quête:fela

Colombian afro-cumbia sensation Wganda Kenya has been a staple on discerning dancefloors for decades. PANORAMA is thrilled to present 'Shakalaode', back on a 7 inch for the first time in a long time, from their 1976 release, blending afro-beats with irresistible rhythms. A side, a cover of Fela, B side - a cover of The Fatback Band, all in a colombian afrobeat style —a true double sided dancefloor weapon.

Presented as a reissue by London-based record label, PANORAMA Records, on their 'DISCOS PANORAMA' series 'Shakalaode' reflects the label's commitment to rediscovering musical treasures with a fresh perspective. Early support by DJs like such as Gilles Peterson, Patrick Forge, the Mr Bongo Crew and Zag Erlat (My Analog Journal), PANORAMA Records aims to reintroduce this Colombian Afro-Cumbia classic to a new generation of music lovers on the 7inch format.

Special edition repress of the groundbreaking ‘Nigeria 70’ compilation, now available on translucent green vinyl 3LP to celebrate the label’s 25th Anniversary.

Originally released in 2001, the collection set the benchmark for a new generation of archive labels and releases mining the vaults for rare Afro funk and Afro jazz fusions and helped to paint the wider picture of the 1970s Lagos scene beyond Fela Kuti's catalogue for a legion of soul, funk and dance music enthusiasts. Check!

The genius that is Tony Allen departed this mortal world in April of 2020, but not without leaving an unmatched legacy that crossed oceans and borders, bridging cultures and forging a sound that changed music. As the drummer for Fela Kuti's revolutionary Africa 70, Allen's polyrhythmic drumming defined Afrobeat. His contributions as an artist and cultural ambassador left an indelible impact on every genre of popular music, from Techno to Jan to Rock and Hip-Hop. Tony Allen's music stands as an ongoing testament to the interconnected musical relationships and dialogues across the African diaspora, and their lasting influence on how we listen. For Jazz Is Dead producer Adrian Youngs, it is no small honor to share new music recorded with the drummer revolutionary Tony Allen.

A Funky Cali Deep Groove Classic. For Fans Of... Kind Gizzard and Lizard Wizard, Altin Gün, WITCH, Khruangbin, Fela Kuti, Bombino, Say She She, Goat, Monophonics. Exclusive first pressing of Orgone's 2008 release, Bacano. RSD Black Friday release for 2024. Orgone has sold over 15,000 units through retail and Bacano has streamed over 10 million times. Orgone is the backing band for Say She She. Colemine Records is proud to present Orgone's 2008 classic Bacano, on vinyl for the first time exclusively for Black Friday RSD 2024! Now and always, Orgone delivers dirty, organic, California soul with heart; music that grabs you by the collar, pulls you to your feel and shoves you wantingly onto the dance floor. It all started with two kids from the San Fernando Valley, whose shared affinity for gritty soul records of the 60s and 70s collided with the colorful music cultures brewing in Los Angeles during the late 90s. That friendship sparked a movement, and Orgone has been delivering nothing but gold to the funk faithful ever since. Orgone has sold over 15,000 physical units through retail and Bacano has been streamed 10m times. This band is the backing tour band for Say She She and played on their most recent album. This LP will follow their successful LP, Chimera, which was released in February of this year.

Highly Anticipated Second Volume of Byron the Aquarius 'Dey Know vol. 2' on Phonogramme ! 4 Serious Grooves on a Green Coloured Vinyl....

The last great African rock LP from Nigeria's post civil war underground. Be Nice to the People was recorded in 1977 by Fela producer Odion Iruoje as he chased the runaway success of high school band Ofege. The Western world was in the throes of peace, love and flower power as Nigeria descended into civil war in 1967. The rock scene that developed during the following three years of bloodshed and destruction would come to heal the country, propagate the world-wide ideal of the modern Nigerian, and propel Fela to stardom after the conflict ended in 1970. The members of Question Mark were children when the Nigerian civil war ended and by the time they recorded their only album in 1977 they were college students, chasing rock n' roll dreams as Afro-beat turned to Afro-disco. Theirs is a fiery reminder of a once vibrant scene

War Head Constriction, a trio that defined an uncompromising afro psych-rock sound, began by playing shows that combined dark proto-metal influences from Black Sabbath and Deep Purple with afro-rhythmic elements. Their raw energy caught the attention of Afrodisia, a progressive record label, which signed them to release a single in 1973: "Graceful Bird" b/w "Shower of Stone." Unfortunately, the record was too experimental for mainstream audiences and quickly faded, leading to the band's breakup. Despite this, they played their biggest show opening for Fela & the Afrika 70 at the National Stadium in Lagos before disbanding. However, the members quickly moved on, continuing to form new groups.

Amenechi recalls jamming with Soga Benson, his cousin Skid, and Ben Bruce at St. Gregory’s, where they wrote and performed together. Benson, who had previously been in rival groups, became close with Amenechi once he joined Greg’s. Benson, a talented guitarist, joined Ofege for their second and third albums in 1975 and 1977. Despite this, his main group, Grotto, had yet to record. That changed when EMI Records, the leading afro-rock label, took interest in Grotto in 1977.

