Damon Albarn’s Africa Express Announce New Album, Share Two Songs: Stream

Damon Albarn’s music collective Africa Express has announced their sixth album. Africa Express Presents… Bahidorá will be released on July 11th via World Circuit. In anticipation, the first two singles, “Mi Lado” and “Kuduro”, are streaming now.

The music collective’s first album in six years was recorded last year in Mexico following a performance during Bahidorá Festival. Bahidorá is “a sonic trip which distills the joy of a musical adventure in Mexico into 21 extraordinary songs,” according to a press description. “Featuring artists from four continents but with roots firmly planted in Mexico, it entwines rich musical traditions ranging from cumbia, hip-hop and kuduro through to soul, salsa and the sweetest pop.”

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The album features over 30 artists, including Albarn, Django Django, Joan as Police Woman, Baba Sissoko, Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Poté, and Seye Adelekan, to name a few.

Reggaeton-influenced “Mi Lado” features producer Alansito Vega, St. Lucian artist Poté, and feminist rapper Mare Advertencia. “Kuduro” finds inspiration in Afrobeats, with Malian artist Fatoumata Diawara, South African artist Moonchild Sanelly and producer Tom Excell credited as featured artists.

Africa Express will play a series of shows this summer, including at Roskilde Festival and Cruïlla Festival.

Albarn founded the Africa Express project in 2006 in order to increase the visibility of African artists and music to Western audiences. In that year, Albarn organized a trip which brought Western artists like Fatboy Slim and Martha Wainwright together with African musicians like Amadou & Mariam, Toumani Diabaté, and Bassekou Kouyaté. Later, during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Africa Collective took over 80 artists from across the globe around the British Isle for a series of concerts.

In 2019, Africa Express released their fifth project Africa Express presents… Egoli.

Africa Express Presents… Bahidorá Artwork:

Africa Express Presents… Bahidorá Tracklist:
01. Soledad (feat. Damon Albarn, Luisa Almaguer, Nick Zinner, Seye Adelekan, Joan As Police Woman, Mexican Institute of Sound)
02. Otim Hop (feat. Otim Alpha, Bootie Brown, K.O.G., Tom Excell)
03. Mi Lado (feat. Alansito Vega, Poté, Mare Advertencia)
04. Seya (feat. Onipa, Fatoumata Diawara, Abou Diarra, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié)
05. Tayhana (feat. Tayhana, Otim Alpha, La Bruja de Texcoco)
06. Kuduro (feat. Fatoumata Diawara, Moonchild Sanelly, Tom Excell)
07. Defiant Ones (feat. Son Rompe Pera, M.anifest, Ophélia Hié, Mélissa Hié, Mexican Institute of Sound)
08. Raise A Glass (feat. Django Django, Mare Advertencia, Seye Adelekan)
09. Ofrenda de Sangre (feat. Luisa Almaguer, Mare Advertencia, Alansito Vega)
10. Chucha (feat. Son Rompe Pera, Joan As Police Woman, Otim Alpha, Abou Diarra, Ophélia Hié, Mélissa Hié, Mexican Institute of Sound)
11. Quisiera (feat. Luisa Almaguer, Alansito Vega, Nick Zinner, Joan As Police Woman)
12. The Sky Above You (feat. Seye Adelekan, Luisa Almaguer, Joan As Police Woman, Nick Zinner, Imarhan, Damon Albarn)
13. Dorhan Oullhin (What The Heart Desires) (feat. Imarhan, Damon Albarn)
14. El Niño (feat. Eme Malafe, Los Pream, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié, Joan As Police Woman, Marco Carrion, Alansito Vega)
15. Invocation (feat. Onipa, Jupiter Bokondji, Otim Alpha, Damon Albarn, Joan As Police Woman)
16. Hacernos Así (feat. Luisa Almaguer, Damon Albarn, Seye Adelekan, Nick Zinner, Joan As Police Woman, Mexican Institute of Sound)
17. Frenemies (feat. Hak Baker, Bonobo, Damon Albarn, Otim Alpha, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié)
18. Kelegusta (feat. Tayhana, Otim Alpha, La Bruja de Texcoco)
19. El Diablo y La Bruja (feat. La Bruja de Texcoco, Los Pream)
20. Pánico (Cuelga al DJ) (feat. Mexican Institue of Sound, Damon Albarn, Los Pream, Nick Zinner, Montana Kinunu Ntunu)
21. Adios Amigos (feat. Baba Sissoko, Luisa Almaguer, Joan As Police Woman, Abou Diarra, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié, Yendé Balamba)