Abayomy Afrobeat Orquestra

Artist: Abayomy Afrobeat Orquestra

Released: September 2012

Length: 43m 24s

My review:

'Abayomy' in Yoruba, loosely translates to 'celebration', and that is exactly what this amazing band is doing, celebrating their diverse musical influences, celebrating the amazing line up of talented musicians and rumour has it that they originally gathered specifically to play at Fela day in Rio to celebrate and honour the life of the great Fela Kuti.

As their name suggests Afrobeat is the main output, but as with most successful bands, they draw on influence from a number of different genres, artists and places, most notably Fela Kuti with the blend of West African music and American Funk & Jazz while also incorporating the sounds of their homeland through Brazilian rhythms like the Samba as well as drumming and chanting through religious outlets such as Candomblé.

Eru the first track opens with a lone guitar repeating a few simple notes and chords, a few seconds later we are joined by some light percussion and a wandering bass guitar, after another few bars we welcome the alto saxophone and by the 30 second point we have a whole orchestra on board. The lively and infectious rhythm instantly sets the tone, building and layering instruments and vocals that sway between echoing and complementing one another flawlessly. This one clocks in at 133 BPM making it the quickest of the bunch, things are slowed right down to under 100 BPM for Malunguinho, the second track. While the tempo is lessened, we retain all the other overarching characteristics, a funky beat, chant like vocals and plenty of time dedicated to showcasing the talent of these musicians, the alto saxophone solo especially shines through on this track. We stay sub 100BPM for Obatalá, a dreamy number where the notes are stretched and drawn out creating that feeling of soaring, elevated above everything. Here we are also treated to the introduction of some synths and a silky smooth jazzy guitar solo, all surrounded by the familiar stabs of brass and a mix of spoken word and lyrics, a highlight of the record for sure. Next up is Emi Yaba, with more of the same, another uplifting celebration of sounds to grace your ears before we get to Afrodisíaco another big tune and a very close second to my stand out song. It kicks things off with a primitive sounding beat accompanied by a single voice chanting this is then followed by a repetition of the lyrics but this time from a group of people. We then hear the single voice again before the instruments lead us into the thick of it. The lazy nature of this tune is amplified by its slow pace and elongated notes, there is also a lovely break off around the mid point with some synth heavy keys to mellow you out even further. The melody isn't the most complex but it is appealing, entrancing and catchy, one that will surely get stuck in your head, which is never a bad thing. The unhurried pace is quickly contrasted as we are catapulted into the final song from the album and my stand out song which I go into more detail about below.

Recorded live in just 4 nights and less than a year after their inception its hard to believe just how tight and impressive this debut sounds. Full of rich percussion, a powerful and resonant brass section, the bright highs of the alto sax to the deep lows of the baritone sax, strong socially conscious vocals, twangy electric guitars and even floaty synths and electric keyboards, this album really has it all, definitely not one to sleep on.

Stand out song: No Shit 

To be totally honest I could have picked any of these tunes as the stand out song, each one has its own story and unique qualities, but I have opted for the absolute stomper of a track No Shit. The last song on the album where the heat has been turned all the way up, with a BPM of 130 it is one of the faster paced offerings on this record and has you constantly taping your foot or nodding your head along to the beat. There is a fantastic use of call and response throughout this album but it is utilised particularly well on this track, first with the instruments and then later with the vocals. At 9 minutes it is the longest song on the album and it definitely packs a punch with no signs of letting up throughout. The lyrics, which don't come in until around a third of the way through, are simple and easy to sing along with, even on the first time hearing. There are plenty of little breakdowns and subtle changes that sustain your interest and keep you guessing where it will go next. Around the 7 minute mark there is the start of a long crescendo of instrumentation accompanied by what sounds like a speech in Portuguese, before the big finale of drums and brass to signal the end. After a little pause there are then a few bars of just the percussion to remind us what started it all off, drums are considered among the oldest instruments and for me signify the first real attempt at, and origins of, music.

When to listen: 

This record evokes the very essence and culture of Brazil; think vibrant, diverse, sun soaked, loud, full of energy and of course Carnival, the biggest celebration of music and dance around the world. With all that in mind I think that the best time to listen to this album is while you are at the beach, in the warmth of the sun with the waves gently lapping and sand between your toes, failing that you can always stick this record on, close your eyes and imagine!

Spotify: Listen here

Vinyl:

This record has a pretty hefty price tag due to it only being released to a limited run of 300 copies Worldwide. Luckily I received one as a joint Birthday/Christmas present back in 2017, bought and shipped from Brazil. The front cover is vibrant and colourful to match the energy of the record, the sound quality is great and it is so nice to have this one in my collection. Link to the pressing info - Discogs link

Other useful links:

There is little information to be found online for these guys, the few bits I do find are often in contradiction with one another. This coupled with their lack of an official website only adds to the air of mystery surrounding them, you can however keep informed of upcoming events through their instagram account here - https://www.instagram.com/abayomy_orquestra/

If you like this try these:

Bixiga 70 - Bixiga 70

Dele Sosimi - You No Fit Touch Am

Bosq & Kaleta - No Be Today