konkolo orchestra: future pasts
Francisco Espregueira
Dropping tomorrow via Rocafort Records, Future Pasts is the debut album from Konkolo Orchestra, the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer Alexis Malefakis, hailing from Zürich, Switzerland. Steeped in the rich traditions of jazzy afrobeat and highlife, Konkolo Orchestra pays homage to legends like Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, and Ebo Taylor, infusing their music with a vibrant, percussive energy that invites listeners to revel in the infectious groove.
Building on the success of the widely acclaimed "Blue G." single released in 2022, Future Pasts maintains the warm and lively motif, creating a sonic tapestry that propels the listener into a joyous celebration. The album features a dynamic ensemble of guest vocalists, including Nongoma from South Africa, Sir Frank Karikari from Ghana, and Kitio Batola from Congo. With Eric Owusu on percussion, the powerhouse horn section adds a highlife fanfare, ensuring that every track is a festive fusion of uplifting lyrics and infectious melodies. While Malefakis doesn't reinvent the afrobeat wheel, his confident mastery of the genre and the album's tight structure make Future Pasts a motivational winter warmer that will have both feet and spirits moving to its deeply funky and syncopated rhythms. Available on vinyl.