The New ‘Assassin's Creed’ Video Game Has a Distinctly East African Soundtrack

Set towards the end of the Sengoku period, the game continues the millennia-old ideological confrontation between the Assassin Brotherhood, who stand for freedom and peace, and the Templar Order, who seek to control the world. What sets this installment apart are its two main characters: Yasuke, an African samurai who, according to historical accounts, lived around the 1500s, and Fujibayashi Naoe, a shinobi warrior.

To properly depict Yasuke's story, the creators engineered a completely different arc and playing style for Fujibayashi. This distinction extends to the game's sound design, a crucial element for any action-adventure experience. Yasuke required a decidedly unique African tone in his segments, which is where Tiggs Da Author entered the project.

Tiggs, a seasoned musician, has often blended the music of his native Tanzania with the international scene of the United Kingdom, where he is now based. Working with the acclaimed production team Thunderdrum, he created a soundtrack titled Ukombozi that authentically represents Yasuke's character. The production team utilized a host of traditional Japanese flutes, East African rhythms, psych rock, and other sounds to move seamlessly between Fujibayashi and Yasuke's storylines.

Drawing inspiration from the colorful East African landscape, Tiggs primarily sang the songs in Swahili, a language he's maintained despite leaving Tanzania with his family when he was only eight. Ukombozi transmits an immediate vibrance stemming from its multicultural perspective, creating a seamless exchange between Tiggs Da Author's vocals and Thunderdrum's production.

The opener, "Nguvu Ni Umoja," showcases this blend as its melancholic strings build into an explosive call-and-response section led by Tiggs, highlighting his distinct energy. Tiggs is the sole vocalist throughout the project's eight songs, except for one track featuring the Canadian Japanese band TEKE: TEKE.

"Jenga Jenga," subtitled "Yasuke's Theme," shines through its grungy guitars and rock-esque progression, complemented by Tiggs' masterful vocal timing - knowing when to assert his presence and when to let the instrumentation lead. This nuanced approach extends to "Chinja," where Tiggs adapts a rap-like cadence over an urgent drum base while maintaining a musician's sensitivity to the demanding inflections of the beat.

The soundtrack's lead record, "Ukombozi Pt. I," most prominently features the East African sound influence. Here, Tiggs's dynamic vocals take center stage as the action-paced beat builds around his performance. This captivating track incorporates elements of desert blues in its guitar work, reflecting the emotional journey of suffering and eventual triumph that Yasuke experiences throughout Assassin's Creed: Shadows.