Antibalas Ft. Mayra Vega//Che Che Cole Makossa

A.’s mom got this for me for Christmas and it is SO, SO AWESOME. I think Daptone is by far the coolest label in existence today. Every track is completely flawless; written, performed, recorded, mixed and mastered perfectly. Their artists really are that good.

This is one of my favorites right now. I hadn’t really listened to much Antibalas (which is Spanish for “bulletproof”) before. They’re from Bushwick and they’re modeled on Fela Kuti’s Africa 70 band (Femi has subsequently played with them). They’ve got plenty of chops and accolades, but if you’re the kind of person who pays even a mild attention to theater, you might know them as the backing band from the broadway smash “Fela.”

"Che Che Cole Makossa" seriously brings it. It’s features an awesomely funky beat and Mayra Vega’s energetic vocals. I was falling asleep on the PATH train this morning and when this song came on, it made me want to dance around (don’t worry, I didn’t).

I can’t recommend this comp enough. Just go buy it already. Get it on vinyl if you can.



Che Che Cole Makossa.mp3

The band's on tour in Australia in March, but you can catch them now in Fela.