Odion Iruoje, A&R manager at EMI Nigeria, recalls his first encounter with Grotto, noting their cocky attitude and raw material. He sought to help them find an authentic sound, avoiding the typical influences of British rock or groups like Ofege. Iruoje was passionate about youth bands, seeing them as a fresh opportunity to experiment and create something unique. Despite skepticism from EMI Nigeria about the youth market, Iruoje felt confident that Grotto’s originality would shine through.

The last great rock LP from Nigeria's post civil war underground. Be Nice to the People was recorded in 1977 by Fela producer Odion Iruoje as he chased the runaway success of high school band Ofege. The Western world was in the throes of peace, love and flower power as Nigeria descended into civil war in 1967. The rock scene that developed during the following three years of bloodshed and destruction would come to heal the country, propagate the world-wide ideal of the modern Nigerian, and propel Fela to stardom after the conflict ended in 1970. The members of Question Mark were children when the Nigerian civil war ended and by the time they recorded their only album in 1977 they were college students, chasing rock n' roll dreams as Afro-beat turned to Afro-disco. Theirs is a fiery reminder of a once vibrant scene.

"This is the time that we, who have benefitted from the Last Poets shouldbe able to say, 'it's the Last Poets. It's them we should be honouring, because we did not honour them for so many years_"

KRS One wasn't just addressing the hip hop fraternity when he uttered
those words by way of introducing the video for Invocation - a poem
written thirty years ago, around the time of the Last Poets' last significant comeback. He was speaking to everyone who's been affected by the word, sound and power issuing from the most revolutionary poetry ever witnessed, and that the Last Poets had introduced to the world outside of Harlem at the dawn of the seventies.

In 2018 the two remaining Last Poets, Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin
Hassan, embarked on another memorable return with an album -
Understand What Black Is - that earned favourable comparison with theirseminal works of the past, whilst showcasing their undimmed passion andlyrical brilliance in an entirely new setting - that of reggae music. Trackslike Rain Of Terror ("America is a terrorist") and How Many Bullets demonstrated that they'd lost none of their fire or anger, and their essential raison d'etre remained the same.

"The Last Poets' mission was to pull the people out of the rubble o f their lives," wrote their biographer Kim Green. "They knew, deep down that poetry could save the people - that if black people could see and hear themselves and their struggles through the spoken word, they would be moved to change."

