afrobeat Archives - Backseat Mafia

Album Review: Distant Birds – ‘Vol 01& Vol 02’: A rhythm packed instrumental journey that’s momentous and mesmeric.

You might think ‘getting into the groove’ was a pretty straight-forward proposition. Well this album from Sydney – based Distant Birds (The Necks keyboardist Chris Abrahams, Boy & Bear bass-player…

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Live Gallery: Burna Boy Brings No Sign of Weakness Tour to Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena 18.10.2025

At Qudos Bank Arena, Burna Boy turns his No Sign of Weakness tour into something more than a show — a seamless blend of rhythm, movement, and connection that transforms the arena into a single, beating pulse.

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Album Review: Madalitso Band-‘Ma Gitala’: More pulsating, street band afrobeat from the unstoppable Malawian duo.

Obviously no-one has told the irrepressible Madalitso Band about the third album wobble. The Malawian roots duo, Yosefe Kalekeni and Yobu Maligwa, are a partnership who take everything in their…

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Album Review: Jupiter & Okwess –‘Ekoya’: The Irrepressible Congolese band deliver a scorching return.

Formed in 1990 by Jupiter Bokondji from within the buzzing Congolese street music scene, Jupiter & Okwess have always been an irrepressible band. From early success across Africa to serious…

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Track: Femi Kuti returns with the driving Afrobeat and political comment of ‘After 24 years’.

Femi Kuti’s latest single, ‘After 24 Years’, is a brass-heavy, bouncing bundle of Afro-joy. Spidery guitars and repeating keyboard figures intertwine with propulsive drums, creating an infectious rhythm. Kuti’s vocals…

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Track/Video : Jupiter & Okwess, Congolese fusion funksters, preview new album with the sizzling ‘Congo Blinders’.

They may be veterans of the tight Congolese street music scene but Jupiter & Okwess have always thrived on going beyond these roots. Formed by Jupiter Bokondji in 1990 the…

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Album Review: Àbáse –‘Awakening’: Stunning spiritual jazz and beyond from the prolific producer/instrumentalist.

It doesn’t seem that long since Hungarian keyboarding producer whizz Szabolcs Bognár was premiering his ambitious Àbáse project with the extensive, celebratory ‘Laroyê’. Released at the end of 2021, it…

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Album Review: TC & The Groove Family – ‘We Have Each Other’ : UK Nu-jazz collective forge ahead with a powerful, passionate EP.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from TC & The Groove Family but you can’t keep a good collective down. Led by drummer Tim Cook (TC) and based around…

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Track/Video: Groove conscious, Ethio-jazz fusionists Sandman Project step forward to announce debut album ‘Where Did You Go?’

Tel Aviv based, global grooving combo Sandman Project are spot-on calling their new album (due June 7th via the irrepressible Batov Records) ‘Where Did You Go?’ It’s been six years…

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Track/Video: Producer/composer Àbáse previews his re-energised new album ‘Awakening’ with the elevating afro-funk of ‘Menidaso (My Hope)’.

Hungarian keyboardist and producer Szabolcs Bognár aka Àbáse has been on the ‘one to watch’ list for a while now. A cornerstone in the Budapest nu-jazz/ afro-beat scene as a…

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