You wouldn’t bet on some collaborations happening. So having a touchstone afrobeat musician and band leader Dele Sosimi team up with long standing indie songsmith Sam Duckworth (aka Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly) sounds almost like one of those longshots. Except now comes news of Sosimi’s next album ‘The Confluence’ coming to the shelves via Wah Wah 45s on April 7th with Duckworth on production duties.
But this is no quirky chance happening, the two musicians have known each other since meeting at the 2012 Felabration festival, the annual musical commemoration of Fela Kuti’s mighty legacy at The Shrine in Lagos state. Since then the pair joined up to play live when their paths crossed until eventually in the post COVID energy rush, they committed to capturing their connectivity in the recording studio.
‘The Confluence’ is the result of this burst of sessions which sees Dele Sosimi joined by a pulsating band, The Estuary 21, assembled for and dedicated to making the project sing. Naturally having lived in Fela Kuti’s commune as a youngster and graduated to play in the legend’s Egypt 80 collective as well as his son Femi’s Positive Force ensemble, Sosimi brings a wealth of afrobeat integrity and invention to any music he makes. Check any of his previous solo records and you’ll recognise that here is a real torchbearer of those seminal grooves and powerful messages. On ‘The Confluence’ that may still be the foundation but what Sam Duckworth inspires is a freedom to merge jazz and pop currents further into the flow.
The double header preview single breaks out the sound of this new tide. Mo Ṣe B’ọ́lá Tán picks up a sultry soul blues stroll, all shuffling hi-hat beats plus warm toned horns and blends it up effortlessly with the fluent loop of earthy indie-pop guitar. There’s a silky Lenny Kravitz vibe here made special by the rolling insistence of a fabulous vocal line. On the flip, Ride Out The Storm provides a soothing blast of uplifting reassurance. When Sosimi calmly sings ‘Ride Out The Storm/Feet on the floor’ you take it all in, seduced by the smooth persuasion of the tune’s exquisite Cuban jazz swing. Uncluttered, honest and refreshing –‘The Confluence’ is likely to sweep you away.
Pre-order your copy of ‘The Confluence’ by Dele Sosimi & the Estuary 21 direct from: https://delesosimi.bandcamp.com/album/the-confluence
