When Palestinian shamstep pioneers 47SOUL take to the stage at Scala later this month, it won’t just be to perform songs, but to tell stories. Stories of grief and resilience, of cultural survival and sonic resistance. The London show, raising funds for the Ghassan Abu Sittah Children’s Fund, comes before their new EP Dualism Pt. 1, a release that marks a shift in tone for the band long known for its upbeat sound.

The members of 47SOUL, formed in Amman in 2013, come from across Bilad Al-Sham and carry with them the pulse of a region caught between sorrow and resistance. Their genre-defying style, dubbed shamstep, fuses electronica, hip-hop and traditional dabke, wrapped in lyrics that dance between Arabic and English.

But Dualism Pt. 1, to be released May 2 on Cooking Vinyl, marks a turning point. Written and produced by the band, recorded with Dub Caravan and mastered by Mazen Murad, the EP shifts from celebration to contemplation. Songs are layered musically and emotionally, with each one a deep dive into the dualities of grief and hope, vulnerability and defiance.

The cover art tells its own story. A haunting painting by an anonymous child in Gaza, depicting the desolation of life in a warzone, wraps the album in a visual reminder of the trauma and perseverance of Palestinian children. The artwork, curated by Hanin Arnaout, adds a layer of emotional depth that amplifies the project’s themes.

Survival, both personal and cultural, is at the heart of this project. With mobility increasingly difficult for Palestinian artists due to political restrictions and displacement, 47SOUL find themselves not only navigating creative roadblocks, but acting as cultural ambassadors. Their music, they say, is a stand against cultural erasure, a defiance in the face of digital censorship and physical borders.

The band’s upcoming show at Scala is a fundraiser for the Ghassan Abu Sittah Children’s Fund, named for the renowned Palestinian-British surgeon whose humanitarian work in Gaza has saved countless lives. Through this event, 47SOUL continue their long-standing tradition of blending art and activism.

And while Pt. 1 sits in the ache of loss, Dualism Pt. 2, expected later this year, will offer a turn towards celebration. The band says this two-part journey mirrors the ‘bipolarity’ of the Palestinian experience – an emotional landscape where sorrow and joy, resistance and dreams, live side by side.

After performing at WOMADelaide and WOMAD New Zealand already this year, 47SOUL continue to carry their message to stages far beyond their homeland. Each performance, each release, serves as a reminder that in a world that so often tries to silence, Palestinian voices will keep singing, rapping, dancing and surviving.

47SOUL play London’s Scala on April 29. Details of the show can be found here