The party that unites Africa, Asia, and Latin America is back for another irresistable spin around the world of polyrhythms and bass, from Afghanistan to Nigeria, from China to Brazil, from South Africa to Morocco.
Speaking of South Africa, this time our special guest is the inimitable GOJAS, who will weave for us an unforgettable sonic tapestry from the land of Gqom and Amapiano and beyond.
More possibilities for magic happens on the edge of town — come out to Roderich the only good bar of Pankow, only 10 minutes from the ring, with a nice sound system and no neighbours.
In Lagos slang, “mara” means “crazy, wild”, and “cruise” means “fun, a good time”.
The loosely defined but at the same time distinct fresh style of music known as “Cruise Beat” or “Free Beat” began to spread from Lagos on TikTok and other social media around 3 or 4 years ago.
Cruisebeat is a kind of reaction against the by now ubiquitous and internationally popularised sound of Naija Pop with its slow tempos and languid, introspective, romantic themes reminiscent of Zouk/Kizomba. Instead, the younger generation is making music at much higher tempos, with cocophonous use of samples, and an irreverent, riotous modus operandi.
It is an unstoppable African hyper-modern DIY rave-virus full of raw, relentless energy, spreading through the streets of West African cities like a pandemic of boisterous sonic thrills and frenzied footwork. Rave With African Characteristics is full of rhythmic innovation, sonic adventure, crazy intensity, and ecstatic euphoria.
Clocking in on average at 1 or 2 minutes in length, the songs are not really “songs” as much as modular rhythmic pieces to be combined in infinite potential configurations. The elegance and integrity of this music is in its rigorous adherence to pure functionality: above all other concerns, the central objective is dance; and neither producers nor party goers ever lose sight of it.
But there is also something else, a central element of human creativity since the very advent of poetry and song, which has been almost entirely missing from European and USAmerican classical OR social music in the modern period and even for much longer: humour.
Cruisebeat features plenty of cheeky, looney, hilarious samples from Nollywood and elsewhere, childish, even toilet humour, and re-versions or remixes of funny, low-brow, and incredibly cheesy music such as “Crazy Frog” or “Happiest Year” by Jaymes Young (Don’t worry, I spared you from this one).
The artwork already delivers epic LOLz
Musically ranging from Yoruba percussive dexterity, classic African Rumba, and Amapiano influences to palettes from Acid Techno and Trap, sometimes within the same track, everything is done with unmistakeable and entirey unmatched African rhythmic dexterity and effortless compositional brilliance.
Ironic that music made so quickly and spontaneously should actually, often, at the same time feel totally timeless.
Thursday YAAM at 7pm sharp will be a real Ngoma set from me, meaning Afro-centric poly-rhythms not restricted by the forms of the usual dance club. And the opening and closing sets will be special ones, encompassing Spiritual Jazz, deep Yoruba drums, Jungle, Juke, Reggae, and much more.
Einlass 19:00 / Konzert: 20:30
VVK ab 15,- incl. Gebühren bei KOKA36 / EVENTBRITE & An allen bekannten VVK Stellen
In 2011 Mark Ernestus (of Basic Channel, Rhythm & Sound, and Hardwax fame) traveled to Senegal in search of original Sabar and Mbalax recordings but ended up inviting over 20 percussionists and other musicians – most of whom he had become interested in via local cassettes or Youtube clips – for a spontaneous recording session in Dakar. Mark arranged and mixed these recordings back in Berlin, which were released on the 2012 twin albums “800% Ndagga” and “Ndagga Versions” under the “Mark Ernestus presents Jeri-Jeri” moniker – simply using the Sabar drummers’ clan name.
Since then, the project has evolved into something new in its own: From the initial pool of artists involved, Mark has handpicked a smaller core group with whom he intensified collaboration, toured throughout Europe and recorded new tracks to arrange, edit, finish production, and mix with his own, more electronic aesthetic. The album “Yermande” was released to much critical acclaim late in 2016.
The group has become a killer live outfit and has played clubs and major festivals all across Europe – including Melt!, Roskilde, Dour, OFF! in Katowice or the Festival Ile d’France in Paris – and in the process long have outgrown initial limitations. We’re more than happy to have MARK ERNESTUS & NDAGGA RHYTHM FORCE at YAAM Berlin in August!
Wed night 26th of June 1 – 5am @ Haupttresen, main bar of the festival, open air stage Function One in the center area between Turmbühne and Triebwerke –– 4 hours of Afrocentric Electro-Bass on The hottest day of the year, my 10th of rocking Fusion
Tonight is a big big night, with top beatsmiths and djs from Uganda, UK, and Berlin providing us with outlandishly excellent sonic services in this historical NYEGE NYEGE FESTIVAL gathering on the other side of the globe.
