Nigeria’s Yemi Alade Is Dauntless on ‘Rebel Queen’
Yemi Alade takes the nebulous concept of Afropop from cheap copout to something far more powerful and interesting: a sonic indexing of widespread community.
afropop
Flow Is Key to Ekiti Sound’s Masterfully Eclectic ‘Drum Money’
Ekiti Sound’s Drum Money highlights seamless connections between London and Lagos, vintage and contemporary, acoustic folk and electric funk.
Fatoumata Diawara Creates African Pop-Soul From the Diaspora
On her strongest album yet, London Ko, Fatoumata Diawara demonstrates how music from today’s African diaspora can be “Everything Everywhere All at Once”.
Ekiti Sound Premieres the Sensuously-Charged “aLAcarte pt. 2”
“aLAcarte pt. 2” offers another sweet slice of Ekiti Sound’s culturally-spiced pie. It’s a sensuously shuddering, percussive jam that is as minimal as deep.
Kimi Djabaté’s African Pop Moves Hearts and Hips on ‘Dindin’
Kimi Djabaté’s Dindin is an invitation to fellowship for Africans and beyond and a call to take care of unfinished business with kindness and compassion.
Pierre Kwenders Blends Rumba, Rock, and R&B on ‘José Louis and the Paradox of Love’
Pierre Kwenders’ José Louis and the Paradox of Love is inventive and heartfelt. Kwenders isn’t simply blazing a narrow trail but opening up a cosmos.
Jeremy Loops Teams with Ladysmith Black Mambazo for “This Town” (premiere)
South Africa’s Jeremy Loops and legends Ladysmith Black Mambazo combine for “This Town”, a powerful new Afropop song full of hope and a killer melody.
Brandon Markell Holmes and Rogue Vogue Make a Stunning “Garden” (premiere)
Chicago’s Brandon Markell Holmes and Rogue Vogue create gorgeous, moving, forward-looking electrosoul on “Garden”.
Angélique Kidjo Continues to Shine with Timely ‘Mother Nature’
The common thread on Mother Nature is Angélique Kidjo’s energy, shining through in a voice that never seems to lose strength or agility.
Orchestra Baobab Celebrate 50 Years with Vinyl of ‘Specialist in All Styles’
As Orchestra Baobab turn 50, their comeback album Specialist in All Styles gets a vinyl reissue.
Masma Dream World Go Global and Trippy on “Sundown Forest” (premiere)
Dancer, healer, musician Devi Mambouka shares the trippy "Sundown Forest", which takes listeners deep into the subconscious and onto a healing path.
Thaba’s “Warrior” Is Electropop Rooted in South African Pop Traditions
On their single "Warrior", Thaba blend beautiful melodies and gentle electronics and beats to create a new form of electronically-based South African electropop based on mbaqanga and kwaito.