A few months ago, we told you all about the 12-piece Afrobeat powerhouse that is Antibalas, and how they were cooking up their first release in 5 years. Well, it’s finally here! And it’s sure been a long five years since their last album, Security.
The band’s new self-titled album was released on Daptone Records on August 7th 2012, and reached #2 on the U.S. Current World Albums Chart in its first week. Antibalas has received rave reviews from Billboard, Pitchfork and NME, along with major features in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. In addition, the album was featured in the brand new iTunes “Editor’s Choice” promotion, which helped propel digital sales of the record to a 49% share of the first week’s total scans.
Antibalas are known for their groundbreaking albums and legendary live shows, and I was fortunate to witness the band play a set in the backyard of Daptone Records’ House of Soul Studios in Brooklyn on a sweltering afternoon in July, and the energy, groove and rhythm were indeed amazing. The band’s 30-date U.S. tour began August 10th at Outside Lands in San Francisco, and included a triumphant hometown show in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings this past weekend. Now, the band will embark on a multi-country tour in North America and Europe throughout November. Do not miss the opportunity to see them play live if they are passing through your town. Or you can catch them on your TV when they make their national TV debut on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” this Friday, August 24th.
In the meantime, here’s Antibalas’ first ever music video, for the lead single “Dirty Money:”
