Tonight, the Brooklyn indie-Afro outfit Dragons of Zynth take over Le Poisson Rouge, with sets from Soft Circle and Christy + Emily as well. The band is fronted by Ghanian twin brothers, Aku and Akwetey, who handle vocals and guitars, as well as synths and various other noise-making devices. Often you’ll find the brothers clad in glamorous costumes, occasionally incorporating face paint and feathers too. Expect a vibrant performance tonight, and for more on DOZ check their website.
15,000 people will likely remember the finals of the World Cup 2010 for the rest of their lives – and not just because the games and the media hoopla around them were incredible to behold – but because they were all part of an evening that (musical) legends are made of. The okayafrica World Cup Celebration brought together an incredible line-up of acts; headlined by The Roots and Talib Kweli, acts from all over the continent positively ROCKED the stage – Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew, Blitz the Ambassador, Zakee, Dragons of Zynth, Sahr (from FELA!) with Super Human Happiness, and so many more. DJs J. Period, OP!, and Dhundee smashed the pre-party + interludes as well. And if that wasn’t enough, all our tired, sweaty behinds got treated to a last minute Nice & Smooth guest appearance, rockin’ with none other than Black Thought himself. We wanted the night to never end. There’s only one word for this kind of night: epic. It’ll be right up there with Dave Chappelle’s Block Party and Wattstax in no time. You can experience the vibe yourself through these amazing photos – follow me after the jump for photo galleries from Mel D. Cole, Terrence Jennings, and King Texas. Read More
Join us in Prospect Park this afternoon at 4pm for the official launch event for OKAYAFRICA, presented by Celebrate Brooklyn. It will be a celebration of all that is new, fresh, and innovative coming out of the continent and the diaspora. Expect African influenced hip-hop, reggae, electronica, indie-rock and more. Performers include The Roots, Talib Kweli, Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew, Blitz the Ambassador, Sahr Ngaugah (the star of FELA! on Broadway), Zakee, Dragons of Zynth and DJ sets by J. Period, Dhundee, and OP! The party will be huge, make your way over to the park right after you finish watching the WORLD CUP finals! To be the first to find out about all our special events and contests, sign up for the OKA email list today.
Born to Ghanaian parents, twins Aku and Akwetey make up part of the NYC indie band, Dragons of Zynth. They take an “audio-physio-psychic” approach to music.
Video & Audio: CHLLNGR “The End” & “Haven” + Tour Dates
CHLLNGR is fast becoming Okayafrica’s favorite Danish producer… not that we’ve got an extensive list of Denmark’s finest DJs, but considering CHLLNGR’s work with Spoek Mathambo it’s hard to imagine another Dane claiming the throne. CHLLNGR’s debut album Haven recently dropped, and his latest single should give you some more insight into the maddening electronic rabbit hole that is CHLLNGR’s mind. “The End” features vocals from Ghanaian born, Brooklyn dwelling Dragons of Zynth’s Aku (another OKA fave), distorted vocals, and enough dissonant digital rhythms to make you think you’ve slipped inside the dreams of a drug addled android. Coupled with CHLLNGR’s own mechanized vocals on the hyper title track “Haven,” I’m starting to believe that this guy doesn’t just push the envelope, he kicks its ass and takes its lunch money.
For those of you living in the New York, you’ll have the chance to see CHLLNGR in action later this month. He’ll be at Piano’s with Sherlock’s Daughter and Rare Child on August 10, and at Glasslands with Teachers on August 13. More tour dates will be announced in the coming months, including some performances with label-mate Spoek Mathambo. Also, catch Dragons of Zynth live in Brooklyn on August 12th, also at Glasslands. Listen to “Haven” below.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.