Dala Toni

Dala Toni is the third album to be released by the Japanese-Afrobeat fusion collective Ajate. Led since 2009 by Junichiro ‘John’ Imaeda, Ajate’s unique ‘Afrobayashi’ sound is a truly hybrid delight. On the surface, it is upbeat and fun. Probe a bit deeper, and it illuminates the profound sonic similarities between two geographically distant cultures, the dance music of Accra’s vibrant nightlife and the traditional sounds of Japanese Ohayashi ancestral festivals. The opening track ‘Waya Yawa’ launches straight into the classic sounds of Afrobeat: upbeat drums, bright electric guitars, polyrhythmic percussion, funky basslines. The presence of Japanese vocals in this characteristically West African soundscape brings a surprising and fresh element. These vocals reach a climax on the fourth track ‘Kopi Lakanka’ which features impassioned call-and-response between male soloist and chorus. You need not speak Japanese to understand the powerful message of human interconnectedness. A fascinating array of custom-made instruments are on display. The track ‘Iduchihemo’ opens with a jaate, a West-African style balafon-xylophone crafted by Imaeda from Japanese bamboo. A Malian style ngoni with Japanese shamisen strings can also be heard in accompaniment throughout. There is nothing superficial about this musical fusion – it is a highly innovative and powerful cultural dialogue.