And tomorrow all 4 of us, David Tinning, Spooky-J, Moroto Hvy Indstr, and myself will be weaving ecstatic aural tapestries on the esteemed Cashmere Radio, where there is a dopetastische absinthe bar, from 8pm to midnight.
Get your dancing shoes ready for tonight, and smoking jacket for tomorrow!
in anticipation of the party on Saturday, i stepped in for Moon Wheel on his show The Journey on Berlin Community Radio:
Rhythms of the mother continent meets Sound of Berlin: NGOMA envisions dance music of a society that we want our grand children to live in. Decolonized poly-scyncretic drum machines of a high-tech egalitarian future, constructed from the plurality of various life experiences and multiple sonic perspectives today, NGOMA fuses the best of many worlds for maximum mind expansion, soul elevation, and body intoxication.
Sound of Berlin meets Rhythms of the mother continent: NGOMA envisions dance music of a future society that we would want our grand children to live in. Imagining a decolonized polycultural drum machine constructed from the plurality of our various life experiences and multiple sonic perspectives, NGOMA fuses the best of many worlds for maximum mind expansion, soul elevation, and body intoxication.
A few dopetastische events coming up, some even in Berlin!
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06.10 Musik & Frieden, Berlin
06.25 Watergate, Berlin
07.01 ACUD, Berlin
07.08 TBA, Barcelona
07.10 Manglar, Madrid
09.03 NyegeNyege, Kampala
09.16 Temple, Nairobi
10.15_Step In Festival, Zanzibar City
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My best quotes in the interview were left out, but still proud to be featured alongside cohorts Daniel Haacksman, Mo Laudi, and others in the Arte documentary series “Dig It”, which can be seen here.
Toulouse again this weekend 4 Laid Back Open Air. Lets all pray to rain gods to chill!
On 24th of September going on a month+ tour in East Africa, Nairobi, Kampala, etc.! Hanging with the Boutique Electronique crew, collaborating with East African artists, and playing at festivals and clubs such as this one with an awesome lineup:
Join us for ECK IM SAVANE at Promenaden Eck on Saturday night for a special night of Cosmik Grooves from the Motherland and beyond. The collectiv Tropical Timewarpwith BestMate? and Bela Patrutzi will heat things up with their impressiv vinyl collection and will give service with an Afro beat – Afro funk mix then Léon Leon from FINOW ZOO and dj zhao will take us deep into the night with their multi-dimensional drum science.
And on Sunday, we come together for Umbenennungsfestival(renaming festival),on the block where the infamous Berlin Conference of 1884 took place, to enjoy the afternoon and agitate for refugee rights, against Pegida, and the changing of the historic “Mohrenstr.” (N***er Street) to “Nelson Mandela Strasse”. There will be many speakers and artists, and like last time i will contribute with a dj set and a talk on Culture as a Global Process and Dismantling Eurocentricity.
2:00pm – 8:00pm
mohrenstr, berlin 10117 Berlin, Germany
So that’s the first meme i’ve ever made, hope it goes “viral” 🙂 What do you think? GF thinks it’s too “polarizing”, but i think it’s kind of a necessary illustration of the false dichotomy.
Also, for the entirety of the month of October I will be touring in East Africa: mostly Kampala and Nairobi, playing at festivals and clubs, and working with local musicians. Super excited!!!
Mashup, an exhibition of artworks by contem- porary artists from Africa generated during the research and exhibition project Mashup the Archive at Iwalewahaus in Bayreuth, Germany.
It’s nice to get booked for the core of what i do. Will be playing alongside many very talented artists such as Miss Eve, Otieno Gomba, Délio Jasse, Raphael Kariuki, Nita., Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, Simon Rittmeier, Kevo Stero, Pamela Sunstrum, and Uche Uzorka.
As I’m sure many of you have noticed, 99% of my uploads on SoundCloud have been hidden. This is because the price of an “unlimited account” has gone back up to 89 Euros a year, and i just can’t afford it at the moment.
It is bad timing as i have many finished mashups and edits i’ve been wanting to upload for quite some time, and was about to sit down and make time to do it. There are also several big big mixes coming soon, including Syrian Debkah, Classic Colombia, Acid Techno, and a beautiful Fusion 8.
If you would like access to all the older sounds again, and hear the new ones on SoundCloud which makes download possible, feel free to make a donation via the paypal button on the home page (top right), or just click HERE.
As soon as there is enough funds i will renew the subscription. Thanks.
NGOMA SOUND 