Ibibio Sound Machine have shared their new ‘The Black Notes’ EP in full.
The afro-futurist groove collective returned carer this year, with their ace ‘Pull The Rope’ album winning critical praise. On its release, CLASH wrote:
Their first since 2022 effort ‘Electricity’, this new album pinpoints some of Ibibio Sound Machine’s singular charms, reflecting the band’s live energy back at them. A decade on from their debut, the band remain a force to be reckoned with, a noble fixture on the landscape of British music landscape.
A heady summer of live performances has followed, with Ibibio Sound Machine now sharing a brand new EP.
The four-tracker features two new cuts, merging their twin loves of club culture and West African heritage – check out the highlife impulses on ‘Honey Bee’, for example.
Elsewhere, ‘Pull The Rope’ gets the Captain Planet funk house remix treatment, with ‘Got To Be Who You Are’ receiving an acid-flecked reworking.
Ibibio Sound Machine comment…
Moments of joy and feeling grateful for the sun on your face. ‘Black Notes’ and ‘Honey Bee’ are two sides of a coin – soulful dance and an electronic take on highlife for 2024. Captain Planet’s funky Afro house remix take on ‘Pull The Rope’ and Vanguard’s acid tinged version of ‘Got To Be Who You Are’ round out the selection.
Tune in now.
Catch Ibibio Sound Machine at the following shows:
November
8 Bristol SWX
9 Leeds Project House
14 Brighton Concorde 2
15 Manchester Academy 2
16 Dublin Whelan’s
18 Edinburgh Summerhall
19 Nottingham Rescue Rooms
22 Newcastle Boiler Shop
Photo Credit: Matilda Hill-Jenkins
