and on Saturday, our Giraffes & Penguins Arab Bass party @ VK!
with Ammar 808 (live set) and Ghoula (TN). + DJ’s Rebel Up SebCat, Le Grand Mechant Loop, Tropical DJipsies and opening live set by Tsoukina (female gnawa from Bxl!).
We’ll dive together into the infinite richness of arab music and its evolution from traditional forms to contemporary and wild electronic sounds.
Our special guests:
AMMAR 808 is the electronic alter-ego of the Brussels based producer Sofyann Ben Youssef (Bargou 08, Kel Assouf). With songs from the Targ, Gnawa,and Raï histories and a TR-808 kicks alongside a distorted guimbri, gasba flutes and zokra bagpipes. His debut album ‘Maghreb United’ on Glitterbeat was a top10 album that changed the perception of contemporary Maghreb music. At the moment he is working on his second album, so expect a lot of new sounds! LISTEN HERE
Ghoula is a
tunisian self-made musician and producer. As a producer and
multi-instrumentalist, Ghoula creates genre-defying sets through both
acoustics and samples. His debut album ‘Hlib el Ghoula’ was released on Shouka label and is now preparing his second album. LISTEN HERE
and arabic dance and bass sounds by Rebel Up SebCat, Le Grand Mechant Loop and the Tropical DJipsies. Warmup acoustic gnawa set by Tsoukina.
Listen here to Rebel Up SebCat’s arabic session at Kiosk Radio last week.
Festa Afro Tuga started in 2016 by the NGHE Mediatheque and Rebel Up as a party in Brussels to celebrate Afro Portuguese music culture, with guests DJ’s from Celeste Marisposa, Principe Discos label and live artists from the Afro Portuguese diaspora. 5 epic & wild editions were held so far in various Brussels venues. This edition in the new Recyclart in Molenbeek melts together with the Nightshop concept as an Angolan special. Gente sabi, puxa!
CelesteMariposa (AO/PT / Lisboa) is a DJ from Lisbon who has been known for unconventional sets since 2010: rare vinyl pearls from the Lusophone (‘Portuguese-speaking’) African music, inspired by African ‘bailes’ from the 5 former Portuguese colonies (Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, San Tomé & Principé). Most of these recordings are totally unknown in the West but afrobaile is the hot swinging cradle of any kind of groove. A powerful selection from instrumental Cape Verde funana to the raw Angolan merengue and semba, as well as gum from Guinea Bissau and Mozambique marrabenta. Simply irresistible. https://soundcloud.com/celestemariposa
Diron Animal (AO/PT) Nirox Romao aka Diron Animal brings infectiously rhythmic dance music from the Angolan ghettos, fusing electronic production with traditional music. He is an ex-member of rock kuduro band Throes + The Shine where he played for several years and released his debut album ‘Alone’ in 2017 on the British Soundway label. Now his 2nd album ‘Pair’ has been released on Rebel Up Records just before summer, so his set is a true first premiere for Brussels! He will perform as a power trio, aided by percussion and guitar. https://dironanimal.bandcamp.com
Lua Preta (AO/PL) Angolan/Polish duo consisting of vocalist/MC Ms. Gia of Angolan descent and experienced Polish DJ and producer Mentalcut. Together they bring the frenetic mixture of modern electronic music and African genres characteristic not only to Ms. Gia’s native Angola but also to the whole continent – including kuduro, afrohouse, gqom and more. They released various EP’s and remixes in the last 2 years and are now awaiting their forthcoming EP “Polaquinha Preta”. https://soundcloud.com/luapreta
DJ Nervoso (STP/ Lisboa) Nervoso was born in São Tomé and Príncipe, but based around Lisbon for more than 2 decades now. As the godfather of the Príncipe label, he is well known for a bare bones approach to rhythm, working the basic hypnotic feel of pounding drums to mesmerizing effect in his permanent quest to make people move. His sound is meant to unite, not divide, the dancefloor. Even before he started producing, Nervoso was quick to perceive that some people were alienated in parties where Angolan kuduro got played, for the simple reason they didn’t command the specific moves associated with the style or its variations. So his production focused on adapting the beats of this much-loved dance music, changing the codes for a more inclusive experience. Some call it techno. https://principediscos.bandcamp.com/album/dj-nervoso
Mezrab presents an evening of Global Fire from the underground!
SARA HEBE (Argentina) – Rap, Cumbia, Electro, Punk, Baile Funk Sara Hebe is an invitation to bounce, jump, raise your fists, to cumbia-shake your hips and butts, to rock and groove. Her strong voice and powerful stage performance make her to one of the most remarkable female artists from Latinamerica. Together with beatmaker and multi-instrumentalist Ramiro Jota and drummer Edu Morote she turns every venue and festival upside down.
MAGA BO (Brazil/Usa) Rio de Janeiro-based DJ/producer is a veteran pioneer of global bass music, with 20+ years of dedicated experience searching out unheralded music bumping from speaker-boxes in the world’s grittiest corners, from Addis Ababa to Zanzibar. Tonight at the Mezrab!
Saturday 6 april, Babylon Trio will play on the Yallah Yallah night at Tweetakt festival in Utrecht!
Great lineup with Egyptian hiphop, Moroccan gnawa beats, Pan-Arabic sounds and more. 20h30 > Prace feat. Chaimaa Rochdi (Morocco/NL) 21h > Disco Arabesquou DJ 21h45 > Babylon Trio (Irak/BE) 22h30 > Yallah Yallah DJ’s 23h15 > Bu Kholtoum (Egypt)
@ Neude square Tickets: 7,50 € See full info > FB event / website
Jam’in Jette, Rebel Up & Giraffes & Penguins present: Jam’in Rebel Penguins! a global Brussels party night in 2 rooms with local & international live bands, live acts and deejays in La Bodega!