Several years later and the follow-up is now with us. The project started when Tony Allen, the Nigerian master drummer whose unique polyrhythms had driven much of Fela Kuti's best work, dropped by Prince Fatty's Brighton studio and laid down a selection of drum patterns to die for. That was back in 2019, but then the pandemic struck. Once it had passed, the label booked a studio in Brooklyn, where the two Poets voiced four tracks apiece and breathed fresh energy, fire and outrage into some of the most enduring landmarks of their career. Abiodun, who was one of the original Last Poets who'd gathered in East Harlem's Mount Morris Park to celebrate Malcolm X's birthday in May 1968, chose four poems that first appeared on the group's 1970 debut album, called simply The Last Poets. He'd written When The Revolution Comes aged twenty, whilst living in Jamaica, Queens. "We were getting ready for a revolution," he told Green. "There wasn't any question about whether there was going to be one or not. The truth was many of us still saw ourselves as "niggers" and slaves. This was a mindset that had to change if there was ever to be Black Power." He and writer Amiri Baraka were deep in conversation one day when Baraka became distracted by a pretty girl walking by. "You're a gash man," Abiodun told him. The poem inspired by that incident, Gash Man, is revisited on the new album, and exposes the heartless nature of sexual acts shorn of intimacy or affection. "Instead of the vagina being the entrance to heaven," he says, "it too often becomes a gash, an injury, a wound_" Two Little Boys meanwhile, was inspired after seeing two young boys aged around 11 or 12 "stuffing chicken and cornbread down their tasteless mouths, trying to revive shrinking lungs and a wasted mind." They'd walked into Sylvia's soul food restaurant in Harlem, ordered big meals, then bolted them down and run out the door. No one chased after them, knowing that they probably hadn't eaten in days. Fifty years later and children are still going hungry in major cities across America and elsewhere. Abiodun's poem hasn't lost any relevance at all, and neither has New York, New York, The Big Apple. "Although this was written in 1968, New York hasn't changed a bit," he admits, except "today, people just mistake her sickness for fashion." Umar is originally from Akron, Ohio, but had arrived in Harlem in early 1969 after seeing Abiodun and the other Last Poets at a Black Arts Festival in Cleveland. That's where he first witnessed what Amiri Baraka once called "the rhythmic animation of word, poem, image as word- music" - a creative force that redefined the concept of performance poetry and stripped it bare until it became a howl of rage, hurt and anger, saved from destruction by mockery and love for humanity. When Umar's father, who was a musician, was jailed for armed robbery he took to the streets from an early age where he shined shoes and raised whatever money he could to help feed his eight brothers and sisters. By the time he saw the Last Poets he'd joined the Black United Front and was ready to join the struggle. Once in Harlem, Abiodun asked him what he'd learnt in the few weeks since he'd got there. "Niggers are scared of revolution," Umar replied. "Write it down" urged Abiodun. That poem still gives off searing heat more than fifty years later. In Umar's own words, "it became a prayer, a call to arms, a spiritual pond to bathe and cleanse in because niggers are not just vile and disgusting and shiftless. Niggers are human beings lost in someone else's system of values and morals." And there you have it. It's not just race or religion that hold us back, but an economic system that keeps millions in poverty and living in fear - a system born from political choice and that's now become so entrenched, so bloated on its own success that it's put mankind in mortal danger. It was many black people's acceptance of the status quo that inspired Just Because, which like Niggers Are Scared Of Revolution, was included on that seminal first album. Along with their revolutionary rhetoric, it was the Last Poets' use of the "n word" that proved so shocking, but it would be wrong to suggest that they reclaimed it, since it never belonged to black people in the first place. There's never any hiding place when it comes to the Last Poets. They use words like weapons, and that force all who listen to decide who they are and where they stand. Umar's two remaining tracks find him revisiting poems first unleashed on the Poets' second album This Is Madness! Abiodun had left for North Carolina by then where he became more deeply enmeshed in revolutionary activities and spent almost four years in jail for armed robbery after attempting to seize funds related to the Klu Klux Klan. Meanwhile, the 21 year old Umar was squatting in Brooklyn and had developed close ties with the Dar-ul Islam Movement. A longing for purity and time-honoured spiritual values underpins Related to What, whilst This Is Madness is a call for freedom "by any means necessary," and that paints a feverish landscape peopled by prominent black leaders but that quickly descends into chaos. "All my dreams have been turned into psychedelic nightmares," he wails, over a groove now powered by Tony Allen's ferocious drumming. Those sessions lasted just two days, and we can only imagine the atmosphere in that room as the hip hop godfathers exchanged the conga drums of Harlem for the explosive sounds of authentic Afrobeat. Once they'd finished, the recordings and momentum returned to Prince Fatty's studio, since relocated from Brighton to SE London. This was stage three of the project, and who better to fill out the rhythm tracks than two key musicians from Seun Anikulapo Kuti's band Egypt 80? Enter guitarist Akinola Adio Oyebola and bassist Kunle Justice, who upon hearing Allen's trademark grooves exclaimed, "oh, the Father_ we are home!" Such joy and enthusiasm resulted in the perfect fusion of Nigerian Afrobeat and revolutionary poetry, but the vision for the album wasn't yet complete. He wanted to create a new kind of soundscape - one that reunited the Poets with the progressive jazz movement they'd once shared with musicians like Sun Ra and Pharoah Sanders. It was at that point they recruited exciting jazz talents based in the UK like Joe Armon Jones from Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective, also widely acclaimed producer/remixer and keyboard player Kaidi Tatham, who's been likened to Herbie Hancock, and British jazz legend Courtney Pine, whose genius on the saxophone and influence on the UK's now vibrant jazz scene is beyond question. The instrumental tracks on Africanism are in many ways as revelatory and exciting as the Last Poets' own. It's important to remember that the kaleidoscope of styles and influences we're presented with here aren't the result of sampling but were played "live" by musicians responding to sounds made by other musicians. That's where the magic comes from, aided by Prince Fatty's peerless mixing which allows us to hear everything with such clarity. Music fans today have grown accustomed to listening to all kinds of different genres. Their tastes have never been so broad or all- encompassing, and so the music on this new Last Poets' album is as groundbreaking as their lyrics, and perfectly suited to the era that we're now living in. John Masouri

This one is highly recommended for fans of Khruangbin, Lord Echo, Leon Bridges or Fat Freddy's Drop.

Open is the sixth studio album from acclaimed composer, producer, filmmaker and multi-instrumentalist, Kutiman. It is an addictive & irresistible twelve-track trip taking in elements of classic soul, Middle Eastern psychedelia, Afrobeat, Thai funk, jazz fusion, cosmic library soundscapes and more.

The uptempo “Vanishing Point” opens proceedings, recalling both Abstract Orchestra’s 2017 Dilla tribute and the lounge OST/library music flips of Tosca and DJ Vadim fame.

My Everything introduces prominent guest & frequent Kutiman collaborator, Dekel, whose soul-pop vocals coupled with jangly acoustic guitar riffs tip to contemporary indie artists such as Michael Kiwanuka and SAULT. “A Day Off passes through” Anatolian psych and Khruangbin-esque Thai funk whilst the afrobeat/jazz fusion “Confetti” pays tribute to Kutiman’s other namesake, Fela Kuti.

Dekel rejoins for the beatdown, lilting dub-soul “Believe In You” with hints of Lord Echo and the sun-inflected New Zealand dub-soul sound. The Tuareg-leaning guitar lines on “Canoe” travel across the Saharan desert easterly towards Sudan and Ethiopia by the end, whilst meditative and Coltrane-adjacent album closer “Ripples” provides a final moment of reflection from a truly global excursion of soundscapes.

