Afrika Bambaataa may be a legend in his own underpants, and his name dropped more times (and no less inexpertly) than a US missile on an Iraqi wedding reception but the fact that his career was launched over two decades ago might suggest his Zulu brand of heavily percussive hip-hop is on the wane. Not so.
Experimental and genre-defying, Bambaataa has inspired thousands of imitators (Damon Albarn included) and has managed to build an impressive canopy of hope for everything from Detroit techno to electro and has collaborated with everyone from from James Brown to Boy George to John Lydon. His Zulu Nation even launched the careers of De La Soul, Queen Latifah, and A Tribe Called Quest. So far so good.
So what about latest offering ‘Dark Matter’? Is the old master still up to the job? You betcha. Mining from a rich seam of elements ranging from African percussion, Bollywood, and jazz, to techno, new wave, and “dirty south“ Bambaataa has again crafted an album that’s a tad more interesting, earthy and inventive than your average hip-hop chieftain and proves a successful envoy of life and raw, unbridled joy. Dark Matter Moving at the Speed of Light is an intelligent party record filled with a broad and giggling depth.
Look out for contributing producers including: Fort Knox Five, Paul Daley, Uberzone, Simply Jeff, Sharaz, and more.