Brothers & Sisters

Lakuta are based in Brighton, but have influences that stretch far further afield. Their name is a Swahili term that roughly translates as ‘to find, meet and share’ and the eclectic make-up of their debut record – and indeed the group's membership – fits well with this denotation. Brothers & Sisters is a musical manifesto for breaking down barriers, standing up to discrimination and uniting under a sense of common humanity. Opener ‘Bata Boy’ hits the ground running: a vibrant Afro-Cuban jam that combines batá drumming with Ghanaian highlife horn lines and a cutting vocal from lead singer Siggi. The following nine tracks are equally energetic, passing through the rabble-rousing ‘So Sue Us’ and its bold trumpet flourishes; the jilting ‘Pique’, which works 5/4 time into a beguiling groove; and ‘Yansan’, a chant-based anthem that utilises the tui tui rhythm from Cuba. The latter half demonstrates Lakuta's ability to marry calm with deft artistry, and the emergence of the soprano sax on tracks such as ‘Changanya’ and ‘Lose Yourself’ is a welcome addition. Powerful, inventive and utterly compelling: an assured debut from a talented collective.