‘WE HAVE SO MANY IDEAS THAT ARE PULLING US IN DIFFERENT DIRECT IONS'
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New music that heads out into uncharted waters which is both politically charged and danceable? You’ll be meaning Antibalas then says Mark Edmundson
ntibalas are the battle-charged frontier-men of
Afrobeat. a politicised and sprawling. multi-
ethnic orchestra blasting a horn-led meld of
black music old and new from pulpits the world over and using the dancefloor as a call to arms. ()dd then that baritone sax and sometime spokesman Martin Perna is such a softly spoken chap.
‘If you come to our show you can be satisfied in a lot of different ways. If you‘re coming for some political commentary or to see that there are people out there who give a shit. you can get that. If you come to dance your ass off you can get that. ()r if you come to see some really serious music happening. that‘s not just the same thing from night to night. something new and fresh that‘s happening on stage. you can get that too.‘
Born of a late ‘)()s Brooklyn. Antibalas found themselves the intersection for the borough‘s resurgent Afro-centric scene. They toured over 20 countries. played with forebears like Femi Kuti and Tony Allen. released albums on Ninja Tune and amassed a quiet. cult following to support their critical acclaim. For new album .S'ct'urifv. the group upped sticks for Chicago to work with Tortoise and Stereolab veteran John Melintire. pushing that envelope a smidgen further. Having notably produced for Brazilian sensation Tom '/.e. Mclintire ‘encouraged us to take these risks.‘ explains Perna. 'Sometimes someone with an outside perspective on things can really ask the questions. We‘ve come up with the answers. but out of it we‘ve grown a lot more.‘
Having an outside engineer also allowed the band to step out of the control room and concentrate on making
the music happen. affording a sharper focus and producing a crisper sound uncharacteristic of the genre. Of course the unit‘s tightness is testament to lengthy tour of duty but the musical output itself has lost none of its vitality and continues to develop apace.
‘Within the label Afrobeat there is a whole universe that hasn‘t really been explored too much‘ he says. ‘We have so many ideas that are pulling us in different directions. so a lot of it is really just trying to find the common ground between ll or 12 opinions on what sounds best. because we‘re not always on the same page. As far as new directions. that‘s not the problem at all. it‘s more about ensuring everyone feels like they‘re represented and having the time of their life on stage.‘
There is no question that Antibalas (the name itself
translating from Spanish as ‘bullet-proof‘) have something of an agenda for their music but then activism takes many forms.
‘As well as our politics and the message. I think dancing can be very healing and therapeutic in ways that people don’t really understand until they do it.‘ is Perna‘s first thought on what the outfit bring to the live arena. namely fuel for the fight ahead.
‘lt‘s medicine. It shakes everything up inside and flushes a lot of toxins and frustration out. and at the end of it puts the dancer in a better position to actually deal with whatever problems are in their life. So it‘s not so much a distraction rather than like stretching. it gives you energy rather than taking energy away.‘
The Arches, Glasgow, Fri 8 Jun; Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Sat 9 Jun. Security is out now on Anti.
:1 Aereogramme, Terra Diablo, We are the Physics and Sucloperro One of the last opportunities we'll have to use the words ‘hirsute', ‘genius' ‘heartbreakingly good’ and ‘rock gods' in the context of describing the mighty Aereogramme (pictured) who say their hometown farewell with a top bill heaving with kindred spirits. They will be missed. QMU, Glasgow, Sat 16 Jun. (Rock & Pop)
A View from Dundee featuring: The Unknown, Ergo, The Peski Kings and Page 6 Who says bribery doesn't pay off? Well us, as this mob sent up a lump of Dundee cake that looked like the kind of thing that would have the sniffer dogs circling. We still want to recommend this night showcasing four new indie acts riding on the interest in The View. Capitol, Glasgow, Sat 9 Jun. (Rock & Pop)
Antibalas See preview. left. The Arches, Glasgow, Fri 8 Jun; Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Sat 9 Jun. (Rock 8. Pop)
Hadouken! Their furious blend is a mix of the mouthy spraff of grime and the dayglo rave punk which gives them the feel of a less polished Klaxons but arguably as entertaining. See preview, page 60. Classic Grand, Glasgow, Thu 14 Jun. (Rock a Pop)
Xziblt X to the 2’s TV career has come to the fore heading up the US Pimp My Ride but his MCing skills have never been in question. A rare chance to his rap skills in the flesh. See 5 Reason. page 66. Barrow/and, Glasgow, Fri 75 Jun. (Rock & Pop)
7—21 Jun 2007 THE LIST 59