Waiting for Zion

After an album and a handful of EPs, the duo Africaine 808 marks a step forward after a ten-year career by becoming A08. New name, new music. While their taste for experimentation remains deeply rooted, Dirk Leyers and DJ Nomad are shaking up their magic formula of disco and West African rhythms; a recipe that made them famous, especially with their remixes for Tony Allen, Amadou & Mariam and Pasteur Lappé. On Waiting for Zion, the Germans upset this balance by attaching more importance to electronica. Whereas the ethereal Afrobeat introduction sounds reassuring, the album moves towards a lo-fi digital dub and tries out unexpected fusions, at the risk of bewildering the listener. Old-school Detroit beats are warmed up at the last moment by some highlife melodies. Then, lost in a cold-wave atmosphere, we are awakened by a funky and organic house piece. The reference to Zion becomes obvious due to the psychedelic reggae vibes, which add another layer of influences to the album, adding to Caribbean music and jazz, trademark of their label, Compost. Surrounded by musicians from Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Trinidad and Germany, A08 are looking for a new beginning on an album that is seductive, though too rich in ideas to be thrilling.