks such as 'Move Like Me' and '2TwinDracos' from 2024’s (Offie Mag Project of the Year nominee) Slime Patrol 2 will do to the unsuspecting punter—but they seem more fit for a commute looking out of a steamed up bus window or as background music while you're waiting for your pasta to cook with a large glass of wine in hand.

!OK! Is distinct from its predecessors, Khadija utilises the ethereal soundscapes that she has become known for with a more aggressive self assured edge. It serves as both a love letter to the genre that has helped her put her name on the map but also a prophecy to where she can take the genre next and how her identity as an artist is evolving.

!OK! Is out now via Fada Records and you can buy the album as well as a limited edition cassette here.

Words by Louis Rowland.