XOA is an exciting new project fusing sounds from the golden era of 70s Afrobeat with contemporary electronica and modern production. The debut release Aiye Le, features the vocals of former Fela Kuti musical director and afrobeat royalty Dele Sosimi. Label boss Dan Shake steps up for the remix on the B side, bringing his signature Detroit house aesthetic.
Eight tracks blend the boundaries between original productions, illicit remixes and straight re-edits. There’s a celebratory, life-affirming feel throughout, from the rubbery bass, D-Train synths and rolling house grooves of Giovanni Damico’s ”The Break Down”, to the bluesy deep house brilliance of Borrowed Identity’s ”Queens Bridge”. Highlights are plentiful elsewhere, too, from the hustlin’ electrofunk-meets-disco of Vogel’s own ”Come On”, to the killer synth solos and fuzzy bits of Tim Jules’ thrilling ”Slap Beat”.
The Hipodrome Of Music 