Kobby Graham alté playlist

The respected DJ and academic will explore altè as a response to its more popular cousin, Afrobeats, and delve into the history and sonic elements that distinguish the genre while taking stock of its social relevance over the years.

“What was once a label covering a specific subgenre of music from Lagos has since become a catch-all term used to describe genre-pushing music from all over the continent,” he observes. "This is not even remotely an exhaustive list (and there is an obvious Ghanaian bias here) but this is a sample of the diverse, dope, tricky-to-define music being made by artists from all corners of Africa. Some new, some classic; such sounds are at times kept off radio and labelled 'underground' despite the recognisability of some names, when what the music actually does is push the envelope in different little ways, encouraging us all to open our ears and our minds.”

Ahead of his session, Graham presents a playlist of songs that should serve as a window into the enigmatic world of altè.

Lavapipes to Labadi – Gafacci ft. Kyekyeku

In the Clouds – Adomaa

Body on Fire – Moliy

Ina Jin – Ayat

Loud – Seyyoh

Who Do You Call – Yinka Bernie

Culture – Boj ft. ENNY

Take My Losses – M3NSA

Bourdeaux – SuperJazzClub ft. Muthoni, EDWVN, Narah, Tronomie

Sundays – Amaarae ft. Fingers aka. Camidoh

Rapid Fire – Santi ft. Shane Eagle, Tomi Agape & Amaarae

Too Bad – Show Dem Camp ft. Amaarae & Tems

Rum & Butter – Turunesh

Teach Me How to Love – The Cavemen

Caveman (Jeje) – Worlasi ft. Kwabena Kwabena

Inaweza Haiwezi – Blinky Bill ft. M.anifest & Khaligraph Jones

Damn – Ria Boss ft. T'Neeya

Aura – Sichangi ft. Karun & Jean Deaux

The Water – SUTRA

[video:https://vimeo.com/215140941 autoplay:0]

The Soundation – Wanlov the Kubolor ft. Joseph Ajusiwine

[video:https://wanlov.bandcamp.com/track/the-soundation-ft-joseph-ajusiwine autoplay:0]