Dennis Bovells produktive und vielseitige Karriere umfasst ein riesiges Spektrum an Musik: von Dub Poetry über Lovers Rock und Post-Punk bis hin zu Disco, Pop und mehr. Seine Produktionsarbeit umfasst so unterschiedliche Persönlichkeiten wie The Slits, I Roy, Maximum Joy, Fela Kuti, The Pop Group, Janet Kay, Saada Bonaire, Orange Juice, Golden Teacher, Steel Pulse und mehr.

Diese Zusammenstellung konzentriert sich auf die Zeit während und unmittelbar nach Bovells Engagement beim Jah Sufferer Sound System und gräbt tief, um deepe Cuts und weniger bekannte Versions zu finden, hauptsächlich aus den Jahren 1976-1980, samt eines umwerfenden und weniger bekannten Dub des ikonischen Tracks "Silly Games". Sorgfältig restauriert und remastered bei Dubplates & Mastering in Berlin, sodass diese Jahrzehnte alten Tracks makellos und dynamisch klingen und so angeordnet sind, dass sie den Hörer auf eine Reise durch Bovells Produktions- und Arrangement-Genie mitnehmen.

Die beiliegenden Sleevenotes sind das Ergebnis eines langen Gesprächs mit Dennis über diese Zeit seines Lebens, mit Erinnerungen an jeden einzelnen Track und faszinierenden biografischen Anmerkungen. Die Vinyl- und CD-Versionen weisen unterschiedliche Cover auf, wobei jedes Format ein einzigartiges Foto von Syd Shelton verwendet.

Less than a year after Botanical Illustration takes patience and Skill EP, Giovanni Natalini aka CO-PILOT, comes back on Simona Faraone’s label, New Interplanetary Melodies, with the Green Machine album, which is its natural prosecution: inside it we also find the three tracks previously published by the same label in audio cassette format only (NIM001- MC).

Green Machine is a concept album, which takes up and develops the ecological issues already treated by the artist in his previous work, namely the increasingly tricky dichotomy between nature and machine and the harmful impact of humans on it.

The A side opens with the already published Botanical Illustration takes patience and Skill (A1), an 8 minutes suite in which the powerful Live drum breaks are perfectly combined with synths and vocal samples, transporting us to the tops of exotic mountains, to continue with the ecstatic Himawari (A2) that sounds like a “desert session” made on Mount Fuji, for a result of pure musical mysticism and finally, Mother Love Nature pt.1 (A3), a track that takes us back to more familiar territories, winking at the most experimental British trip hop of recent memory and Mother Love Nature pt.2 (A4) characterized by a background of modular synths and nature sounds effects that precede Giovanni’s powerful drums, underlining once again this perfect fusion of organic and synthesized sounds.

Side B opens with the psychedelic choruses of Dancing Like Fela (B1) supported by synthetic arpeggios and a frenetic drumline sounds like a breakbeat. Continuing along this side, we come to the unsettling use of vocal samples on the beautiful Halo (B2), the ethereal and danceable art-pop of Lost You - In Translation - (B3) to conclude with the evocative Playing the Zurna in Ulan Bator (B4), a track with a pressing rhythm and elegant arrangements that once again underlines Giovanni Natalini’s mastery in mixing sounds and suggestions that are apparently far away but that always find the right place.

Green Machine sounds like a valid attempt to finally find a “solid” balance between humans and nature, but it also demonstrates how the continuous mixing of sounds is the most effective way to escape from the homologation that is increasingly widespread in contemporary society.

Founded in the stillness of 2020 when a group of tight tight-knit up and coming musicians were robbed of their livelihood and greatest joy - live performance - the group came together in a graffiti smudged artist s space in an old industrial facility in Copenhagen s outskirts and created a space for themselves to improvise in a funky, groove based setting. A followup to their 2023 debut Moko Jumbie which explored the rich culture of West African music popularised by Mulatu Asastke and Fela Kuti, as the name suggests, Soul Piece leans further into the tropes, grooves and idioms of Western 60" s Soul and Funk. Recorded live over two days at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, the albums raw, warm production captures the energy, intimacy and excitement of a live performance, transporting the listener right in the centre of a pulsating dancefloor. Each song is rooted in groove and exemplary band musicianship, and made up of every stylistic feature one might crave from the genre: crunchy rhodes tones, percussive clavinets, thick organ textures, grooving tambourines, searing guitar solos, deep pocket drum grooves, infectious basslines, punchy horn backings and James Brown Brown-esque stabs. Self described as the young lions " of the Danish jazz scene, each member of the six piece is an active contributor to the country s diverse musical output; Norregaard, Langebæk & Besiakov can be heard performing regularly in the Fela Kuti saluting Black Money Orchestra and Bæst, Eskildsen with the Addis Ababa Band, and Thofte & Toftemark each leading their own projects in contemporary hard hard-hop to name but a few of their many ventures.

