Sweet Distractions
Skales
“Man, I know for sure that from track one, you’re gonna be blown away,” Skales said of his latest album in an upcoming interview on PAM. Nigerian rapper, singer, and songwriter, Raoul John Njeng-Njeng, better known by his stage name Skales has finally delivered his highly anticipated project entitled “Sweet Distractions”. The body of work contains 14 solid and dope tracks featuring Davido, Blaqbonez, Zoro, Kabusa Oriental Choir, Zlatan, Krizbeatz, Rotimi, Stonebwoy and Imanse. “You know how one human being is trying to grow, and of course, there’s the ups and downs that would either break you down or motivate you to do better.” Skales said to PAM, “For me, this album is a representation of everything that was meant to make me fail, turning out to be what pushed me to want to do better.”
Full interview coming soon!
Listen here.
Meeting with the King
DJ Lag
Since his 2016 breakout, DJ Lag has steadily risen to prominence as one of the key figures in South Africa’s buzzing electronic scene. The gqom boss finally offers his first studio album, Meeting with the King. On these 15 new tracks and 1h20 of music, DJ Lag widens the spectrum of his musical universe to deliver the sound of gqom 2.0 that establishes him as a world-class sonic innovator. Lwazi Asanda Gwala, his real name, wields the amapiano phenomenon as well as afrotech and afrohouse flavors to establish his self-proclaimed king status. Scattered throughout the project, we find other stars of the South African scene such as Babes Wodumo, Mampintsha or Lady Du.
Listen here.
Agadez
Étran de l’Aïr
Étran de l’Aïr has established itself as one of the most creative groups in the city of Agadez, choosing to play at all costs and preferring original compositions to covers. On Agadez, their second album on the Sahel Sounds label, the group pays tribute to their hometown and shakes the dunes and the musical borders of Niger with 10 new electric compositions. L’Etran de l’Aïr also distinguishes itself by its influences which go beyond the local repertoires of Tamachek, Zarma or Haussa, to flirt with other territories (Congolese soukouss, the Malian blues guitar Ali Farka Touré or in the rhythms of the Malian Wassoulou of Oumou Sangaré…).
Listen here.
BAHAMAN
Rokia Koné & Jacknife Lee
Building on her success, Rokia Koné, former backing vocalist for Alia Coulibaly, one of Mali’s biggest stars and member of the all-female supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique, ventures out on her own with her first album, well accompanied by the eminent Irish rock producer Jacknife Lee. For the album BAMANAN, he illuminates the austere beauty of Rokia’s voice, making the singer’s melismatic improvisations perceptible. At the heart of the project is a tribute to the Bambara people of Southern Mali, their language, culture and practices.
Listen here.
Kintal da Banda
Bonga
José Adelino Barceló de Carvalho, who chose as his fighting name Bonga Kuenda, “the one who gets up and walks“, celebrates his 50 years of career, and the music of his childhood in the family yard on his latest album “Kintal da Banda”. At nearly 80 years old, the Angolan living legend remains faithful to his musical roots on the 33rd album of his career while addressing the new generation. He invites Camélia Jordana on “Kúdia Kuetu” to form a brotherly duo where their two powerful and committed voices are in perfect harmony. A true record of today, according to its indefatigable author, Kintal da Banda is nonetheless bathed in tradition, and in particular in the rhythms of the Angolan carnival, with the intonations of voice that the old people of his childhood had.
Listen here.
This week’s releases also include:
- Arrested by Love by Teeze
- Uthando Lwami by DJ Obza
- 4LUV by Blxckie
- Ololade Asake by Asake
