why we love this

The album resembles a murder mystery dinner party, each track a distinct guest that, while remaining sharply in character, shifts and unravels in some form as the minutes tick on. There is an abundance of curiosity, groove, spooky tones, and playfulness across the album.

about the record

Bamanya created Africa's first DIY modular synthesizer, known as "The Afrorack," due to limited access to modular technology in Uganda. His debut album, "The Afrorack," showcases his inventive use of the system, fusing Western modular concepts with East African rhythms and scales. With a focus on diverging from Euro-American musical norms, Bamanya employs his own approach, often starting with techno and acid abstractions and infusing them with East African influences to craft intricate and hypnotic tracks.

Innovatively, tracks like 'African Drum Machine' employ algorithmic patterns to replicate polyrhythmic structures from East African musical traditions, creating a captivating hybrid of techno and indigenous sounds. Similarly, 'Why Serious' blends dubby basslines and percussive elements to form an energetic blend of abstract electronics and forward-looking East African club music. Bamanya's compositions, occasionally reminiscent of psychedelic acts like Shackleton and African Head Charge, offer a controlled yet daring soundscape that includes experimental elements like feline groans and videogame-like blips.

In moments of reflection, as in 'Osc' and 'Rev,' Bamanya pays homage to modular music history with a nod to the kosmische genre, adding East Africa's distinct rhythmic intensity. "The Afrorack" serves as a catalyst for a conversation long overdue, initiating a fusion of modular synthesis and East African musical heritage.