Das neue Album der erfahrenen Soul-Funker The Brooks, welche seit Anfang der 2010er Jahre zusammen grooven, ist eine deepe Funk-Soul-Party. Von ihren Anfängen bei Dièse Onze bis hin zu den großen internationalen Bühnen verbinden sie Spielfreude, künstlerische Freiheit und kreative Synergie. Ihre elektrisierende Musik, eine Kreuzung aus Funk, Soul, R'n'B, Afrobeat und Jazz, wird von federnden Rhythmen, extravaganten Bläsern, einfallsreichen Keyboards und betörenden Gitarren angetrieben. Ihr kommendes Album ,Soon As I Can" verspricht, ihre Grooves in neue Höhen zu treiben. Inspiriert von Legenden wie James Brown, Fela Kuti und Herbie Hancock, navigieren The Brooks nahtlos durch Funk, Soul, R'n'B, Afrobeat und Jazz und haben sich einen weltweiten Ruf als unbestreitbare Groove-Maschine erspielt. Die Gruppe ist viel mehr als die Summe ihrer Teile und zelebriert mehr als 50 Jahre afroamerikanische Musikgeschichte und -entwicklung, wobei sie ihre Wurzeln nicht aus den Augen verliert und gleichzeitig in der Gegenwart verankert bleibt.

A hard rock mash up - Bandleader Paul Ngozi's split album with his drummer and co-vocalist Chrissy Zebby Tembo. The set includes an oversized 8 page booklet detailing Ngozi’s arc, rare photographs, discography and annotations.

"Zambia’s Zamrock movement that exploded in the 1970s...provided young musicians access to European and American music, and created a unique sound. At its root, Zamrock melded fuzz-toned psychedelia, chugging garage rock and roiling funk with a broad mix of African cadences and beats...enlivening a scene that included bands like Musi-O-Tunya, Amanaz and the Ngozi Family” - New York Times

Zamrock was a bona-fide rock scene: on the African continent, only Nigeria can claim one so comprehensive, and Nigeria’s was largely catalyzed and funded by subsidiaries of the European major labels. Zamrock was as independent as the newly-named country, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia. Zamrock is starting in its completeness, especially for a scene that emerged, unfurled and disappeared so quickly. From Musi-O-Tunyaís fusion of Fela’s Afro-beat, Hendrix’s rock, South African jazz and traditional Zambian melodies and rhythms to Salty Dog’s acid folk/rock, Zambia’s rock scene contained all of rock’s subgenres. Zamrock was much more than an imitation of American and European rock music: it quickly became a uniquely Zambian movement, befitting of its name. WITCH, Paul Ngozi and Amanaz sound nothing like other rock music from the African continent - or elsewhere. Zamrock came from a nation's youth carrying forth the momentum of a political and social revolution with a musical revolution that maintained the fiery power of early rock - in the mid-to late-70s. From that era, Zamrockís energy is matched only by the punk and hip hop scenes of England and America.

Produced by Lenny Kravitz (Executive) and Fela Kuti’s original engineer Sodi Marciszewer (Artistic). Worldwide tour in 2024 / 2025 (North America, Europe, Australia). New album from 2018 Grammy nominated album “Black Times”. Seun Kuti set to release highly anticipated album ‘Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)’ featuring guests Damian Marley and Sampa The Great on October 4th. Afrobeat virtuoso Seun Kuti is gearing up to unleash his latest musical masterpiece upon the world with the upcoming release of his album that will be set to make waves globally via Milan independent label Record Kicks. Coming 6 years after the Grammy nominated album ‘Black times’, this album marks a pivotal moment in Seun Kuti's illustrious career, showcasing his evolution as an artist and activist. Executive produced by legendary musician Lenny Kravitz and Fela Kuti’s original engineer Sodi Marciszewer (artistic producer), ‘Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)’ promises to deliver a sonic experience like no other. With both Kravitz's and Sodi’s expertise together with Seun Kuti's unmatched talent, the album is poised to redefine the boundaries of contemporary music while staying true to the roots of afrobeat. Featuring a tracklist of six electrifying songs, each track on ‘Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)’ embodies the spirit of resistance, resilience, and revolution. Each song talks about standing up against challenges and fighting for change. Like the standalone singles ‘Dey’ feat reggae icon Damian Marley, described as “a song about embracing and championing who we are, regardless” and ‘Emi Aluta’, “a song about struggle (Aluta means struggle) that pays homage to all the great revolutionaries”, that features Zambian singer, rapper and songwriter, Sampa The Great, one of best and most innovative lyricists of our time. The song ‘T.O.P.’ is about “how society values money and success more than people”. Seun Kuti wants to change this by promoting empathy and reconnecting with nature. In another song, ‘Love & Revolution,’ he expresses his love for his wife and believes that true love can inspire people to make the world a better place. “This project has been very special to me from the moment I conceived it, speaking to Lenny Kravitz, who has shown me such a brotherly love and respect” Seun says. “He has brought me to his home. I met his daughter Zoe and he has guided us with fierceness. Since we spoke about the album, three years ago, as the executive producer of this project, he has always been by our side and very supportive”. “I want to thank Craig Ross and Sodi, the producer of this project. We had a great time. It was the first time for me in the studio with Sodi and I was really impressed by his work and his fatherly advice and dedication”. Each song on the album is a testament to Seun Kuti's unwavering commitment to using music as a tool for social change and empowerment. Through his powerful lyrics and infectious grooves, he continues to carry on the legacy of his father, the legendary Fela Kuti, while carving out his own path in the world of music. As a musician and pan-African activist, Seun has been involved in a number of campaigns in recent years, including #EndSARS – a social movement against police brutality in Nigeria. Significantly, he’s revived the Movement of the People (M.O.P.), the political party his father set up in 1979, which was quashed by the military government not long after Fela’s failed presidential bid. Fans can expect an album that not only entertains but also inspires and ignites a spirit of activism and liberation. Seun Kuti is a Nigerian musician, singer, and songwriter renowned for his captivating performances and socially conscious music. He is the youngest son of Afro beat pioneer Fela Kuti. Seun has spent most of his life preserving and extending his father's political and musical legacy as the leader of his father's former band Egypt 80. As a developing saxophonist and percussionist, he entered the formal ranks of the band before he was 12. In 1997 when Fela passed, in fulfilment of his father's wishes, Seun assumed the mantle as head of Egypt 80 and he has run it ever since. During his career, Seun Kuti released 4 albums with Egypt 80: ‘Many Things’ (2008), ‘From Africa with Fury: Rise for Knitting Factory Records’ (2011), coproduced by Brian Eno and John Reynolds, ‘A Long Way Beginning’ (2014) and the Grammy nominated ‘Black Times’ (2018) that included a feature from Carlos Santana. They also released numerous EPs. Seun has played for enthusiastically receptive audiences globally and collaborated with many great artists. In 2022, he joined forces with Roots frontman and MC extraordinaire Black Thought in the EP ‘African Dreams’. In 2023, Seun collaborated on Janelle Monae's ‘The Age of Pleasure’ (Grammy nominee for Album Of The Year) with the two singles 'Float' and 'Knows Better', teamed up with Talib Kweli and MadLib for their album ‘Liberation 2’ on the song ‘Nat Turner’ featuring Cassper Nyovest and released a new version of the single ‘Bad Man Lighter’ with Black Thought, featuring Vic Mensa

