Oct
1
2021
David Byrne Presents: This Is African Music?!
By Todomundo
About a month or so ago, I went down a rabbit hole of contemporary African music. I was initially led there by an artist's top 10 list in Artforum -- of all places. He mentioned a Ugandan collective called "Nyege Nyege", and when I checked out their playlist I was astounded... Radical electronic sounds, and textures like nothing I’d ever heard!
I had already been aware that quite a few African artists were making appearances on songs, or collaborating with pop megastars. Nija and others collaborated with Beyonce on a Lion King song, Wiz Kid did a collaboration with Drake AND with H.E.R. To be fair... Michael Kiwanuka is British, but his parents emigrated from Uganda... So, obviously, something is happening.
Back in the day, African artists were mostly relegated to the World Music charts. Now they’re all over the pop charts, and the technology of pop music has radically changed African music as well. The use of software and electronic sounds and beats are everywhere. I remember the first time hearing that technology being applied to African beats on the Angelique Kidjo record “Batonga”, produced by Joe Galdo (formerly associated with Miami Sound Machine). He kept the beats and rhythms intact, replacing each sound with samples or electronic beats. I loved it!
The availability of inexpensive music production software meant that artists could now produce tracks on their laptops… they didn’t have to have bands or pay for expensive studios. The arrival of streaming also has had a huge effect on African music. The big platforms have taken an interest - but maybe more importantly local streaming services have emerged catering to African artists and their fans (like This One mentioned Here).
Here’s a piece w/ links to some of the many indie streaming services. Artists can upload their tracks directly - and for listeners, it’s cheaper than buying physical copies. So artists and fans have access to one another- and the music has exploded.
Much of the music is dance music, more like club tracks than songs...but there are songs too. I have included some dance tracks, but really - they’re more suited to DJ sets than to my usual playlists. Not all African artists are supportive of this musical trend- some have made it clear that they think that electronification might not be keeping true to African roots.
Lastly, following the legacy of Fela, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and others - quite a few African artists are socially and politically engaged. There are plenty of tracks about dancing and love and sex, but there is also some pointed political commentary. Valsero in Cameroon, Bobi Wine in Uganda heads a political party. Traditionally African artists have often sung praise to the local strongman or political leaders, but some of these newer artists are speaking out - singing truth to power, not without some risk and danger to themselves.
So, this is a long playlist, but even so it’s hard to represent all that is going on. This is just a sample.
DB
NYC
Apple Music: Link Here
Spotify: Link Here
Oct
1
2021
David Byrne Presents: This Is African Music?!
By Todomundo