Album Premiere: Antibalas, 'Antibalas'

Rolling Stone – Mon, Jul 30, 2012 8:00 AM EDT

Click to listen to Antibalas' album 'Antibalas'

Reuniting with producer and former member Gabe Roth, the 12-member collective Antibalas offers a raucous, joyous celebration of Afrobeat on Antibalas, with meandering melodies and tight, precise percussion. Sharp synths poke and prick throughout opener "Dirty Money" as the brass section wails at full force, while "Him Belly No Go Sweet" slows things down slightly with lounge-like keyboard lines, bright horn interjections and free-wheeling vocal runs. But the group explores a gentler sound on "Ibeji," allowing the song's clattering bongos and a quirky, uncluttered guitar lick to ebb and flow along horn blasts and an enthralling, amorphous synth jam in the middle of the track.

Antibalas, the group's first album in five years, is set for an August 7th release.

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