GABO - Jungle Fever (August 27, 2021 Sola Terra)

The Glasgow African Balafon Orchestra (GABO) is a cocktail of musicians of all different backgrounds, bringing together the distinct flavours of the world through the joy of orchestral music. It is a unique blend and fusion of musicians, folklorists and storytellers representing the best musical flavours and stories of our shared humanity.⠀

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The infectious energy of GABO is built around Ambatarian Philosophy—a past-present which is secretly woven and embedded in Jang-da—the traditional African wooden xylophones. The Jang-da tradition – a folklore and oral convention of passing messages of hope within the stories of everyday life through the vortex of music – is an almost forgotten ancient African philosophy that teaches us to celebrate life as an endless opportunity of eternal joy. ⠀

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GABO’s philosophy is sharing the ripple effects of joy in communal music, storytelling and group bonding—a great source of mutual energy exchange that brings people together on a fair playing ground where every soul’s desire can be fully realised through music. In Gabo’s world; no one is left out feeling isolated, unappreciated, unrelated or unloved. We are never alone because we all belong to a shared experience of music. ⠀

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GABO believes that there is more love in the world today than hatred, and we are inspired by this belief. We focussed our best creative healing energies on sharing the love of Afrobeat, global jazz, soul, funk, and some traditional tunes from rural Africa and other parts of the world that have not been previously heard by the rest of the world. 

1. Ambatayala

2. Co

3. Soulee

4. Dilimba

5. Chafoogalo

6. Somebody Go

7. Jungle Fever

+ All compositions by the GABO Collective

+ Recorded at Dystopia Studios, Glasgow

+ Track by Luigi Pasquini & Melanie Dutton

+ Mastered by John Mcbain

+ Artwork & design by C. O. Turner

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Josef Akin - Flightcase (July 30, 2021 Sola Terra)

Recorded in a rare moment of freedom between lockdowns, Flightcase represents the joy of collaboration and the importance of human connection.

This is an album of many voices. Influences ranging from Herbie Hancock to Sun Ra, but also from other projects Akin is involved in, Amara & GABO, shine through in an album which acknowledges the various music that inspires and influences Akin, whilst trying to create something new and unique.

Akin Subscribes to the philosophy of allowing each musician to create however they feel to, trying to do little more than create the framework and allow the other musicians to express themselves within this. This felt particularly important in a time marred by restrictions.

1. Aquila

2. Sun Dance

3. Di Avenie

4. Blue Brew

5. Syntax

6. Flightcase

7. Darwood Avenue

8. Final Thoughts

Josef Akin - keys, vocals, balafon

Daniel Ashton - flute, guitar

Finn Rosenbaum - drums, percussion

Norman Villeroux - bass

India Blue - vocals, trumpet (3,8)

Harry Weir - saxophone

Suleman "Chief" Chebe - balafon, percussion

Joshua Elcock - trumpet (6)

Recorded & mixed by Luigi Pasquini

Dystopia Studios, Glasgow, Scotland

Mastered by Mark Dobson

Coda Mastering, Brighton, England

Artwork & Design by Charlie Turner

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Amara - Amara (June 30, 2021 Sola Terra)

Responding to their environment, Amara’s sound is greatly influenced by the cold and dark months of autumn and winter in Glasgow, a city which can be unrelenting in its greyness. It is a product of that. After sifting through hundreds, perhaps thousands, of hours of recordings, a narrative slowly formed and Amara began to revisit some ideas. It is these ideas that make up this album. The album is the narrative.

Amara was formed from a jam, and the music in this album came from many months of improvisation. At gigs, at rehearsals, out and about on the streets, Amara would freely improvise with one another, weaving themselves and their spirits together so that, no longer individuals, the musicians became one.

1. Intro 02:55

2. Blue 08:56

3. Ruby 07:02

4. Spirits 10:15

5. Psychedelic Potato 04:00

6. Rotations 06:17

7. Street Lamp 04:10

+ All compositions by Amara

+ Tracked & mixed by Luigi Pasquini

+ Mastered by Mark Dobson

+ Artwork by Rebecca Ashton

+ Design & Layout by C.O.Turner

+ Sola Terra STR005

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