ISAAC BIRITURO AND THE RAIL ABANDON / KALBA

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“The world-renowned lineage of Kakraba Lobi’s virtuosity lives on in Isaac Birituro as his deft vibes of dancing melodies cross the xylophone and shake the palm wine for this highlife soul collaboration with The Rail Abandon. Get a sweat on!” – Pete On The Corner

“It’s like a whole story in three minutes and a half”
  – Cerys Matthews, BBC Radio 6Music

 

The Usual Done Unusually

Wah Wah 45s are very proud to announce the release of Kalba, the first album from Ghanaian xylophone master Isaac Birituro and Leeds-based producer and singer- songwriter Sonny Johns AKA The Rail Abandon.

The boundary crossing duo were introduced to the world via the first two singles released in early 2019, Yesu Yan Yan and Für Svenja, and the reactions to the project have been overwhelmingly warm.

There are many differences between Isaac and Sonny, but a powerful similarity–– which gives Kalba its element of relatability–– is that desire to hear the usual done unusually and play with the shared influence of the music from afar. Named after the town in North Ghana where Isaac resides, the album is a combination of differences; a magnifying glass over the Venn diagram of our lives, the unfathomable meeting of parallel lines.

The Importance Of Community

“It was clear to me that, though he played a traditional instrument in a traditional way, Isaac was influenced by the Western tinged music that filled the streets of Accra – in fact his father, Edmund, introduced him with “He plays the modern way!” Partly dismissive, mostly proud,” said Sonny. “And as this Viking sat before him played the guitar, it sounded too much like the stringed instruments of Mali for it to be just a coincidence.”

There are so many stories behind each track on this album, but the common denominators are clearly the importance of community, of preserving and presenting local cultures, the ardent desire to contribute to changing the world around us, and, of course, the love and power of music created from a genuine place.

Isaac and Sonny shared a feeling once the recording was done: “The moment we sat down to listen to the first days recordings, we both could hear far more than had been picked up by those microphones.” The album was recorded in St Mary’s Church, and the energy of the place seems to have been perfectly captured by the way it has been constructed: the sounds, the melody, the words and the emotions behind them all con- tribute to transpose the audience into the very heart of Kalba. Which is no small achievement.

Kalba also features a string of very special guests including Seb Rochford, Leafcutter John, Raph Clarkson, and Elliot Galvin, who have lent their musical brilliance to making this record a reality and giving it such a particular, warm sound.

The project came about thanks to the wonderful team at Rüt’n’Rock Festivals, especially Tim Becker and Svenja Albers, and part of the proceeds from this album will be directed to funding their mission of building a school in Kalba, in order to continue to use education as a way to impact on people’s lives in the most positive and sustainable way.

Reactions

BBC 6Music – Gilles Peterson

This is special….”…”Earlier this year this came out. I love it – Isaac Birituro & The Rail Abandon. Out to Dom Servini, Wah Wah 45
BBC 6Music – Nemone
Gorgeous! 
BBC 6Music – Shaun Keaveny
It’s lovely that
BBC 6Music – Huw Stephens
That’s making us very happy… Nice!
Radio X – John Kennedy
Wonderful album
“Love it!” Mari Kimura (Worldwide FM) (has also played a track)
“A wonderful package of real music” Jurgen Drimal (Superfly FM, Austria)
“Deep folk inspirational album!” Aurelio (Rinse FM, France)
“Oh this is fantastic!” Tim “Love” Lee (Tummy Touch legend, NYC)
“Nice track” DJ Angola (USA)
Gilles Peterson, BBC 6Music – “Für Svenja”
Nemone, BBC 6Music – “I Know I’m OK”
Gideon Coe, BBC 6Music – “Highlife” and “Yesu Yan Yan”
Erica McKoy, Worldwide Daily, Worldwide FM – “Highlife”
Cerys Matthews, BBC 6Music – “I Know I’m OK” and “Yesu Yan Yan”
Shaun Keaveny, BBC 6Music – “I Know I’m OK”
Huw Stephens, BBC 6Music – “I Know I’m OK”
Tom Ravenscroft, BBC 6Music – “Yesu Yan Yan” original and Village Cuts remix and “IKIO”
Huey Morgan, BBC 6Music – “Yesu Yan Yan”
Stuart Maconie, The Freak Zone, BBC 6Music – “Highlife”
John Kennedy, Radio X – “I Know I’m OK”
Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music – “I Know I’m OK”
BBC Music Introducing, West Yorkshire – “I Know I’m OK”
Le Mellotron Soundcloud Premiere 23/08/19 of “Yesu Yan Yan” (Village Cuts Remix)
Track of the Day on KCRW – “I Know (I’m OK)”
Jazz Travels, Jazz FM – “I Know (I’m OK)”
Hackney Globe Trotter, SOAS Radio – “So Ma”

 

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