Food Chain

London Afrobeat Collective are a ten-piece ensemble that bring a taste of Lagos to the UK's capital. Their new album Food Chain is a strong record, spanning eight tracks that really do capture the spirit of Fela Kuti. It sounds great, too, with Leon Brichard's characteristically crisp production bringing an extra zing to each sax solo, horn run and cymbal crash. Indeed, Farivar Gorjian's drum work is one of the standout elements of this release, the other being Funke Adeleke's powerful voice. She is a fluent Yoruba speaker, and her tone is alluring.

The frenetic pace of ‘Ole (Lazy)’ is equally matched by Adeleke and this is all credit to the collective's sensitivity. There is a good sense of balance throughout, and the socially conscious lyrics on tracks such as ‘Prejudice’ and ‘Prime Minister’ sound less trite than most attempts at the same effect; both for the sonic palate presented and for their content. There is a compelling sense of conviction here, especially on album highlight ‘I No Be Criminal’; this is powerful stuff from a promising group.