Afrobeat is a genre that typically ignites political fervour while simultaneously inciting all night dance parties, a sort of first-we-dance-then-fight-for-our-rights mentality. The godfather of afrobeat, Fela Kuti, embodied this spirit and gave birth to a sound with the spirit of the ’60s and complexity of modern jazz. Fela Kuti was recently celebrated on Broadway with the musical Fela!, for which members of Antibalas provided the underpinnings – a fitting choice as they have always prided themselves in paying tribute to the musical pioneer right from the band’s inception in 1998. With the musical at a close, the New York 12 piece are set to release their 5th full length release five years in the making. The album is consistent with their previous releases in capturing their live improvisational grooves and energy in a take-home format.

Truth be told, Antibalas in a live setting is something to be experienced. To this date, their near 4 hour set more than 10 years ago in Vancouver remains one of the greatest music shows I have ever witnessed. The stage was clad with 10 or so musicians, some specializing in the simplicity of a wooden block, others playing multiple instruments, but all of them demonstrating a contagious passion which spilled out into the audience. The music fed our souls as we wore out our shoes. It is rare when a band is able to capture the magic of a live performance in the studio, but this is where Antibalas scores its greatest points. The 6 song affair does not contain a track under 6 minutes, which is miniscule when compared to the live versions of the same songs (check out the Internet Archive of Live Music for a collection of some of their shows). Despite their relatively short durations, though, the songs themselves never feel rushed and ease you into their addictive afrobeat rhythms. Antibalas pays homage to Fela Kuti with its syncopated, catchy grooves, down right funky bass-lines, call and response vocal chants and moments of improvisation. From the opening moments of the album’s first single, ‘Dirty Money’, the listener is hooked to the seductive percussion intro accompanied by funk inspired guitar riffs. Add a prominent organ, seemingly set on improv auto pilot, with ultra sexy horns and the result is sure to tickle your inner dancer. The accent of the people of Yorùbá in Nigeria is amplified in Sifu Amayo’s vocals, with the storytelling touching on powerful themes of corruption and injustice. It finishes with a triumphant horn section signalling the song’s end, but the beginning of a solid album. The album ends as strongly as it begins with ‘Sáré Kon Kon’, delivering an insanely sticky horn motif and an infectious bass-line of epidemic proportions. There is a live feel to the track, the band members’ various shouted whoops and yells bringing the ambience of a club directly into your ear buds.

There are a number of reasons that make this record worth discovering. Antibalas are arguably the best afrobeat band on the planet. The album offers a culturally rich introduction to the world of afrobeat and it conveys messages of social justice. For many, the appeal of the album rests with the adventurous improvised instrumentals more usually found in jazz. Cast meaning aside for a moment, though, and Antibalas is simply an excuse to dance.

Listen to Antibalas