Emir Taha is a rising musician with a clear mission: the 27-year-old’s songs blend the sounds of east and west, singing in both Turkish and English and evoking the culture of his home country via crisp alt.R&B production. Taha is, as his Twitter bio goes, a “poetic Turkish dude” whose music explores themes of identity, belonging, ambition and struggling to find acceptance, especially in his career. He pays homage to his heritage with the way he subtly undulates with his voice or brings in a mellifluous sample from an eastern tune into his music but his songs also reflect the culture clash he experienced living between London and LA. Taha’s debut project, Hoppa – a word you say in Turkish when someone tells you good news – sounds like an artist freeing themselves of expectation. Hoppa Pt. I, released in June, established his evocative style and the duality of his eastern heritage and western identity. Songs like Huyu Suyu (meaning “ways and water”), Kendine Gel (“pull yourself together”) and Faydası Yok (“no benefit”) are built around his pared-back acoustic guitar, as if he’s alone on a stage under a spotlight. The next stage in the project, Hoppa Pt 2, further cements Taha’s unique sound while showing off a darker, deeper side. In many ways the project is about processing who he is when he’s away from home and ultimately reconnecting with his culture.