In this week’s selection: Moses Boyd’s personal jazz archipelago, new EP from Nigerian rapper Olamide, Mhysa’s deeply intimate album and much more to hear this week…
Dark Matter
Moses Boyd
UK jazz drummer Moses Boyd returns with Dark Matter, an album that explores the point where electronic music and jazz converge but also combines the raw energy of grime and afrobeats, the club rhythms of the London underground. “This album is a celebration of the infinite beauty of all black music” Moses admits. Incredible stuff, it features guest spots from the likes of Joe Armon Jones, Poppy Ajudha and Nonku Phir.
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Cadence Revolution: Disques Debs International Vol. 2
Various artists
Strut presents the second volume in a series of compilations taken from the archives of Disques Debs International, the longest-running and most prolific label of the French Caribbean. Volume 2 of the series focuses on the label’s ‘70s output and the development of the unique Cadence sound, pulling disparate influences into a Pan-Caribbean blend of rhythms, styles and languages that dominated the dancehalls, clubs and concerts of the decade.
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999
Olamide
YBNL Entertainment ring leader, Olamide has released a surprise EP titled 999. It’s first official project for 2020 for the Nigerian star. It follows the release of his previous single dubbed “Choko Milo”. Nine-track EP which includes collaborations with great talent such as Phyno, JayBoi, Sosa-E, Rhatti, Snow, Cheque, Milly and Jackmillz.
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Nevaeh
Mhysa
Nevaeh is Mhysa’s intimate reflection on the black femme experience from multiple vantage points ranging from sex and sexuality, self-love and self-discovery, black empowerment and lineage, pleasure and lack of it. She describes the album as “a prayer for Black women and femmes to be taken to or find a new and better world away from the apocalypse… Nevaeh is a safe space, a sort of negro heaven”. The album is deeply personal but easily relatable. The intimacy is heightened by scattered acapella moments, covers of classics such as Nas’ “If I Ruled the World” and a reprise of “When the Saints”; songs that reference black pop culture, and where Mhysa’s delicate voice is laid bare and enhanced by spacious instrumentals.
Ngiwu Shwabada
Sibusile Xaba
Charismatic guitar savant Sibusile Xaba reframes maskandi and the avant-garde into his own humanist manifesto on his sophomore album Ngiwu Shwabada. After the acclaimed release of Opened Letter to Adoniah in 2017, Sibusile’s second album Ngiwu Shwabada was recorded in one continuous take at Studio Pigalle in Paris, in May 2019. It features his long-time musical companion Naftali on additional vocals.
Luv Bug
Curtis Roach
Detroit-born 20-year-old rapper Curtis Roach reminds us of the power of love on Valentine’s Day with his latest four-track EP, Luv Bug. Curtis’ themes deal here with the need to be honest with his emotions on pastel-colored melodic instruments. “Love is the strongest energy,” says the young MC, who grew up rocking to the sound of West Coast hip hop and neo-soul.
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Music From Saharian Whatsapp 02
Oumou Diabaté & Kara Show Koumba Frifri
For the year of 2020, Sahel Sounds presents “Music from Saharan WhatsApp”. Every month, they’ll be releasing an EP from a musical group in the Sahel. This month Sahel Sound presents mother and son duo, Oumou Diabate and Kara Show Koumba Frifri (Youssouf Drame), from Bamako, Mali. Playing traditional Mandingue music, these lowkey recordings are a snapshot from a griot family home. A founding member of the Balani Show outfit Group Mamelon, Kara Show is a regular guest performer in Bamako’s modern music scene.
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