Tag: Africa-Influenced

Avec le Soleil sortant de sa bouche – Pas pire pop [I ♥ You So Much]

Style: Art Rock, Progressive Pop, Post-Punk

Influences: Krautrock, No Wave, Afrobeat, Funk

Vibe: Driving, Muscular, Motorik, Mechanical, Hypnotic, Cathartic, Primal, Epic, Messy

Musical Qualities: Rhythmic, Repetitive, Noisy, Progressive

Chicago Underground Duo – Locus

Style: Cyber-Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz, Future Jazz

Influences: IDM, Afrobeat, Free Jazz

Vibe: Futuristic, Mechanical, Driving, Energetic, Suspenseful, Cinematic, Eclectic, Abstract, Spacey

Musical Methods: Thematic Improvisation, Electro-Acoustic, Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Instrumental, Studio-as-an-Instrument,

Instrumentation: Cornet, Drums, Mbira, Synthesizers, Game Boy, Guitar, Balaphone, Electronics, Bamboo Flute

King Khan – The Infinite Ones

Style: Psych-Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Spiritual Jazz, Afrobeat

Vibe: Sunny, Mysterious, Triumphant, Groovy, Serpentine, Psychedelic, Warm, Spiritual, Ancient, Cosmic, Eclectic, Energetic, Mystical, Retro-Futuristic

Musical Qualities: Rhythmic, Percussive, Thematic, Polyphonic, Suite

Brigitte Fontaine / Areski / Art Ensemble of Chicago – Comme á la Radio

Style: Chanson, Chamber Jazz, Avant-Folk

Vibe: Serpentine, Nocturnal, Mysterious, Ominous, Storytelling, Suspenseful, Open, Beguiling

Musical Qualities: Spoken Word, Collective Improvisation, Thematic, Percussive

Instrumentation: Duet Vocals, Muted Trumpet, Acoustic Guitar, Bouzouki, Shenai, Oboe, Flute, Percussion, Drums, Upright Bass, Lute

Don Cherry – Organic Music Society

Style: World Fusion, Spiritual Jazz, Avant-Folk

Influences: Raga, Brazilian Folk, Minimalism, Turkish Folk, African Music

Vibe: Utopian, Communal, Spiritual, Warm, Hindu, Hypnotic, Colorful, Meditative, Sunny, Uplifting, Peaceful

Musical Qualities: Repetitive, Percussive, Acoustic, Polyrhythmic

Bitter Funeral Beer Band – Live in Frankfurt 1982

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Afro-Jazz, Experimental Big Band

Influences: Ghanaian Music & other West African Music, Hindustani & Carnatic Music, Spiritual Jazz

Vibe: Ritualistic, Communal, Hypnotic, Intertwined, Spiritual

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Improvisation, Repetitive, Percussive, Polyphonic, Acoustic

Mind Maintenance – Mind Maintenance

Joshua Abrams – Guimbri
Chad Taylor – Mbira

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Repetitive, Sparse, Acoustic, Minimalist

Horse Lords – Interventions

Style: Experimental Rock, Totalism, Math Rock, Tishoumaren-Influenced

Vibe: Anxious, Complex, Energetic, Exploratory, Hypnotic, Disorienting

Musical Qualities: Instrumental, Microtonal, Odd Time Signatures, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Repetitive, Minimalistic, Technical, Drones, Glitchy, Dissonant

Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson

Style: Jazz-Funk, Soul Jazz

Vibe: Conscious, Empathetic, Passionate, Groovy, Liberation, Political, Energetic, Warm, Bittersweet, Sunny

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Lush, Polished, Rhythmic, Lyrical, Improvised Sections

Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah – Ancestral Recall

Style: Organic Beat Music, Spiritual Jazz, Cybernetic Jazz, Progressive Jazz

Vibe: Ritualistic, Triumphant, Poetic, Tribal, Afro-Futurism, Epic, Moody, Earthy

Musical Qualities: Beats, Structured Improvisation, Polyrhythmic, Progressive, Percussive

Natural Information Society with Evan Parker – descension (Out of Our Constrictions

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Ecstatic Post-Minimalism, Psychedelic Trance Music, Gnawa-Influenced

Vibe: Hypnotic, Meditative, Psychedelic, Ecstatic, Spiritual, Cathartic, Mosaic,

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Live, Minimalistic, Acoustic, Instrumental, Polyphonic, Polyrhythmic, Repetitive

Instrumentation: Guimbri, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Harmonium, Drums

75 Dollar Bill – Live at Tubby’s

Style: Psychedelic Jazz, Jam Band, Post-Minimalism, Free Rock

Influences: Tishoumaren, Free Jazz, Kosmische Musik, Minimalism

Vibe: Hypnotic, Communal, Psychedelic, Earthy

Musical Attributes: Collective Thematic Improvisation, Live, Loose, Microtonal, Odd Time Signatures, Repetitive, Percussive

Pharoah Sanders – Wisdom Through Music

Style: Spiritual Jazz



Vibe: Joyful, Passionate, Spiritual, Uplifting, Warm, Love, Colorful, Communal, Cosmic, Earthy, Energetic, Groovy



Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Chants, Africa-Influenced, India-Influenced, Improvisation, Polyrhythmic, Percussive

Joshua Abrams – Natural Information

Style: Psychedelic Trance Music, Avant-Jazz, Creative Music, Post-Minimalism

Influences: Gnawa, Spiritual Jazz, Raga, Kosmische Musik

Vibe: Earthy, Hypnotic, Meditative, Cosmic, Psychedelic, Ritualistic, Spiritual, Tribal

Musical Attributes: Polyrhythmic, Acoustic, Minimalistic, Improvisation, Percussive, Instrumental

Josh Abrams & Natural Information Society

Style: Psychedelic Jazz, Creative Music, Post-Minimalism

Influences: Gnawa, Kosmische Music, Spiritual Jazz, Minimalism

Vibe: Earthy, Hypnotic, Exploratory, Mysterious, Ritualistic, Psychedelic

Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Improvisation, Minimalistic, Percussive, Polyrhythmic

Horse Lords – The Common Task

The Common Task is an incessant barrage of jolting polyrhythms that simultaneously hypnotize and disorient.

Style: Experimental Rock, Math Rock, Post-Rock, Totalism
Vibe: Hypnotic, Surreal, Triumphant, Complex, Political
Musical Attributes: Microtonal, Polyrhythmic, Repetitive, Odd Time Signatures, Saharan Africa-Influenced, Technical, Instrumental

Pharoah Sanders – Village of the Pharoahs

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz
Vibe: Communal, Earthy, Energetic, Hypnotic, Intense, Loose, Mystical, Passionate, Spiritual, Tribal, Uplifting, Warm, Dance
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Complex, Collective Improvisation, Percussive, Dense, Thematic, Suite

James Holden & the Animal Spirits – The Animal Spirits

These communal sound rituals express a digital-era longing to reconnect to the Earth. The grooves here are circular and ceremonial, not rooted to any specific musical traditions but borrowing from many, including cosmic jazz, kosmische musik and undoubtedly inspired by Holden’s collaboration with legendary Gnawa musician Maleem Mahmoud Ghania. Drums and percussion ground the proceedings while muscular sequencer and fiery saxophone arpeggiations hypnotically intertwine.  The sounds of fluttering recorder and modular synthesizer swirl through the air like offerings to the cosmos. 

Recommended for fans of The Comet is Coming, Tonto’s Exploding Head Band, Maleem Mahmoud Ghania & Pharoah Sander’s Trance of Seven Colors, Natural Information Society, Colin Stetson