Elegom Bounsa!!

[:en]

DJEFF_COVER500

DJ Djeff feat Maskarado – Elegom Bounsa by Akwaaba Music

DJ Djeff offers a break from the raw Angolan kuduro batidas, and shows us a clubbier side to the Luanda sound on Elegom Bounsa, a collaboration with kuduro-house darling MC Maskarado.

House and deep house are the result of years in Portugal’s club circuit, inspired by the likes of Louie Vega, DJ Gregory or Erick Morillo. Looking further, DJ Djeff’s music has roots in African and Caribbean classics such as Cesaria Evora or Kassav, tunes he would hear a lot growing up in a Cape Verdian and Angolan household in Lisbon.

From 2002 to 2008, DJ Djeff was perfecting his DJing skills at various clubs in Portugal and Angola. When he completed his graphic design course in Lisbon in 2008, he headed straight to Luanda, where he’s taken the club circuit by storm, while also honing his skills as a beat maker. But there’s more: DJ Djeff is also the host of Made in Angola on TV Zimbo, an influential TOP 10 music video show in Angola.

DJ Djeff has quickly made a name for himself on Angola’s music and club circuit, landing him a collaboration with Maskarado, a familiar voice – and face – in Angola: Maskarado has become the go-to kuduro MC for all kuduro / house crossovers, collaborating with producers such as Eliei, but also working as an actor with film makers such as Ho Chi Fu.

Despite their busy schedules, the two found time to record this big, big tune. Not a day goes by in Luanda without hearing Elegom Bounsa, we feel sharing it is way overdue! A nova dica pai!

[:fr]

DJEFF_COVER500

DJ Djeff feat Maskarado – Elegom Bounsa by Akwaaba Music

DJ Djeff nous propose de mettre de côté un instant les batidas brut du kuduro Angolais et nous montre un aspect plus club du son luandais avec Elegom Bounsa, une collaboration avec le chéri de la kuduro-house MC Maskarado.

La House et la Deep House sont le résultat d’années passées dans le milieu club du Portugal, inspirés par exemple par Louie Vega, DJ Gregory ou Erick Morillo. En allant chercher plus loin, la musique de DJ Djeff trouve ses racines dans les classiques africains et caribéens comme Cesaria Evora ou Kassav, des morceaux qu’en grandissant dans une famille cap-verdienne et angolaise à Lisbonne il a beaucoup entendus.

De 2002 à 2008, DJ Djeff a parfait ses compétences de DJing dans un certain nombre de clubs au Portugal et en Angola. Dès qu’il termine ses études de design graphique à Lisbonne en 2008, il part à Luanda sur le champ, où il a complètement retourné le monde des clubs tout en affûtant ses compétences de beat-maker. Mais il y a autre chose encore : DJ Djeff est aussi l’organisateur de Made in Angola sur TV Zimbo, un show de TOP 10 de clips influent en Angola.

DJ Djeff s’est rapidement fait un nom dans le milieu des clubs et dans la musique angolaise, ce qui le conduit à collaborer avec Maskarado, une voix (et un visage) familiers en Angola : Maskarado est devenu le MC de kuduro en vogue pour tous les projets kuduro / house, collaborant avec des producteurs tels que Eliei, mais travaillant aussi comme acteur pour des réalisateurs comme Ho Chi Fu.

Malgré leurs emploi du temps chargés, tous deux ont réussi à trouver un moment pour enregistrer ce gros, gros son. Pas un jour ne passe à Luanda sans que l’on entende Elegom Bounsa, ça nous donne l’impression d’être en retard en le partageant ! A nova dica pai !

[:de]

DJEFF_COVER500

DJ Djeff feat Maskarado – Elegom Bounsa by Akwaaba Music

DJ Djeff offers a break from the raw Angolan kuduro batidas, and shows us a clubbier side to the Luanda sound on Elegom Bounsa, a collaboration with kuduro-house darling MC Maskarado.

House and deep house are the result of years in Portugal’s club circuit, inspired by the likes of Louie Vega, DJ Gregory or Erick Morillo. Looking further, DJ Djeff’s music has roots in African and Caribbean classics such as Cesaria Evora or Kassav, tunes he would hear a lot growing up in a Cape Verdian and Angolan household in Lisbon.

From 2002 to 2008, DJ Djeff was perfecting his DJing skills at various clubs in Portugal and Angola. When he completed his graphic design course in Lisbon in 2008, he headed straight to Luanda, where he’s taken the club circuit by storm, while also honing his skills as a beat maker. But there’s more: DJ Djeff is also the host of Made in Angola on TV Zimbo, an influential TOP 10 music video show in Angola.

DJ Djeff has quickly made a name for himself on Angola’s music and club circuit, landing him a collaboration with Maskarado, a familiar voice – and face – in Angola: Maskarado has become the go-to kuduro MC for all kuduro / house crossovers, collaborating with producers such as Eliei, but also working as an actor with film makers such as Ho Chi Fu.

