The award winning and Gilles Peterson-approved Danish supergroup Kalaha returns with their first release in almost two years: the EP 'Mama Ngoma'. 

The EP is first and foremost a tribute to West African traditions like Highlife and Afrobeat but mixed with the dance floor appeal of contemporary electronic music. 

The backbone of the band comes from the outrageous drumming of Emil de Waal, who's improvisational attitude is known to astound audiences around the world, alongside the finely balanced guitar of Niclas Knudsen, who has been studying and refining African techniques for more than a decade now. 

On top of this, the two highly regarded electronic producers and synth wizards, Rumpistol & Spejderrobot, take the band to new musical hemispheres by adding layers through extra-terrestrial synths, analogue effects and spaced out samples. 

The electronic aspect of the EP is further expanded with two remixes from NYC-based MALAKAI and Danish rising star Bwoy de Bhajan. 

The EP is accompanied by an animated video directed by the group's art director Zven Balslev, and in the spring of 2019 follows an entire album titled 'Mandala'. 

Track by Track 

The EP kicks off with the catchy and highly danceable 'Mama Ngoma', which combines African mud huts with epic science fiction. We then reach the hypnotic horn attack of 'Cape Star', featuring wonderful guitar work from Knudsen, before the West Coast inspired 'Malaika' leads into an outro that’s like Talking Heads, if David Byrne was replaced by a Speak&Spell computer! 

Fourth track and first single 'Dragon Jenny' shows the band in more mellow and reflective territories without losing their groove. The track has already received airplay around the world. 

To finish things off we're proud to have the NYC-based producer MALAKAI present his dubsteppy anagram remix of 'Malaika', before rising star Bwoy de Bhajan spoils us with his minimalistic take on 'Cape Star', reminiscent of some of Shackletons earlier percussion-driven work. 

The EP has had early support from The Rust Music (US), Jay Scarlett (DE/Sound Supreme/Puls), Mathieu Schreyer (US/KCRW), Descroix (DK/Iboga), P8 Jazz (DK), The Slow Music Movement (UK), Dancefloor Mayhem (US), Synths of Eden (DE), Pouled'or (DE), Radio Prun (F), Mantra Radio at CITR FM (CAN), Dubmission (US), Heartbeats (DK), O Dominio Dos Deuses (PT), Hakan Tamar (TU) & Mushpost Radio on WAXX.FM (US/James Cook). 

QUOTES ABOUT KALAHA: 

"Truly enlightening and inviting" - Mike Stukes / Mystic Vybes / WHCR 90.3 FM (US) 

"What a great EP. Nice work" - The Slow Music Movement Radio Show (UK) 

“Brilliant Album! Very tropical again!” – Gilles Peterson / BBC 6 / Worldwide FM (UK) 
“Kalaha transport fans into another world” – Earmilk.com (US) 

“A dance hall in outer space” – Jazz Special (DK) 

“A wide tapestry of colours that will fill the palette of choice sound selectors. Big on cultural essence & bass rhythms.” – Jay Scarlett / Sound Supreme, PULS Radio (DE) 

“Truly a genre bending performance in the best way possible, music from the future, a flashing stage, and an absolutely mental drummer” – Pouledor (DE)  

“Kalaha never chose the easy solutions. With humor and understanding the four inventive musicians put their tracks on fire.” – Jazznyt.com (DK) 
credits

Mama Ngoma EP - Releasedate: Oct. 29th, 2018

Mama Ngoma

Cape Star (Bwoy de Bhajan remix)

Malaika (MALAKAI anagram remix)

Dragon Jenny

Malaika

Cape Star

Danish supergroup collides electronic sounds with African and Turkish vibes to explore new musical hemispheres.

"Brilliant Album! Very tropical" - Gilles Peterson / BBC Radio 6 Music.

What kind of music would emerge if you combined a pair of renowned Danish electronic producers with two of the most exciting jazz musicians around?
This was the question in the minds of the Copenhagen Strøm Festival curators. The answer? It arrived in the form of Scandinavian electro pioneers Rumpistol and Spejderrobot—two prominent characters with a reputation well beyond their home countries—along with guitarist Niclas Knudsen and drummer/percussionist Emil de Waal. These four talented strangers, introduced with minimal rehearsal time, were brought together and launched onstage, and KALAHA was born. A daring experiment to say the least.

From the spontaneous and infectious magic of their first show came their critically acclaimed debut album “Hahaha”, the sound taking its inspiration in equal parts from West-African funk, electro rave and jazz improvisation, standing up as best possible blending of musical worlds—highly energetic and expressive, triggering the listener to dance with the head just as much as the heart.

Online Music Magazine Earmilk.com says it best with its statement: 
“KALAHA transport fans into another world”

Their four releases to date have proved to be captivating experiences, epitomized by their distinctive sound design as well as the outstanding instrumental contributions of the protagonists. It comes as no surprise that their albums not only gather constant acclaim in among vinyl connoisseurs, but have also brought KALAHA a Danish Music Award in 2017 as well as a place on the playlists of numerous European radio stations. 

The renowned DJ and BBC host Gilles Peterson has said the following about the album ”Masala”: 

"Very tropical again! You can hear that African lo-fi influence on the whole album" 

However many records they put out, though, they were born on stage, and it’s in a live setting that their music rises to another level. In over 100 shows KALAHA have created a state of euphoria among audiences who might never have otherwise thought they could ever dance so hard to music with a jazz influence!

Previous shows:
Boomtown Fair (UK), Psy-Fi Festival (NL), SPOT Festival (DK), Peter-Weiss-Haus, Rostock (DE), Tampere Jazz Festival (SF), Copenhagen Jazz Festival (DK), Jarasum Jazz Festival (KO), OCT-LOFT Jazz Festival (CH), Nordischer Klang Festival, Greifswald (DE), STUK Leuven (BE), Beursschouwburg, Bruxelles (BE), Kukuun, Hamburg (DE), DADA Bar Beijing (CH), Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London (UK), Kristianstad/Åhus Jazzfestival (SE), Det Turkise Telt, Aarhus (DK), Hotel Cecil, Copenhagen (DK), Alice, CPH (DK)