Whilk & Misky

U.K. duo Whilk & Misky craft an emotive, atmospheric strain of pop that blends their affinity for minimal electronic textures with earthy blues and folk influences. The London-based act came together in 2012 around singer and guitarist Charlie Dickens alongside producer and multi-instrumentalist Nima Khaste. Dickens, who spent his formative years in Kent immersed in classic folk and rock, contrasted sharply with Khaste—an Iran-born, Dubai-raised artist whose early interests centered on avant-garde electronica and stark synth-driven sounds. Their initial encounter occurred in London that same year when Khaste’s former band visited the diner where Dickens worked; the singer initially viewed the meeting as a romantic opportunity rather than a professional one and agreed to attend one of their shows. Arriving late only to learn the band’s vocalist was already attached, Dickens instead spent the evening with Khaste, and the two recognized an immediate creative connection despite their contrasting tastes. They soon became flatmates and began composing material that paired Dickens’ throaty, sanguine vocals and grounded melodies with Khaste’s restrained, grayscale production. Online interest grew in 2013 around the atmospheric debut single “Wing Clipper,” paving the way for the 2014 EP The First Sip and a subsequent deal with Island Records. The duo’s first release for the label arrived in 2016 with the single “I Want Your Lovin’.”