Soundspecies & Ache Meyi

This thoughtful, affecting cross-cultural collaboration between British production duo Henry and Olly Keen (Soundspecies) and veteran Afro-Cuban ensemble Ache Meyi delivers entrancing rhythms and melodies with a unique punch. The group came about via jam sessions prior to the 2016 Manana Festival in Santiago de Cuba, Ache Meyi's hometown. Fusing Afro-Haitian rhythms with savvy electronic production, the group weave tight, percussive grooves with jazzy keys, spiralling synths and beefy drum machines. Call-and-response vocals in Yoruba are featured throughout the album, at times being fed through various filters – adding to the electronic yet spiritual aesthetic. Batá drumming, one of Cuba's richest and most complex musical traditions, provides the bedrock for a number of tracks, such as the deep and trippy ‘Ogún Meyi Meyi’ and the swinging ‘Traditional Batá’. The collaboration hits a sweet spot with ‘Alina's Calypso’, a pulsating groove with powerful vocals that feels like the natural meeting of folkloric tradition and contemporary club culture. This album is focused, balanced, and doesn't feel forced or gimmicky – an inspirational model for future collaborations in a globalised world.