Der Afrobeat-Virtuose Seun Kuti bereitet sich darauf vor, sein neuestes musikalisches Meisterwerk, das von Lenny Kravitz produziert wurde und auf dem Damian Marley und Sampa The Great zu hören sind, auf die Welt loszulassen. Sein Album “Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)“ erscheint sechs Jahre nach dem Grammy-nominierten Album "Black Times" und einen entscheidenden Moment in Seun Kutis glanzvoller Karriere und zeigt seine Entwicklung als Künstler und Aktivist. Produziert von dem legendären Musiker Lenny Kravitz und Fela Kutis ursprünglichem Tontechniker Sodi Marciszewer (künstlerischer Produzent), verspricht „Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)“ ein Klangerlebnis wie kein anderes. Mit der Expertise von Kravitz und Sodi und dem unvergleichlichen Talent von Seun Kuti bleibt das Album den Wurzeln des Afrobeat treu und definiert gleichzeitig die Grenzen der zeitgenössischen Musik neu. Die sechs elektrisierenden Songs auf „Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)“ verkörpern den Geist des Widerstands, der Resilienz und der Revolution. Jeder Song handelt davon, sich Herausforderungen zu stellen und für Veränderungen zu kämpfen. So wie die Einzelsingles „Dey“ feat. Reggae-Ikone Damian Marley, beschrieben als "ein Song über das Umarmen und Verfechten dessen, was wir sind, ungeachtet dessen" und „Emi Aluta“ "ein Song über den Kampf (Aluta bedeutet Kampf), der eine Hommage an alle großen Revolutionäre ist", mit dem sambischen Sänger, Rapper und Songwriter Sampa The Great, einem der besten und innovativsten Lyriker unserer Zeit. Der Song „T.O.P.“ handelt davon, "wie die Gesellschaft Geld und Erfolg mehr schätzt als Menschen". Seun Kuti möchte dies ändern, indem er Empathie fördert und die Verbindung zur Natur wiederherstellt. In einem anderen Song, „Love & Revolution'“, drückt er seine Liebe zu seiner Frau aus und glaubt, dass wahre Liebe die Menschen dazu inspirieren kann, die Welt zu einem besseren Ort zu machen. "Dieses Projekt war für mich etwas ganz Besonderes, von dem Moment an, als ich es konzipierte und mit Lenny Kravitz sprach, der mir so viel brüderliche Liebe und Respekt entgegenbrachte", sagt Seun. "Er hat mich in sein Haus eingeladen. Ich habe seine Tochter Zoe kennengelernt und er hat uns mit Feuereifer geführt. Seit wir vor drei Jahren über das Album gesprochen haben, war er als ausführender Produzent dieses Projekts immer an unserer Seite und hat uns sehr unterstützt". "Ich möchte mich bei Craig Ross und Sodi, dem Produzenten dieses Projekts, bedanken. Wir hatten eine großartige Zeit. Es war das erste Mal für mich, dass ich mit Sodi im Studio war und ich war wirklich beeindruckt von seiner Arbeit und seinen väterlichen Ratschlägen und seiner Hingabe". Jeder Song auf dem Album ist ein Beweis für Seun Kutis unerschütterliches Engagement, Musik als Werkzeug für sozialen Wandel und Empowerment einzusetzen. Mit seinen kraftvollen Texten und ansteckenden Grooves führt er das Erbe seines Vaters, des legendären Fela Kuti, fort und bahnt sich gleichzeitig seinen eigenen Weg in der Welt der Musik.



