Antibalas – Fu Chronicles (Daptone Records, 2020)
Antibalas, one of the finest Afrobeat ensembles in the international scene, has released a superb album titled Fu Chronicles. The collective based in Brooklyn, New York, is currently led by British-Nigerian lead singer Duke Amayo and American saxophonist Martín Perna.
The timeless sound of Antibalas includes a formidable rhythm section that brings in African and Latin American percussion, charismatic vocals, solid bass and guitar lines, and a formidable brass section. Although the foundation of Antibalas is Afrobeat, you can hear influences from cumbia as well.
The cover (illustrated by Amaya) and album title make reference to the place where Antibalas started, which was Duke Amajo’s martial arts training school. Amayo is a master of the Jow Ga Kung Fu School of martial arts.
Buy Fu Chronicles
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.