Goya Gumbani - Himalayan Salt
South London artist, MC, and producer Goya Gumbani announces his signing to Ghostly International with the new standalone single “Himalayan Salt.”
Born in Brooklyn, Goya’s relocation to South London in his teens opened a new world of possibilities. His free-flowing style and sensibilities — innate realness and an impeccable eye for detail — reflect his transatlantic upbringing. Goya crossfades his craft between London’s new generation of neo-soul and jazz artists and New York City’s hip-hop storytelling legacy.
On “Himalayan Salt,” he treats a sped-up vocal cut like a duet, reaching around the beat to grasp a metaphor for the finer things in life. “Being okay asking for that, waiting patiently, grinding for that,” he explains. Co-produced by droppedmilk, who also worked with Goya on his self-released 2023 album When The Past Bloomed, the track launches off a feel-good loop, courtesy of Numero Group classic “What About Me” by The Exceptional Three. Goya waxes poetic on the mountain-sourced salt as a restaurant skit plays out in the background. “It’s got to be Himalayan,” he tells the waiter. “Salt the rim, take a swig” he sings on the hook. The vibe is lighthearted and laidback, in a top-shelf tequila mindset, but he speaks to a deeper context:
“‘Himalayan Salt’ follows the journey of a man determined to liberate the oppressed from the chains of both literal and metaphorical imprisonment. Set against the backdrop of a world where injustice thrives in the form of wrongful incarcerations and exploitative contracts, the story delves into themes of hope, resilience, and the quest for freedom.”
Creative Director Brice Birdsall expands on the accompanying vignettes: “The connective tissue between the visuals and the subject matter of 'Himalayan Salt' is the artist himself. Goya Gumbani embodies acts of celebration, individuality and resistance within his daily pursuit of the finer things in life - from his personal style to the elements that he consumes to his environment. The visuals reflect his personal moments of rebellion as we consistently see him choose nothing but the best for himself.”
Operating within various collectives throughout London, Goya is known both as a selector with his NTS show Chicken Foot Soup and a dynamic performer (he returns to Pitchfork Music Fest London this fall with Billy Woods following his 2022 set with Yaya Bey). His decade-long development as an artist and producer reached a breakthrough when he released his debut self-produced EP Morta & More Doves, a dedication to his sister, who passed away in 2018. His prolific output continued with various mixtapes, loosies, and EPs, including collaborative projects with producers Subculture (2021) and Kiina (2022), and 2023’s When The Past Bloomed featuring contributions from Pink Siifu, John Glacier, Lex Amor, Lord Apex, and others.
Following a much-loved COLORS session and profiles from Crack Magazine (“Gumbani is helping to revive and reimagine the city’s boom-bap legacy”) and the NME 100 list (“spoken word reminiscent of ’90s hip-hop greats and South London’s vibrant music scene”), Goya has gained further recognition from industry makers at the intersection of music and fashion, working with the likes of the late designer Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton, i-D Magazine, The Face, Metal Magazine, Nicholas Daley, British Vogue, and Bianca Saunders.
