MÁDÉ KUTI - Chapter 1: Where Does Happiness Come From? - LP - Vinyl [JUL 25]

LP - Standard Edition Black Vinyl. 

During the course of his career, the legendary creator of Afrobeat Fela Kuti used his music to lament social injustices and political corruption in his native Nigeria. His music, a compelling blend of American funk and West African highlife, often locked into spellbinding grooves that seemed to go on forever. Yet that was the point: to fall deep into the rhythm and dance away the hardship. While this impacted Nigeria and the entire world, it also affected Fela’s son Femi and his son Mádé, both of whom carry his legacy as torchbearers for change.

On February 5th 2021, Partisan Records, home to Fela’s catalog, will release two albums from Femi and Mádé — both very much in the tradition of Fela’s music, but with different scopes. Femi’s album, Stop The Hate, radiates the unique Afrobeat sound that he has forged throughout his long career, affirming the sharply political conviction that his father would’ve claimed in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Mádé’s album, For(e)ward, is a modern and progressive freedom manifesto, pushing boundaries of the sub-genre even further. Mádé also performs every instrument on the album. Together they will be packaged into a double album called Legacy + that, when taken as a whole, bolsters the rich musical heritage of the Kuti name. Yet this isn’t just about honouring Fela, it’s also personal for Femi and Mádé, a father and son with deep creative synergy. Most importantly, the project finds these men coming together in the name of family. “This is probably the most important part of my life right now,” Femi says. “I’m happy because he’s not copying me. He has found his voice. What other joy could a father want than to experience this in his lifetime?”

Tracklist: 

1. Take It All In Before The Lights Go Out
2. Find My Way
3. Pray
4. Won Na Pa
5. Life As We Know It 
6. Our Own
7. Wait And See
8. You Can't Hide 
9. Oya
10. I Won't Run Away 
11. My Voice
12. Story
13. After The Tears Flow