Seun Kuti ist ein nigerianischer Musiker, Sänger und Songwriter, der für seine fesselnden Auftritte und seine gesellschaftskritische Musik bekannt ist. Er ist der jüngste Sohn des Afro-Beat-Pioniers Fela Kuti. Seun hat die meiste Zeit seines Lebens damit verbracht, das politische und musikalische Erbe seines Vaters zu bewahren und zu erweitern, und zwar als Leiter der ehemaligen Band seines Vaters, Egypt 80. Als aufstrebender Saxophonist und Schlagzeuger trat er in die formellen Reihen der Band ein, bevor er 12 Jahre alt war. Als Fela 1997 starb, übernahm Seun Kuti auf Wunsch seines Vaters die Leitung von Egypt 80, die er seither innehat. Im Laufe seiner Karriere hat Seun Kuti 4 Alben mit Egypt 80 veröffentlicht: `Many Things' (2008), `From Africa with Fury: Rise for Knitting Factory Records" (2011), koproduziert von Brian Eno und John Reynolds, "A Long Way Beginning" (2014) und das für einen Grammy nominierte "Black Times" (2018), das ein Feature von Carlos Santana enthält. Außerdem haben sie zahlreiche EPs veröffentlicht. Seun hat vor einem begeisterten Publikum auf der ganzen Welt gespielt und mit vielen großen Künstlern zusammengearbeitet. Im Jahr 2022 schloss er sich für die EP "African Dreams" mit dem Roots-Frontmann und MC-Extraordinarius Black Thought zusammen. Im Jahr 2023 arbeitete Seun an Janelle Monaes "The Age of Pleasure" (Grammy-Nominierung für das Album des Jahres) mit den beiden Singles "Float" und "Knows Better" mit, tat sich mit Talib Kweli und MadLib für deren Album "Liberation 2" bei dem Song "Nat Turner" mit Cassper Nyovest zusammen und veröffentlichte eine neue Version der Single "Bad Man Lighter" mit Black Thought und Vic Mensa.

Der Afrobeat-Virtuose Seun Kuti bereitet sich darauf vor, sein neuestes musikalisches Meisterwerk, das von Lenny Kravitz produziert wurde und auf dem Damian Marley und Sampa The Great zu hören sind, auf die Welt loszulassen. Sein Album “Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)“ erscheint sechs Jahre nach dem Grammy-nominierten Album "Black Times" und einen entscheidenden Moment in Seun Kutis glanzvoller Karriere und zeigt seine Entwicklung als Künstler und Aktivist. Produziert von dem legendären Musiker Lenny Kravitz und Fela Kutis ursprünglichem Tontechniker Sodi Marciszewer (künstlerischer Produzent), verspricht „Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)“ ein Klangerlebnis wie kein anderes. Mit der Expertise von Kravitz und Sodi und dem unvergleichlichen Talent von Seun Kuti bleibt das Album den Wurzeln des Afrobeat treu und definiert gleichzeitig die Grenzen der zeitgenössischen Musik neu. Die sechs elektrisierenden Songs auf „Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)“ verkörpern den Geist des Widerstands, der Resilienz und der Revolution. Jeder Song handelt davon, sich Herausforderungen zu stellen und für Veränderungen zu kämpfen. So wie die Einzelsingles „Dey“ feat. Reggae-Ikone Damian Marley, beschrieben als "ein Song über das Umarmen und Verfechten dessen, was wir sind, ungeachtet dessen" und „Emi Aluta“ "ein Song über den Kampf (Aluta bedeutet Kampf), der eine Hommage an alle großen Revolutionäre ist", mit dem sambischen Sänger, Rapper und Songwriter Sampa The Great, einem der besten und innovativsten Lyriker unserer Zeit. Der Song „T.O.P.“ handelt davon, "wie die Gesellschaft Geld und Erfolg mehr schätzt als Menschen". Seun Kuti möchte dies ändern, indem er Empathie fördert und die Verbindung zur Natur wiederherstellt. In einem anderen Song, „Love & Revolution'“, drückt er seine Liebe zu seiner Frau aus und glaubt, dass wahre Liebe die Menschen dazu inspirieren kann, die Welt zu einem besseren Ort zu machen. "Dieses Projekt war für mich etwas ganz Besonderes, von dem Moment an, als ich es konzipierte und mit Lenny Kravitz sprach, der mir so viel brüderliche Liebe und Respekt entgegenbrachte", sagt Seun. "Er hat mich in sein Haus eingeladen. Ich habe seine Tochter Zoe kennengelernt und er hat uns mit Feuereifer geführt. Seit wir vor drei Jahren über das Album gesprochen haben, war er als ausführender Produzent dieses Projekts immer an unserer Seite und hat uns sehr unterstützt". "Ich möchte mich bei Craig Ross und Sodi, dem Produzenten dieses Projekts, bedanken. Wir hatten eine großartige Zeit. Es war das erste Mal für mich, dass ich mit Sodi im Studio war und ich war wirklich beeindruckt von seiner Arbeit und seinen väterlichen Ratschlägen und seiner Hingabe". Jeder Song auf dem Album ist ein Beweis für Seun Kutis unerschütterliches Engagement, Musik als Werkzeug für sozialen Wandel und Empowerment einzusetzen. Mit seinen kraftvollen Texten und ansteckenden Grooves führt er das Erbe seines Vaters, des legendären Fela Kuti, fort und bahnt sich gleichzeitig seinen eigenen Weg in der Welt der Musik.



