Yao Bobby & Simon Grab return to LAVALAVA Records once more, following on from their much-respected Diamonds EP with this loud & cantankerous 7″ –
‘Black Revolution’ is a little warning taste ahead of their album <> coming later this year.

Served up in a limited edition run of 100 copies – plus a few extras for Yao & Simon, which’ll get dished out when they can play live & direct again, with people, at loud volume – this 7″ disc has finally landed from the pressing plant, and it was worth every minute of waiting – the disc sounds heavy, and the sleeve – big up Togolese photo-artist Cedric Kouamé, and the Hammer design crew – is looking tip-top too.

Black Revolution is a track that could be passed as a reaction to recent events, with Black Lives Matter protests across the world and all the positive movement that comes with it, and of course sad realisations of still existing division and prejudice that come to prominence yet again, and need correction.

There’s a new much needed momentum for ‘Black Revolution’, i.e. equality and justice for all – a kind of rejuvenation of tackling overdue problems and wrongs of history that have been swept under the carpet for too long.
With this in mind, Yao Bobby ignites the flames with his word sound, venting frustration and calling for further action, making himself heard as one of many black voices, creatively, with all the beauty and power of music, for everyone to sing along to, and – once again – when dancefloors open for us all again, for everyone to mosh out and get wild to.

Sparring partner Simon Grab delivers the backbone for Yao’s wildstyle, with the pairs most hard hitting beat to date, a heavyweight K.O. of drum, bass and rhythmic pulse, fizzing through Simon’s no-input feedback mixer like the embers that feed the flames from below.

Flipside, Senegal’s one and only Ibaaku steps forward for a remix, twisting the rhythm around it’s own axis, guided by a kind of kalimba-esque melody that recalls, to us at least, a certain ‘sound of Africa’ and places the track firmly on the map along with the huge amounts of great experimental dance music to come from the continent in recent years.

Play it loud, for everyone to hear!

Edition of 100,
hand-stamped centre labels,
printed sleeve with photography by Cedric Kouamé, layout by Hammer.

Lyrics & Vocals by Yao Amewonou.
Music & Mix by Simon Grab.
Remix by Ibaaku.
Mastering by Dan Suter at Echochamber.
Photography by Cedrik Kouamé.
Cover Art by David Schatz and Sereina Rothenberger at Hammer.