London-based producing duo Raz & Afla return to the limelight with their new EP, Mama Weja EP, being released via Paris-based label Mawimbi. Mawimbi specializes as purveyors of vibrant Afro-House music, which makes them the perfect home for Raz & Afla’s newest release. The duo has been steadily building a name for themselves as mainstays of London’s eclectic dance music scene, developing their exciting fusion of traditional West African and modern house music with releases via labels such as Beating Heart, Afro Zone, and Fossil Sounds.
“Mama Weja”, the closing track on the latest EP, continues to do just that. The track is a bold, immersive take on Afro-House, influenced strongly by West African musical traditions. A carefully utilized selection of traditional African instruments, including hypnotic balafon and djembe rhythms, create the perfect compliment to Afla’s vocal incantations. These are seamlessly counterpointed by increasingly-warped vocals and Raz’s house-inspired breaks, which punctuate the track’s epic 6-and-a-half-minute runtime. The result is an incredibly refreshing and inventive cut of Afro-House music that consistently pushes the boundaries of what this exciting subgenre can offer.
