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Antibalas: Antibalas

Daptone

The sound of Afrobeat, as sculpted by the late, great Fela Kuti, is one of the joys of modern music. On top of insistent, galloping drums and minimalist, never-ending bass ostinatos, two guitars weave funkily around each other while multiple horns moan and shout. Mildly distorted keyboards dance nimbly inside it all as a frontman and his backup singers condemn abuses of power and various inequalities. On its self-titled fifth album, Brooklyn-based Afrobeat band Antibalas stays true to this formula, preserving the sound of Nigeria’s turbulent ‘70s for all to hear. Recorded by head Dap-King—and longtime Antibalas associate— Gabe Roth, the raw Antibalas is a departure from the collective’s last album, an appealingly slick production chaired by Tortoise’s John McEntire. “The Ratcatcher” features a gruff bari sax solo over bouncy staccato guitar harmonies, sinister organ stabs and cutting brass blasts. “Ibeji” opens with three simultaneous guitar parts, each one a world of rhythm unto itself.