Pushing African music into the future

The Austria-based Ghanian singer, Anbuley, shows a willingness to jump on unconventional beats.

A still from "Kemo' Yoo Keke," by Anbuley.

Anbuley is one of those names that I always check for when seeking out new music. This Austria-based Ghanian singer’s willingness to jump on unconventional beats has her appearing on such underground club hits like Zakee’s “Sane Eba,” and Bert on Beats’ Suomo.

This kind of experimenting in the diaspora, while still rooting one’s self back home (especially by singing in Ga, a Ghanaian language) is at its best when it allows or encourages our brothers and sisters to take risks with their music tastes and production choices. In the face of sometimes stagnating local music scenes, I can’t help but think it’s the kind of thing that will continue to push African music into the future. I assumed as much when a friend of mine threw Sane Eba on in an Accra Taxi, and the driver started murmuring along.

Further Reading

Goodbye, Piassa

The demolition of an historic district in Addis Ababa shows a central contradiction of modernization: the desire to improve the country while devaluing its people and culture.