DELE SOSIMI Schallplatten & CDs

Review: During the first COVID-19 lockdown of 20210, London-based afrobeat collective Eparapo, an - all-stars - outfit helmed by Afrobeat Orchestra member Suman Joshi and featuring his good friend Dele Sosimi, remotely recorded a handful of killer cuts. Two of these previously digital-only gems have finally made it to vinyl, accompanied by brand-new remixes. 'From London To Lagos' is an admirable commentary on corruption set to a fuzzy, infectious, Fela Kuti style afrobeat workout, while 'Black Lives Matter' is a slowed-down, stretched out and musically detailed affair that proudly takes aim on international racism. The 'Wheelup Remix' of 'From London To Lagos' cannily re-imagines the track as a tactile, spacey and bass-heavy chunk of shuffling deep house warmth, while Sam Redmore's revision of 'Black Lives Matter' gives the track a more dancefloor focused afrobeat twist.

Review: Dele Sosimi is a key part of the contemporary Afro house scene having formerly been a keyboardist for the one and only Fela Kuti. For this new EP he works with DJ Stan-ley on a fresh new combination of their sounds that is steeped in Afro house joy. 'Atide' has already proven a big hit at the Excursions parties and it comes in serval different forms here. First up is the Deep Y-all DJ Stan-ley Deep London Afrodub mix full of warming pads and loose limbed drums. The DJ Stan-ley Deep London Raw original mix is indeed more raw then Melchyor A's Hmida version is a true Afro delight with sprinklings of organic percussion and the DJ Garphie Thinkhouse remix closes out with plenty of bounce.

Review: Dele Sosimi, UK Afrobeat maestro and former member of Fela Kuti's band Egypt 80, keeps the stylistic flame well alive with his new LP, The Confluence, made in collaboration with The Estuary 21 aka. Sam Duckworth. Sosimi is usually heard focusing on the more eventidal moods of Afrobeat, asking the listener to imagine the genre in a more serene state of flow, in contrast to Kuti's original hip-swaying histrionics; his hedonic rancour. Following 2023's 'The Confluence' EP, the eponymous LP follows and hears the Hackney-born hero and the prolific pop producer team up for a multi-alias exploration, with Duckworth donning his alternate Get Cape Wear Cape Fly moniker many times throughout and flaunting the absolute best of his production chops.