With hypnotic percussion from cosmopolitan group The Invisible Session and poetry by the young African-American-Finnish artist Benjamin “Bentality” Paavilainen, the latest track from upcoming album Echoes of Africa induces a state of natural, hypnotic relaxation in the listener.
Written in 2018, the lyrics of ‘Hearing The Call’ seem speculative in light of recent events in the United States. They were conceived long before the Black Lives Matter movement, and prove once again that prevailing racism is nothing new. The natural flow of the MC Bentality, accompanied by the sounds of ancestral percussion, provokes a disconcerting mystical effect. This track is taken from The Invisible Session’s upcoming second album, released in 2006 after their eponymous LP. This new chapter was born out of band members’ deep admiration for African music. The impeccable rhythmic execution of Ethiopian drummer and percussionist Abdissa “Manba” Assefa, the musical and spiritual contribution of Gambian kora player Aruna “Jalimansa” Kuyateh, and the presence of Joyce Elaine Yuille, inspired the group during recording and gave rise to a special blend of emotions and soundscapes.
The starting points for these rhythms was Afrobeat, the recordings of Africa 70 and the percussion of Tony Allen. Other influences came into play, with melodies centred on oriental pentatonic scales, as well as funk, psychedelia and ethio jazz. But it is the ancestral melodies that intersect and form the basis of this album, favouring escape and deeper emotional venturing.
The album will be released on January 29 via Space Echo.
