London-based collective Ibibio Sound Machine have been bringing West African funk to the ears of clubbers for a while now, combining it with modern electro and disco beats to electrifying effect. Fronted by first-generation Nigerian Eno Williams – whose mother’s native tongue was Ibibo – and established by producers Max Grunhard, Leon Brichard and Benji Bouton, their sound manages to come across as both distinctly nostalgic and modern, which let’s face it is quite a feat.
Bulked out as an eight-piece band, Ibibio’s slinky basslines and afrobeat rhythms are reminiscent of William Onyeabor. With their eponymous debut album released earlier in 2014, the band recently released a new video for stand-out track ‘Let’s Dance’, a track which brings together Kuti-style brass and fuzzed synths to great effect. The great news is that Ibibio Sound Machine are bringing their trunk of funk to Bristol in the new year, playing The Lantern on 29 January.
Conal Dougan
