Afriquoi

London-based ensemble Afriquoi fuses traditional African forms including soukous, mbira, and rhumba with contemporary electronic strains such as house, drum'n'bass, and dubstep, resulting in an exuberant, border-crossing style of dance music. Core members originate from Botswana, the Gambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the United Kingdom, while an ever-changing roster of additional players and singers joins from locations throughout Africa, Europe, America, and the Caribbean. The endeavor began in 2011 after promoter and percussionist André Marmot initiated studio work alongside producer Nico Bentley, Gambian kora player Jallykebba Susso, Congolese guitarist Fiston Lusambo, and marimba player Kudaushe Matimba. Marmot then convened the musicians for joint sessions that proved fruitful, prompting additional gatherings that featured dancehall MC Warrior Queen, mbira player Otto Gumaelius, guimbri player Nuru Kane, Jamaican/British vocalist Serocee, and further contributors. By 2013 the performing configuration had stabilized around Susso, Lusambo, Marmot, Bentley, and vocalist André Espeut, enabling the outfit to deliver its high-octane blend at live events such as Glastonbury, Bestival, and Fusion Festival. That same year Afriquoi reworked Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré’s track “Nouhoume Maiga.” Their first full-length release, Kolaba, which distilled the initial four years of collective activity, appeared via Marmot’s Wormfood Recordings during summer 2015.