Here’s ten new videos to get your weekend started. Some pop, some rap, some indie, but first, some dance (what’s in a name). Above’s Black Coffee latest, feat. Nomsa Mazwai and Black Motion on “Traveller”. Next: Owiny Sigoma Band (that’s Joseph Nyamungo, Charles Okoko and friends in London) put out this festival-vibes video for “Nyiduonge Drums” (which, oddly, is not on the record they recently released):

Congolese “Hustler” (his word) Fally Ipupa is “Back”; these loosely choreographed videos never cease to amaze:

Nigerian trio Weray Ent’s second single “Masquerade” features Ghanaian group Vibe Squad. Important disclaimer in the opening lines; what follows is a feast of styles:

Dochi and Ali Kiba bring the weekly Bongo sounds on “Imani”:

With the arrival of their first EP, Bells Atlas released a video for “Lovin You Down” — recorded while the band was on tour recently (and spent time in Miami during the International art event Art Basel):

Rokia Traoré could have come up with a different title for her new record, but the songs that are on there are magnificent. Quite politically engaged lyrics too, like much of what’s coming out of Mali over the past year. Production: John Parish. This is a first single, “Mélancolie”, and video:

UK youth broadcaster SB.TV put up a live video of UK artist (and AIAC household name) Akala, performing his track “Lose Myself”, a collaboration with Josh Osho — a new web series to watch:

Playing in London tonight (and pretty much everywhere else in Europe later this month; they sent us a reminder earlier this week) are Cuban combo Alexander Abreu y Havana d’Primera. Don’t miss it if you like your salsa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9NxNr1I1DU

And, finally, your moment of zen: this video for four-piece London band Woman’s Hour’s “To the End”, directed by South Africans Oliver Chanarin and Laurence Hamburger. Trampolinists are Siphiwe Mosoang and Xolani Nxumalo:

Woman Hour’s debut EP’s soon to be released on Parlour Records. Now watch that video again.

Further Reading

Not exactly at arm’s length

Despite South Africa’s ban on arms exports to Israel and its condemnation of Israel’s actions in Palestine, local arms companies continue to send weapons to Israel’s allies and its major arms suppliers.

Ruto’s Kenya

Since June’s anti-finance bill protests, dozens of people remain unaccounted for—a stark reminder of the Kenyan state’s long history of abductions and assassinations.

Between Harlem and home

African postcolonial cinema serves as a mirror, revealing the limits of escape—whether through migration or personal defiance—and exposing the tensions between dreams and reality.

The real Rwanda

The world is slowly opening its eyes to how Paul Kagame’s regime abuses human rights, suppresses dissent, and exploits neighboring countries.

In the shadow of Mondlane

After a historic election and on the eve of celebrating fifty years of independence, Mozambicans need to ask whether the values, symbols, and institutions created to give shape to “national unity” are still legitimate today.

À sombra de Mondlane

Depois de uma eleição histórica e em vésperas de celebrar os 50 anos de independência, os moçambicanos precisam de perguntar se os valores, símbolos e instituições criados para dar forma à “unidade nacional” ainda são legítimos hoje.