Seun Kuti ist ein nigerianischer Musiker, Sänger und Songwriter, der für seine fesselnden Auftritte und seine gesellschaftskritische Musik bekannt ist. Er ist der jüngste Sohn des Afro-Beat-Pioniers Fela Kuti. Seun hat die meiste Zeit seines Lebens damit verbracht, das politische und musikalische Erbe seines Vaters zu bewahren und zu erweitern, und zwar als Leiter der ehemaligen Band seines Vaters, Egypt 80. Als aufstrebender Saxophonist und Schlagzeuger trat er in die formellen Reihen der Band ein, bevor er 12 Jahre alt war. Als Fela 1997 starb, übernahm Seun Kuti auf Wunsch seines Vaters die Leitung von Egypt 80, die er seither innehat. Im Laufe seiner Karriere hat Seun Kuti 4 Alben mit Egypt 80 veröffentlicht: `Many Things' (2008), `From Africa with Fury: Rise for Knitting Factory Records" (2011), koproduziert von Brian Eno und John Reynolds, "A Long Way Beginning" (2014) und das für einen Grammy nominierte "Black Times" (2018), das ein Feature von Carlos Santana enthält. Außerdem haben sie zahlreiche EPs veröffentlicht. Seun hat vor einem begeisterten Publikum auf der ganzen Welt gespielt und mit vielen großen Künstlern zusammengearbeitet. Im Jahr 2022 schloss er sich für die EP "African Dreams" mit dem Roots-Frontmann und MC-Extraordinarius Black Thought zusammen. Im Jahr 2023 arbeitete Seun an Janelle Monaes "The Age of Pleasure" (Grammy-Nominierung für das Album des Jahres) mit den beiden Singles "Float" und "Knows Better" mit, tat sich mit Talib Kweli und MadLib für deren Album "Liberation 2" bei dem Song "Nat Turner" mit Cassper Nyovest zusammen und veröffentlichte eine neue Version der Single "Bad Man Lighter" mit Black Thought und Vic Mensa.

Fast ein Jahrzehnt hat sich Jamie xx seit Veröffentlichung seines Solodebüts Zeit gelassen. „In Waves“, das zweite Album des Londoners, der mit seiner Band The xx zu den prägendsten Figuren der jüngeren Musikgeschichte gehört. Erneut lässt er seiner Liebe zur elektronischen Musik freien Lauf und entwirft die Geschichte einer Nacht, in der man in den himmlischen Puls von Schatten, Licht und Dancefloor-Rhythmen hinabtaucht.



“In Waves” hat seinen Ursprung in einem Mix, den Jamie 2020 für BBC Radio 1 machte. Hier tauchten neben Tracks der aktuellen Generation an UK-Dancemusic auch diverse musikalische Helden auf, etwa Roy Ayers, Fela Kuti, Tom Zé oder Philip Glass. Auch erste Versionen von Songs, die nun auf dem Album erscheinen werden, waren zu hören. “Es erinnerte mich daran, warum ich diese Musik liebe“, so Jamie, der zuvor lange mit der Frage gehadert hatte, wie es für ihn weitergehen würde. “Ich fand einfach Spaß am kreativen Prozess, ohne dabei an ein Ergebnis zu denken.“



Jamie xx pflügt auf „In Waves“ durch die Subgenres und Dekaden und fügt Northern Soul, Disco, Garage, Acid House, Techno, Tropicalia. Hip-Hop, Funk und den Sound der UK Underground Pirate Radios zusammen. Die kleinen Momente sind dabei so eindrucksvoll wie das übergreifende Ganze. Etwa jener Part bei “Treat Each Other Right“, der parallel zum Album-Announcement erscheinenden neuen Single: Zunächst wird man herausgerissen aus dem breiten Breakbeat-meets-Future-Soul-Vehikel, um sich mit den gepitchten Motown-Vocals plötzlich im Mittelwellenradio der 60er wiederzufinden. Die Worte “I’ll never let you down“ werden in die Ewigkeit gezogen, bevor ein biepender Puls über atmosphärischen Synths einsetzt und man direkt zurückgeführt wird in die schweißnasse Katharsis des Dancefloors.



Im Zeitalter der Algorithmen ist “In Waves” Zeugnis für pure menschliche Empfindung, ein lebensbejahendes Gegengift, das über den Kopfhörer in eine andere Dimension führt und zugleich gemeinsam auf der Tanzfläche erlebt werden will. Mit dabei sind u. a. Romy und Oliver, The Avalanches, Robyn und John Glacier.