Despite their busy schedules, the two found time to record this big, big tune. Not a day goes by in Luanda without hearing Elegom Bounsa, we feel sharing it is way overdue! A nova dica pai!

[:]

Support Just A Band & Africa Unsigned

bl_DSC0011

Have you heard of Africa Unsigned? Since you’re here on our site then you’ll probably really dig what they are up to: Africa Unsigned has been identifying up and coming artists throughout Africa, and funding recordings with the help of fans all over the world. Among others, Africa Unsigned worked with Just A Band shortly after they completed their album 82, to help them put together a decent live show, as well as a better studio for their next recording.

Check out how the whole thing works here. But in a nutshell: you contribute any dollar amount, and when the band reaches the target – $10,000 – it is ready to cash in the dough and record songs. And you are oh-so-special my dear Akwaaba fan: Africa Unsigned is letting you register and contribute $5 for free, simply go and register here and use the code ‘akwaaba’. Just by registering you will automatically be contributing $5, which we encourage you to contribute to Just A Band’s page ;-p And of course we all hope you feel compelled to contribute some more!

While we’re at it, here’s a bit of behind the scenes action on Just A Band’s shoot for Ha-He – courtesy of Africa Unsigned.

GH LOVE

i heart gh

GH LOVE by Akwaaba Music A taste of the sounds we heard in Ghana, the sounds you’d hear if you were there now, and quite a few sounds we’re releasing here on Akwaaba. Chale sink in, this is music for everyone!!!! Tracklist:

01 – NANA BOROO – EHA YE DE (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
02 – KPATONSI – ABOCHI ANGO
03 – KOFI NTI & OFORI AMPONSAH – RAKIA (iTunes)
04 – MIKE MENTOR (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
05 – OLD SODJA – CASH’N’CARRY REMIX FEAT AGYA BOMOFOUR (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
06 – MIKE MENTOR (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
07 – KOFI NTI & OFORI AMPONSAH – WAKE UP REMIX (iTunes)
08 – APPIETUS – DOME NA MENDOWO FEAT CASTRO (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp,  iTunes)
09 – RUFF’N’SMOOTH – SWAGGER FEAT STAY JAY (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp, iTunes)
10 – KK FOSU – NUMBER 1 FEAT D FLEX
11 – APPIETUS – SALA FEAT MOHAMED, D-FLEX & SCREW-FACE (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp,  iTunes)
12 – APPIETUS – GHANA LADY FEAT MFRAMA (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp,  iTunes)
13 – OFORI AMPONSAH – OTOOLEGE
14 – RUFF’N’SMOOTH – MONALISA (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp, iTunes)
15 – MIKE MENTOR – ONE MORE CHANCE (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
16 – OLD SODJA- KAAKYERE FEAT TINNY, CASTRO & REGGIE ZIPPY (UNRELEASED, AKWAABA MUSIC)
17 – R2BEES – KISS UR HAND FEAT WANDE COAL (iTunes)
18 – VIP – AWAY (iTunes)
19 – APPIETUS – MISS DOCTOR FEAT 4X4 (AKWAABA MUSIC, Bandcamp,  iTunes)

09/14 WW: Ruff n Smooth!!

cover1500

From Accra, Ghana, come one of the most influential duos of the year… Mr Ruff, and Mr Smooth! If you haven’t heard their hit Swagger, now is a good time to grab it – for free:

These doods are relative newcomers on Ghana’s airwaves, but they’re well surrounded… the album features beats by Accra heavyweights such as Richie, Kaywa, Playboi, Kill Beats + more. Ruff n Smooth have a few European and North American gigs in the works, so stay tuned for more, join our newsletter to make sure you get the info. We’re proud to release their full album today! You can buy it directly from Ruff n Smooth’s bandcamp page, or exclusively in iTunes.

09/09 WW: Arc Djebe ‘Dagbeneva” (Togo)

cover_1440

When was the last time you listened to music from Togo?!?! Even the biggest world music nerds seem to not be so well versed in this tiny West African nation’s rich musical heritage. We’ve heard it all: that it has poor cultural heritage, that all of the talent is sucked up by neighboring Benin, that there simply is no infrastructure in Togo to enable artists to come up with anything half decent.

Well…. it sounds to us like all of the above are well contradicted by one man: Arc Djebe. The Lomé native has been hustling on the guitar for years now – over two decades! His talent took him from Cameroon to Côte d’Ivoire, yet to this day Arc Djebe has been doing everything himself: auto-production, and auto-distribution. Which means a permanent hustle, in a country where music producers are scarce to say the least. With help from friends, occasional grants and live shows, Arc Djebe managed to record 4 mini albums, including this last one. Dagbénéva means “happiness” or “quest of happiness” in Ewe, the most common language along the Togolese coast. Six potent tracks, recorded at home, in Togo, with his band Zozodede.

You can grab the full album directly from Arc Djebe’s Bandcamp store, or from iTunes. You can also download this great great track Kumble (“power”) for freeeeeee: