Over three years in the making, ZIK ZAK is an African musical odyssey, featuring some of the freshest talent from ten countries on the mother continent. Tying this remarkable range of artists together are German production team ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS, weaving the vocal talents of the African singers into their distinctive “Boom Dub” sound. Drawing on Hip Hop, Dancehall, Roots Reggae, Bass Music, Soul, Electronica and Breakbeat, the production incorporates live instruments and musical influences from all over Africa and its diaspora. 

The concept behind all these tracks is ZIK ZAK (“Zig-Zag” in English), mapping out each artist’s life of tragedy and success, of compromise and integrity, in a context of global inequality and ruthless capitalism. This album responds to the urgent need to understand the daily struggle for survival by creative artists and musicians from the global south. Each artist gives a unique voice to their rocky way through the contemporary African landscape, revealing a new perspective from a different city, country, religion, and ideology. This is ZIK ZAK.

It's easy to forget how much harder it is for artists and musicians to survive away from the relative comfort of the richer parts of the world. In Africa, employment levels are shockingly low and the welfare state non-existent, so that most artists live in a state of constant precariousness, with nothing to fall back on when the music industry fails to pay. Yet the mainstream African music industry constantly feeds us a capitalist wet dream, with fantastical images of artists living a “bling-bling” lifestyle of fast cars, swimming pools and supermodels with inflated chests. The artists featured on ZIK ZAK have all rejected this preposterous mythology, instead bringing us real messages from their everyday lives, demonstrating more talent, creativity and authenticity in a single album, than in a lifetime of over-produced, commercial music videos.

In ZIK ZAK, particular focus is on the intense and vibrant scene in Uganda, where local, mutant forms of Afrobeats and Dancehall have evolved away from the more familiar, globalized products of Nigeria and Jamaica. ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS established a base and partnership with local studio East African Records, allowing them to dig deep in the wells of talent in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Elsewhere, they established friendships and musical relationships with enlightened artists as far afield as Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Togo, Guinea and Senegal. 

The ZIK ZAK project has provided these underground African artists an opportunity to reach a new worldwide audience, building on the success of ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS. This German production duo – aka DOGU and KABANJAK - have been working together since 2001, producing and touring with some of the biggest names in the alternative music scene: The Pharcyde, Tippa Irie, Akua Naru, The Jungle Brothers, Raashan Ahmad, DJ Brace, Nickodemus, Thievery Corporation, BANTU and many more. They are respected for their ethical and activist stance, as well as for their ground-breaking music: recently they were commissioned by Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Ian Urbina to work on the soundtrack to his important environmental book: “The Outlaw Ocean”. 

For the ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS, thus new album is an important project both musically and ideologically. In their own words: “With ZIK ZAK, we want to give a platform to young talents from Africa that are too good to ignore – they must be heard internationally. Africa is our motherland too, in the end. Civilization comes from Africa and that´s where rhythm comes from. After too many years of slavery and exploitation of the African countries, it is time to shine light on the great talent of Mother Africa.”

Stream & Buy

Ancient Astronauts present ZIK ZAK

**** Jah-Tek Premiere ****
Ethos - I'm A Criminal Bro (VAMNK020)

Jah-Tek presents the brand new compilation from Manuka Records. Featuring from this release we have 'Ethos' aka Jevon Ives & Mystic State with a 130 roller, fortified with solid flow, dynamic bass movement and tranquil pad work.

This compilation serves the purpose of fundraising to prevent youth suicide in the UK, supporting the Papyrus charity. You can contribute by donating through the provided link or by directly supporting the release on the Manuka Bandcamp, where 50% of the proceeds will be directed to the charity. Given the widespread impact of this cause, it's an excellent opportunity to channel our collective thoughts, efforts, and financial resources towards a meaningful endeavor.

Donate directly to the charity here: https://www.papyrus-uk.org

Follow Jevon Ives:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jevonives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jevonives/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jevonivesofficial

Follow Mystic State:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mysticstate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysticstate/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mysticstate

Follow Manuka:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/manukarecords
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manukarecordings

Follow Jah-Tek:

Youtube: youtube.com/jahtek
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jahtek/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/j4h.tek

Ethos - I'm A Criminal Bro (VAMNK020) [Jah-Tek Premiere]

In the depths of the mind, there are restless thoughts that act as barriers to personal growth, gnawing at the spirit with anger and consuming vast reserves of energy. These thoughts warp one's identity, distorting the essence of who they are.

Restless Mind

you can get this VIBE at 
https://itsufo.bandcamp.com/music

SKURRT OUT ON ME

Chizawa Q - Black Nebula (RS24LP003) [clip]

Order 12'' vinyl
https://okbron.bandcamp.com/album/unknown-soldier-homage-to-catatonia-cyclic

Unknown Soldier - Cyclic (preview)

Section 47 - Bumbo Claat - VFS079 - 192mp3 clip

SWU FM Podcast

Sabrina with Cross the Fingerzzz - 10 October 2024

It's my birthday today, and what better way to celebrate than to give away a free tune. Enjoy!

TMSV - DEAD [Free Download]

* Read More: https://boltingbits.com/dust-e-1-civilised-rhythm/
* Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FM8m0p8dvf0
* Pre-order: https://lobstertheremin.com/album/the-lost-dustplates-ep

For their latest hand-stamped white label, the Lobster Theremin crew have procured Montréal homeboy, Dust-e-1, to serve up a healthy dose of late summer, break-infused drum and bass. It is well known that Lobster Theremin are the dons of all things dusty and raw, and it comes as no surprise that their latest 12” fits this aesthetic like a glove. 

Hot on the heels of his debut release on Collect-Call, The Lost Dustplates EP is the second instalment from British-born Canada-based Alex Sheaf’s Dust-e-1 alias. The EP explores a unique soundscape while still providing a a welcomed encore of the rough, breaky London sound that earned garnered Dust-e-1 a spot on our radar. Its influences are distinctly 90’s and distinctly British; a nod to the glory days of jungle, breaks and drum and bass.

Today we have the pleasure of bringing you a slice of banging, warehouse-ready drum and bass straight from the EP’s A2: Civilised Rhythms. The track opens in cosmic fashion, before taking us on a mind-bending journey reminiscent of a trip down Rainbow Road (the lo-fi Nintendo 64 version, obviously). A deep vocal provides the perfect balance to the drum and bass shuffle and effervescent breaks. The eclectic addition of interstellar riffs and a touch of bongos is a refreshing reminder of what the possibilities that lie beyond the confines of a particular time and space. 

It’s a civilised rhythm made for not-so-civilised behaviour. Get your hands on the wax from September 28.

The Lost Dustplates EP

Civilised Rhythms

PREMIERE: Dust-e-1 - Civilised Rhythm

Support it here: https://high-praise.bandcamp.com/album/soulful-encounters-of-the-3rd-kind

Delivering four slabs of intergalactic dance-floor heat, “Soulful Encounters Of The 3rd Kind” sees Lay-Far casting our collective minds back through the mists of time to 1989, as alien crafts were landing in farmer’s fields up and down the M25 Motorway - bringing droves of earth-dwelling believers together, to commune in peace and move their bodies to frequencies from another dimension. From the 80’s Electro infused bassweight of “Round & Round” to the frantic, chopped, canned-lightning energy of “Feel The Rhythm Of Your Soul” - Lay-Far perfectly captures the raw tension and energy of a era lost to memory, but now enjoying a renaissance through the collective consciousness of this world tipped upside down.

Releasedate: 4th December 2020

@lay-far
@highpraiserecords

More 030esar0303 - lnkfi.re/d2AwQnmq

Soulful Encounters Of The 3rd Kind

Premiere on Youtube

PREMIERE: Lay-Far - Pick It - Keep It [High Praise]

ZIK ZAK

Upliftment Skit Feat. C Wyne Nalukalala

Basonyiwe Feat. Spyda MC

Pagliacci´s Reprise Feat. Joyce Olong

Ghetto Youth Never Give Up Feat. C Wyne Nalukalala

Pump Up The Sound Feat. Bani Fyah

Entandikwa Feat. Abramz

The Ancient Astronauts are Kabanjak and Dogu, a bulletproof production and DJ duo hailing from Cologne, Germany. The phenomenon of “ancient astronauts, “a belief that extraterrestrial beings visited Earth in ancient times to mingle and trade ideas with early human civilizations”, isn’t an alien concept to these Ancient Astronauts.  The cross-pollination and mash-up of ideas, sounds, styles, and a collaborative spirit are their modus operandi.
Although, the long-time friends are quick to admit that they are not followers of the German music scene, Kabanjak notes, “for us music is and will always be an international phenomena”, and Ancient Astronauts are certainly not afraid to draw on influences from international artists and styles.
Self described as a “mash up of the distant past and far future”; these time travelers´ music is a mystic brew born out of an eclectic mix of ideas, sounds and styles. 
Already having remixed and collaborated with AM & Shawn Lee, Nickodemus, Fort Knox Five, Ladybug Mecca (Digable Planets), Zion I, The Pharcyde, Azeem, Analogik, Subatomic Sound System & Anthony B, Bajka, Vieux Farka Toure, Raashan Ahmad, Bajka, DJ Brace and Tippa Irie, the Ancient Astronauts always link up with a quality selection of sonic collaborators. 
 “At an early stage we realized that we are both big music heads so we started running parties in our hometown together”. Those parties became the catalyst for a production team that never forgot its roots. They specialize in diversity loosely glued together by a single thread. Like a good party, you don’t just listen to the music, you experience it. 
In 2001 Dogu of Ancient Astronauts started his own label Switchstance Recordings, which was developed as a way of allowing them total musical freedom. The label soon gathered momentum and built up an impressive international fan base. Switchstance Recordings is now famous in international club circles for the integrity of its production and style.

www.ancientastronauts.de


Entandikwa Feat. Abramz

Ancient Astronauts

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