In this week’s selection: electro-organik sounds from Bamako, Raashan Ahmad’s shining eclectism, Flying Lotus’ great comeback, and more…
Luka Production
Falaw
Luka Productions is Luka Guindo, rapper, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Luka’s new album Falaw is a groundbreaking entry into homemade fourth world music and a suggestion of the future Malian sound. With this in mind, he invited several traditional performers to join him in the studio. Voices and stories of Griots fly over Luka’s sequenced organic drum samples, while ngoni loops call and answer each other in a playful leitmotiv.
The effect is both otherworldly while seemingly organic. Creating at the confluence of electronic and tradition, Falaw is destined to be a future classic, both at home in Mali and abroad.
Listen to Luka Productionsin our Sahel Sounds playlist on Spotify or Deezer.
Order the album on Bandcamp.
Raashan Ahmad
The Sun
Raashan Ahmad is consistently evolving, pushing the boundaries of live performance, studio recording and collaborations crossing borders and boundaries by fusing elements of hip hop, soul, jazz, world music, funk and more.
The record finds elements of what Raashan has been—soulful, socially aware and focused on self-discovery—while adding elements of the broader world.
Asked about the album, Raashan said, “I couldn’t create another record that sounded like what I’ve already produced. Being exposed to so many new sounds, ideas, and cultures combined with the state of the world pushed me to a place I am beyond excited about.”
Order the album on Bandcamp.
AJATE x NY.KO
Mammamelie / With Regularity
Formed in 2011 by band leader Junichiro “John” Imaeda, Ajate consists of ten Japanese musicians who play a unique blend of afro-groove dance music mixed with Japanese traditional festival music called “Ohayashi”
Teaming up this time with French groovers Ny.Ko, Mammamelie and With Regularity are two dancefloor destroyers announcing Ajate’s brand new album to be out late 2019!
Order the EP on Bandcamp.
Flying Lotus
Flamagra
For his first studio LP in five years, Flying Lotus gathered a whole bunch of renowned collaborators. His follow-up to 2014 LP You’re Dead ! features Solange, Denzel Curry, Thundercat, George Clinton and Little Dragon among others. Once again, this new release makes us dive into the artist’s rich and unique sonic universe.
Order the album on the artist’s website.
Deena Abdelwahed
Khonnar Remixes
Infiné presents a new remix EP of Deena Abdelwahed’s Khonnar LP, released last November. Following Tawa Remixes, this new effort revisits a broader variety of tracks from the original EP. Dawan, Ital Tek, Lord Of The Isles and Enyang Ha explore news territories in the electronic music spectrum through their reinterpretations of Deena’s haunting tracks.
Order the EP here.
Andreya
Life in color
Andreya Triana is back with a follow-up to Giants, released in 2015. This new effort, titled “Life in color” is a joyful album reflecting the artist’s evolution and new state of mind. An ode to love, independance and a reflexion on feminity. It features very personnal and pop songs, with a deep soul touch.
Order Life in color here.
Mazouni
Un dandy en exil (Algérie-France 1969-1983)
Le label Born Bad sort la première compilation de référence consacrée à Mohamed Mazouni, le dandy algérien qui, installé en France dès 1969, fut adulé par la communauté algérienne avant de tomber dans l’oubli. Ressuscitée par une reprise de Rachid Taha, son œuvre enfin rééditée raconte toute une époque, entre Paris et Alger, traditions et yéyés.
Born Bad Records is releasing the first compilation dedicated to Mohamed Mazouni, the Paris-based Algerian dandy. In the 1969’s, he gathered a huge community of fan from the Algerian diaspora, before fading from memory. His now reedited songs is a milestone from his era.
Order the compilation on Born Bad Records‘ website.
