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Fatoumata Diawara enjoys some studio time
Song of the Day: A fabulous, agile, upbeat, energetic blend of jazz, afrobeat, soul and funk as the Leeds-formed London collective join forces with the legendary Malian singer-songwriter on this new single, both a celebration and a lament, out on Strut Records
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Obongjayar, from the video for Sweet Danger
Song of the Day: The eclectic London-based British-Nigerian artist aka Steven Umoh returns with a sensual, erotically charged number fusing electronica and afrobeat and his falsetto voice, heralding his new album, Paradise Now, out on 30 May via September Recordings
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Goat + MC Yallah - Nimerudi
Song of the Day: Meaning “I’m Back” in Swahili, an excellent, energised fusion of break beats, Afrobeat, fuzz psych and hip-hop by the mysterious masked Swedish band and the Kenya-born, Uganda-raised high-speed rapper
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Ezra Collective
Song of the Day: After 2022’s Mercury prize-winning album, Where I’m Meant To Be, the jazz and afrobeat quintet of drummer and bandleader Femi Koleoso, bassist TJ Koleoso, keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones, trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi, and tenor saxophonist James Mollison return with a vibrant new single
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The brilliant and incomparable Fulu Miziki collective
Song of the Day: The collective from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, return with a vibrant, upbeat, infectious, rhythmic punk-Afro-futuristic track with a title that translates as “pain and pleasure”
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Dele Sosumi’s forthcoming album, The Confluence
Songs of the Day: Beautiful, smooth fusion of afrobeat, jazz and pop by the Hackney-born Nigerian artist Dele Sosimi who was raised in Fela Kuti's commune, with two songs about about fortitude, and also acceptance and acknowledgement of individual creativity
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A Certain Ratio’s next album, 1982, is out in 2023
Song of the Day: The legendary Manchester post-punk band continue to roll out wonderfully vibrant new singles, and the latest from their forthcoming new album, 1982, is a mix of Afrobeat funk and jazz and fizzy keyboards, with vocalist Ellen Beth Abdi
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Switched on: Ibibio Sound Machine
Song of the Day: Electronic pop and afro-funk combine in this Hot Chip-produced new single by the vibrant London band exploring the connection between people and the power resource, and through all of life’s complexities, why it’s a simple answer
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Moonchild Sanelly is instantly recognisable by her blue hair and high voice
Song of the Day: Fresh and lively electro hip hop from the South African artist also known as Sanelisiwe Twisha from Port Elizabeth who learned her skills on the poetry and music scenes in Durban Johannesburg, developing her brand of ‘future ghetto punk’
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Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Song of the Day: A dynamic, cascading, piano-led mix of jazz, electronica, gospel and soul about guilty feelings over a friendship ending by the Brooklyn-born and based singer and multi-instrumentalist
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Tony Allen 1940-2020. His music lives on in this and upcoming posthumous releases, including the album There Is No End
Song of the Day: Another fantastic posthumous release by the legendary drummer and Afrobeat pioneer from a forthcoming album, There is No End, here featuring the writer Ben Okri and rapper Skepta on vocals
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Made Kuti
Song of the Day: During these dark days, a wonderfully new bright and uplifting layered jazz-Afrobeat sound of trumpet, sax and keyboards from the multi-instrumentalist Made, grandson of Fela and son of Femi
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Stretching the influences: cover of Arp Frique’s latest album
Song of the Day: Electro-pop, Chic-era New York City 70s disco vibes, African, Caribbean and Cape Verdean influences are interwoven in this infectious, eccentric newest single by Amsterdam’s Niels Nieuborg, with guest Americo Brito
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Cover from the forthcoming collaborative Keleketla! album
Song of the Day: Embracing the South African musical protest style toyi-toyi borne out of anti-apartheid, this new track fuses dance, jazz, gqom beats, hip hop and Afrobeat featuring Tony Allen alongside collaborators Coldcut, Soundz of the South, DJ Mabheko, Tenderlonious, Afla Sackey and Afrik Bawantu
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Expanded cover of Lightning Orchestra’s forthcoming album Source and Deliver
Song of the Day: A profound and glorious piece of cosmic, psychedelic, afro-jazz-funk by the collective based in Atlanta, Georgia, inspired by the sounds of Fela Kuti, Sun Ra, Tony Allen, Talking Heads and Jimi Hendrix
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‘Run for your life’
Song of the Day: “I wake up every morning and I run, I run for my life.” It’s a phrase that could apply to many lives and situations, but this new Afrobeat/soul/electronica number by the deep, gravelly voiced London-based Nigerian, is topical
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Salif Keita
Song of the Day: After Senegal's Youssou N'Dour, let's hand over to yet another giant of African music, again from Mali, the royal 'Golden Voice', from his 2002 album Moffou
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Oum El Ghaït Benessahraoui
Song of the Day: From the deserts of Mali with Tuareg band Tinariwen to the Sahara further north, and the sublime singer Oum El Ghaït Benessahraoui from her 2013 album, Soul of Morocco
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That's the Fela
Song of the Day: As the heatwave continues let's enjoy a double from Nigeria's prolific genius, one about our most precious resource, the other in relation to a police confrontation involving a planted cannabis joint
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