Mystery Tiime is the latest alias of Ayman Rostom, aka The Maghreban and Dr Zygote, under which he continues his fearless musical explorations. Since cementing rock-sold hip-hop credentials as Dr Zygote and exploring the outer reaches of house/techno with the Maghreban, Mystery Tiime is both a return and a departure. It is a return to his pre-teen love of The Cure's melancholy and a massive stylistic departure, marking the first time he's sung on his tracks.

Being a hardcore record digger, some of this comes back to his time rummaging through dusty record shops, as he says. "Around 2011, I widened my sample fodder from strictly jazz and funk to anything, and I started digging for new wave stuff at my favourite shop. My tastes were widening, breaking out of the stranglehold of 'keeping it real' dusty hip hop." Thematically, though, it gets deeper. Initally, Ayman wrote these lyrics for other singers but then felt that they were so personal he was the only one who could voice them authentically. The words deal with "...my addiction - the years I was on opiates, or the messed-up way my mind was around relationships."

This is brave stuff, a rejection of perfection. Following his post-punk influences' footsteps, Mystery Tiime sticks a finger up to virtuosity and embraces untrained immediacy and truth. It is a baring and acceptance of the spiritual and musical soul. All this, of course, is partially Ayman's dry wit and self-deprecation. By anyone's standards, he's disgustingly talented. The music is stellar, and his voice, whilst not classically trained, sounds fantastic.

The first single, "Thank You Deeply," is sad, funny, wry, and very British, like The Specials. There's a light cutting through the darkness; some hope to balance the cynicism, the reason for being. The lyrics reference maybe the main driver behind the project, " We got married and we got pregnant and I found more connection in my life. It kind of cracked me open and I moved more into my lover. I started to feel strong feelings of connection and also grief. I ended up trying my hand at writing some songs."

A full album, 'Maudlin Tales of Grief and Love,' will follow, also on Vicious Charm Recordings. 'Thank You Deeply' is out now on Vicious Charm.