There was a spare bedroom, so Ian Mugerwa built a studio in it. Working as Dawuna, he made Love’s Arp at home in Baltimore, sharing the songs with the woman he lived with as they developed. Her name is Love.
In Rae-Aila Crumble’s November 3 interview for Pigeons & Planes, Mugerwa describes repeatedly bringing tracks to his partner for her response. The album also credits Love Iris Chery with creative consulting on nine tracks.
Released November 6 through True Panther, the album was written and produced by Mugerwa, with Joe Williams contributing to the synthesizer design, additional production and mixes. Its reference points reach beyond that Baltimore room. During a 2024 visit to his father’s village in Uganda, Mugerwa spoke with elders about family history and recorded their conversations. He told Crumble that learning more about the music and drumming made him want to incorporate them into the album.
His label places the record in diasporic Black musical traditions; the release material names East African rhythms, gospel, house and techno. Mugerwa’s account of the Uganda visit gives those musical interests a family context.
The thumb harp on “Love’s Ekongo,” compressed percussion on “True” and wordless backing vocals that close “Love Wants a Family” give that range of influences a more concrete shape. Mugerwa may have worked in a spare bedroom, but the arrangements reach well beyond the room. His voice is one element among the rhythms, instruments and vocal layers he assembled there.
The songs address different parts of the relationship. The artist’s announcement describes “Be Careful II” through the fear of losing new love. Discussing “Wet Sheets / Lip Gloss,” Mugerwa places desire in the ordinary spaces of their shared home.
Love was hearing songs about their relationship while Mugerwa was still deciding what to do with them. In the interview, he describes bringing her the tracks for feedback as he worked. She was already part of the conversation before the record left their home.