Daymé Arocena's new album, Cubafonía, is a wonder of handcrafted Afro-Cuban music, bringing the rhythms of today's Cuba—not just the '50s Cuban sound that you hear so often—to the world.
"Eleggua," one of the standout compositions from Daymé's latest album, blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with bursting horns and jazz influences.
The single's Havana shot music video, which we're premiering here today, which splits scenes of Daymé singing to the backdrop of her city while a dancer beautifully explores an act of spiritual communication with Eleggua, Santería's god of the crossroads.
"Eleggua begins and finishes everything in Santeria," Daymé writes to OkayAfrica. "He is the God of the 21 Ways and for us it's really important to always take the right path. That is why [I] started this album playing for him, 'cause we are looking for the key of the best "way." In Cuba we call this kind of rhythm “Afro”—we adopted many traditions from Africa that are now part of the folklore and culture of Cuba."
Watch our premiere of the new music video for "Eleggua," directed by Savanah Leaf, above and catch Daymé on her upcoming US tour dates.
Cubafonía is available now.