Live acts >
KEL ASSOUF – Tamashek rock, BXL Out of nostalgia and the loneliness of the desert, Brussels based band Kel Assouf builds music around the Touareg Tamashek culture and the fight against discrimination. Key figure Aboubacar ‘Anana’ Harouna, a fledged tamasheq from Niger, speaks with his guitar, and uses it as a means to claim his rights without bloodshed. With one foot in the desert and the other in the urban jungle, Anana writes about events from the Sahara to here, about life in exile and about freedom, peace and respect for all peoples in the world. After their first album ‘Tin Hinane’ (in 2010) and second album ‘Tikounen’ (2016), Kel Assouf evolved into a new sound on their new album ‘Black Tenere’, released earlier this month on Glitterbeat Records. Tunisian producer Sofyann Ben Youssef immersed the band in a surprisingly contemporary production and sound, which expresses a cry of impotence against violence, injustice and pollution in the world. The result? Desert rock with stirring drums, mesmerizing guitar riffs, psychedelic melodies and Tamasheg vocals. African rhythms played by rock musicians, bring Kel Assouf to the dance floor, somewhere between Brussels and Niamey. https://kel-assouf.bandcamp.com/album/black-tenere https://www.kelassouf.com
Ibaaku – electronic Senegal sounds, Dakar Born in Dakar, originally from Casamance, Ibaaku is a prolific artist; not only a producer but also a multi-instrumentalist, author, composer & radio host. Hip hop, beat, afro-futurism & experimental electronic music are blended with Senegalese references & remixed local sounds to represent the major influences of his first opus album ‘Alien Cartoon’. Let yourself go on the Seneg-Alien’s space shift to feel the unique power of cosmic Dakar nights! He will be joined by his Brussels VJ sidekick Ben Richard on live visuals. https://ibaaku.bandcamp.com/releases https://soundcloud.com/ibaaku https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJt7dds5lXo&t=27s
Rebel UpandHAPE Collective join forces to organise a night of fresh afrobeats & tropical dancefloor madness, with a heavy international cast, presenting two new albums! A Belgian première, don’t miss it!
FOKN BOIS (GH – live) The Ghanaian duo FOKN Bois is made up of singer/songwriter and producer M3NSA & pidgin rapper Wanlov the Kubolor who have been building a solid reputation as progressive and controversial musicians over the last 8 years. Celebrated for their entertaining performances, they throw sarcastic albeit funny shock lyrics that deal with social-political issues over a unique blend of hip hop, afro beats and Ghanaian hip life and azonto. They’re touring Europe to present their recent 5th (!) album, “Afrobeats LOL”, backed by the Hungarian producer/dj András Weil, and are most happy to put the Brussels crowd on fire! First show in Belgium! https://foknbois.bandcamp.com/album/afrobeats-lol https://youtu.be/zsmM4PXMANk
Nickodemus (US) & DJ BUOSIS (IT) presenting the album “Pulo NDJ – Desert to Douala” (Wonderwheel Recordings) Nickodemus can be easily called one of the ‘world beat’ pioneers, ever since he started organising the “Turntables on the Hudson” parties in New York in the late 90s. Early 2000 he started producing and set up his own label, Wonderwheel Recordings, to release his music and that of like minded producers (Zeb, The Spy from Cairo…), mixing hip hop, funk and house with African, Latin, Brasilian, Arab and Balkan flavours. By signing a new wave of global artists like Chancha Via Circuito, Populous, Thornato, Tremor and Alsarah & The Nubatones, his label stays on top of the international scene. Invited by the international Hape Collective, he went to Chad to work on a new album with local talented musicians, which resulted in the ecletic-versatile album “Pulo NDJ – Desert to Douala”, a fusion of afrobeat, hip hop, electro and traditional rhythms and instruments, to be released March 29 on Wonderwheel. In avant-première, he’ll present the album (and much more) together with DJ Buosis from Hape! https://wonderwheelrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/desert-to-douala https://soundcloud.com/nickodemusnyc
REBEL UP! (Bxl – everywhere) SebCat & LeBlanc have been active for more than 10 years now, spreading their love for new and less known dance music from all corners of the world, whether it be more traditional folk, global urban club music or fusion experiments in between. They host radio programs on Radio Campus, Bruzz, Kiosk Radio and The Word Radio, organise parties and concerts in different venues in Brussels and deejay all over Belgium and abroad. With an eponymous new record label, the mission to promote new world music and adventurous artists, still continues…
HAPE Collective (Havana – Chad – Brussels – the world) Born in Havana, Cuba, in 2016, HAPE is a collective of djs and musicians spread around Latin America, Africa and Europe. Lead by an unquenchable thirst for modernizing roots, HAPE has established itself as a major catalyst for Cuban underground musical talents (Yasek Manzano, Dj Jigüe and El Menor, Yissy & Bandancha, El Individuo, Eric Cimafunk, Niño Fony…) while multiplying its collaborations with artists from Chad, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, United States, Belgium, Mexico, Italy and the UK. https://hapecollective.org https://soundcloud.com/hapecollective
TIMETABLE: 23-00h: SebCat & LeBlanc – dj 00-01h: FOKN Bois – live 01-03h: Nickodemus solo dj set + B2B dj Buosis 03-04h30: Sebcat & LeBlanc – dj
Entrance 8€ (CASH ONLY) /// Doors 23h (come early!) Au Quai Quai du Hainaut 23 Molenbeek Bxl Next to Dépôt Design and MIMA Metro 1/5 >> Comte de Flandre / Graaf van Vlaanderen Tram 51 >> Porte de Flandre / Vlaamse Poort
