A freshly produced remixed EP from Afriquoi’s last output EP is up via Mawimbi this fall.
Out of the luxurious London melting pot, afro-fusion collective Afriquoi released their critically acclaimed Time Is A Gift Which We Share All the Time five-tracker which was released on June 19th via Mawimbi. The Parisian born imprint is now offering us a strong remixed EP from this original output.
The original effort was already fitting quite perfectly with their signature sound of club infused electronics embracing sonic sources where all parts of the Afro-centered continuum resonates, from the Caribbean Islands to Ghana, via the influences of Mandingue or Maloya traditional sound palettes (check out the wonderful Corail LP from Reunion-born artist Loya here).
Drawing within this pattern, Afriquoi’s musical landscape is something like the fantastic marriage of UK garage / Dubstep rhythms and West-african grooves, fulfilled with tight Congolese guitar lines, kora strings cascades and insanely efficient vocal hooks. A combination that was first offered to our ears on Kolaba, their debut LP signed on Wormfood back in 2015.
That said, now comes a great starter from the next EP of remixes to come, with a stripped-down version of Afriquoi’s hi-lighter Acid Attack reshaped here by man like Hagan. The London producer and DJ – known for his essential efforts on linking back UK ’s actual club phenomenon with its Ghanaian and afrobeat rooted percussive aesthetics – is casting us some thrill here (watch here the Yenkyi Taxi documentary that follows Hagan travels from London to Ghana, produced in 2017 by Crudo Volta).
His remix draws an approach which blends string cascades of the original track with a syncopated tapestry of sub kicks and beautifully textured hi hat rolls. A rhythmic build-up that pushes to remind us the beat-making evolution made by recent breaking-through Drill artists out of the UK scene. Hagan also topped his rebounding drum science with melancholic pad chords which makes this tune even more emotionally charged though still being a floor smasher. Needless to say that it’s worth numerous and passionate listens.
Afriquoi’s Time Is A Gift Which We Share All the Time Remixed EP will be out on Mawimbi next October 2 and Acid Attack (Hagan Remix) is out on all platforms this Friday 21 of August, pre-order right now on Bandcamp.
