Africa Express Return With a New Album Featuring Damon Albarn, Moonchild Sanelly & More

Listen to three tracks from the upcoming EGOLI.

Africa Express Return With a New Album Featuring Damon Albarn, Moonchild Sanelly & More

Africa Expressare coming back soon with a brand new studio album,EGOLI, due July 12.

The 18-track album from the music collective, which was co-founded by Damon Albarn, will concentrate on the sounds of South Africa and was recorded in just a week of collaborations in Johannesburg.

Featured artists on the EGOLI include buzzing South African names like Moonchild Sanelly, Sho Madjozi, BCUC, BLK JKS, FAKA, Mahotella Queens, Muzi, Morena Leraba, Nonku Phiri, Radio 123, and Sibot. It will also include a posthumous track with DJ Spoko.

Other notable artists include Damon Albarn, Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gruff Rhys, Ghetts, Blue May, Georgia, Poté and many more.

The album's lead single, "Johannesburg," is breezy and addictive production that blends Gruff Rhys' soothing vocals with hip-hop beat work and additional delivery from Morena Leraba, Radio 123 and Sibot.


Africa Express presents EGOLIyoutu.be

"'Johannesburg' is an embodiment of what Africa Express means to me. Three artists meeting, bonding and writing something so real and honest in a hut at 4.00 am," mentions Sibot. "This song reminded me just how powerful and simple music can be. It completely destroyed my demons and set fire to a new chapter as a producer,"

You can also check out album tracks "Become the Tiger" with Sibot, Albarn, and Mr Jukes, plus "No Games" which brings together Muzi, Moonchild, Poté, Ghetts, Sho Madjozi and Radio 123.

"Being a part of such a diverse and deep musical project was so dope," says Moonchild Sanelly. "We were like kids in a candy store where you just walk in to any of these crazy little studios packed with incredible musicians, and you could make any genre of music from futuristic rave to ballads with legendary stars. I loved every minute of it and I wrote music till my heart was on fire"

EGOLI is out July 12 on Africa Express Records imprint.

The cover artwork for OkayAfrica’s Best West African Songs of 2024 list featuring Ayra Starr and Tems.
Latest

The Best West African Songs of 2024

This year’s list features emerging talents and an uptick in artists reaching to the past to create new sounds.

A man stands on a stage, wearing a denim jacket and pants while holding up a hand fan.
News

With “Sade,” Adekunle Gold Challenged The Nigerian Music Industry

As “Sade” turns 10, we take a look at how Adekunle Gold provided an alternative template to being a Nigerian superstar by making music with soul and commercial merits.