Stream Ibibio Sound Machine Eyio
Led by London-born, Lagos-raised singer Eno Williams, Ibibio Sound Machine are an English eight-piece band that meld 1980s Afrobeat and western electronic music and post-punk into an exultant explosion of horns and synths and guitars and polyrhythms. Named for the southern Nigerian language that Williams mostly sings in, the group’s music is basically one giant pancultural dance party, and it’s great.
Ibibio Sound Machine broke out in 2014 with their self-titled debut, and last year’s follow-up Uyai, their first to be released on the classic indie label Merge, won them even more fans. Now they’re back with a new EP, Eyio, and if you haven’t gotten on the train yet, now is as good a time as any to hop aboard.
Eyio only has four tracks, but that’s more than enough time for Ibibio Sound Machine’s earwormy blend of LCD Soundsystem-style dance-rock and Afropop to lodge itself into your skull. Instrumental opener starts things off with a playful synth line and percussion before “Imma” blasts off into a futuristic funk groove. “Uyai,” a belated title track for their last LP, slows things down into a dreamy 808 reverie before the frenetic “A Forest” finishes the EP out strong.
Stream all four tracks for yourself below.
The Eyio EP is out now.