Akwaaba Music » Onyenze

Akwaaba Remixed!!

akwaabamusic — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:06:36 +0000

It’s out! Cop it first from us in our bandcamp shop. More info in our previous post. And here’s what Diplo does with it:

Perfect Loosers Megamix!

akwaabamusic — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:12:55 +0000

It all started one year ago, Akwaaba head dood Benjamin Lebrave met up with the Perfect Loosers in their studio right outside of Paris. He came with a mountain of songs by Ahmed Fofana, Baba Salah and Onyenze. Treasures he’d accumulated on his travels to West Africa. And he met an enthusiastic trio: Waly had been fed Tunisian music since birth, Mast grew up listening to his Congolese step dad’s addictive soukous jams. He also ripped walls with Sigisbert Tartanpion, his head filled with the Caribbean sounds of his parents.

At the time, the Perfect Loosers had already made a remix for Angolan kuduro artist Ze Bula, but clearly they were hungry for much more. And it really didn’t take much for this impromptu meeting to give birth to yet another project in the Akwaaba constellation. With such a diverse musical background, connections in the international DJ and club circuit, and the skills to create dancefloor killers and the artwork to go with it, the trio agreed to go a few steps beyond remixing, and piece together a full length compilation where Africa would meet the club.

The concept is to let artists and producers from around the world rethink handpicked, eclectic West African songs. With one rule: staying away from bland, uninspired “world music remixed” releases. Instead tapping into a bubbling scene of up and coming artists, not only receptive but more importantly inspired by music from Africa.

The stems were a mess, the artists had jam-packed schedules of projects, yet month after month, the album took shape. The result is a diverse blend of club aesthetics and African tradition. Not some trendy, artificial music: it is the sum of creations by original artists with deep musical roots. Artists from Europe and North America – as usual, but also from Africa itself, Latin America and the Middle East. Pushing Akwaaba’s mission further in connecting the dots between artists and music lovers around the world.

Chop Our Music – 2 year Anniversary Super Release!

akwaabamusic — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 19:41:46 +0000

Hard to believe, but it was just over 2 years ago that our first release, Akwaaba wo Africa, came out worldwide. What a journey it’s been since then! 2 dozen releases spanning the gamut from Nigerian highlife to Gambian griot kora, Angolan kuduro to Benin salsa… We’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with artists from 12 countries, not counting the numerous remixes pouring in from Mexico, Israel, Argentina, all over Europe and North America.

For us this release is at heart a big thank you, Thank you for helping us carve out a niche on this overcrowded web. Thank you for helping us connect the dots between talented, hardly-known local artists and music lovers worldwide. Thank you for playing our music on your radio shows, for pushing it on your blogs, for playing it at work and letting the world know where the music is coming from. We have been overwhelmed with the response, the emails, big ups and shout outs, and we start the year with a huge smile, filled with all the energy required to keep tons of fresh music coming your way.

So here it is, a collection of 50 songs giving a thorough taste of what Akwaaba is about: an open ear tuned in to sound made in Africa. We priced this mega-compilation at a ridiculous minimum price of $10. I mean, in many ways the price tag seems ridiculous, but if you feel differently, hell, shoot us an email and let’s bargain some more You can buy this compilation from us directly only, secured credit card payment and all that good stuff. It will not be available on iTunes or anywhere else.

Along with the songs comes a fantastic mix by DJ Zhao. We asked him to do this mix for us because he is one of the very few DJs we know, who can piece together a mix not made exclusively for the dancefloor. So here goes one hour covering so many of the sounds we have been pushing. Really, an epic journey into the heart of contemporary African pop music.

Crowd Krushers – Krush on Akwaaba Mixtape just in!

akwaabamusic — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:48:38 +0000

Heyyyo! Remember these cats? Yep, same doods we rocked Mancuso with last September in Tübingen! What a warm welcome… these cats are not only fantastic party DJs, who know how to appreciate a good African groove in their sets, they are also ideal hosts to a wonderful – yet not soooo famous – German city. To all you wannabe Afrocentric DJs: be ncie to these guys, and try to get your arses to Tübingen asap, their party is well worth playing. Or just attending! Check out their Facebook page. Oh and better, yet, check out this fabulous set they pieced together for us:

How did this happen?!?! In their own words:

“So this is our exclusive mix for Akwaaba Music. It‘s not so much all new and exclusive bangers but rather our impression of African music and its big influences on other musical territories (with one or two stylistic exceptions in the mix). We also kinda tried to give an idea of what we do in our club sets, not paying too much attention to tempo or style while keeping it funky and a wee bit humorous… Featuring Akwaaba artists Appietus, Ruff‘n‘Smooth, Kedjevara, Onyenze, Killamu, Dred Man-Gi and Arc Djebe. Hope you enjoy!”

Uhhhhhh… yep, we do. Right?!?! Have you downloaded this mix already?!?! Have you listen to their Mixcloud page? How about their myspace?! Wait, and more importantly, if you’re in or near Tübingen, are you attending their party this Saturday November 13?!?!

Full tracklist on the Soundcloud page.

Listen to Onyenze’s Livin Dey Highlife

akwaabamusic — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:42:55 +0000

Onyenze – Onwu video

akwaabamusic — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:07:35 +0000

Onyenze – “Onwu” (Akwaaba Music) from Akwaaba Music on Vimeo.

10/01: Onyenze + Naija Independence Day

akwaabamusic — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:44:12 +0000

Nigerian Independence Day is fast approaching. The West African nation declared independence from the United Kingdom on October 1 in 1960, and to celebrate, Akwaaba is releasing Onyenze’s latest album, Livin Dey Highlife.

The spirit of highlife’s uptempo jazz sounds are brought to life through the Ogidi, Anambra born Onyenze, who was inspired by his uncle, the legendary highlife musician, Stephen Osita Osadebe. As his protégé, Onyenze is considered by some to be the musical reincarnation of the late Osadebe, who died in 2007.

Recorded early this year, Livin Dey Highlife features 7 new tracks and marks Onyenze’s first international digital release. The album is his 8th in 9 years, and is proceeded by a number of successful and well-respected highlife releases in Nigeria.

The album will be available digitally on itunes on October 1. Until then, listen to a sneak peak on his myspace page.

Onyenze – Ogabu N’Ike video

akwaabamusic — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:18:00 +0000

10/01 WW: Onyenze – Livin Dey Highlife

akwaabamusic — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:49:21 +0000

Onyenze grew up in the shadow of his uncle, the late great Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, a highlife legend at home in Nigeria, but also abroad: Onyenze saw his uncle tour the world several times, spreading the sounds of the Eastern Nigerian Ebo Highlife. With his uncle gone, Onyenze carries on the tradition, in particular with Livin Dey Highlife, his newest album, a good way to celebrate Nigerian independence! Sneak peak on Onyenze’s brand spankin’ new myspace page.