Here’s what went down at the Nataal salon with Extra Soul Perception in London

Last week Nataal presented a salon at Hackney’s Mama Shelter hotel with Extra Soul Perception, a new music platform that unites artists from East Africa and the UK. The evening of conversation and performance was hosted by London’s DJ Tash LC alongside her guests, fellow Londoner K15, Hibotep from Uganda (by way or Somalia and Ethiopia) and Karun and Labdi from Kenya. The line-up gave the audience the opportunity to hear about how a disparate group of artists could truly transcend cultural barriers to not only form friendships but create art, too.

In November 2019, eight artists from Kenya, Uganda and the UK spent a week in Nairobi together exploring new tangents in soul music. The group, collectively known as Extra Soul Perception, is made up of Faizal Mostrixx (Ug), Hibotep (Ug), K15 (UK), Karun (Ke), Labdi (Ke), Lex Amor (UK), Lynda Dawn (UK) and Maxwell Owen (UK). Every day of the writing camp they worked with a new combination of artists, putting their powers of improvisation and collaboration to the test. The result was a body of work that reflected their range of backgrounds, interests and disciplines: acapella harmonies, soft spoken word, transcendental gqom, razor sharp swahili rap, bumping broken beat and beguiling RnB. The tracks capture a spirit, unique to a place and time that won’t be replicated again; an energy and atmosphere forged by open minds and prodigious talent. The first EP of music made in Nairobi will be released in Spring 2020, titled New Tangents in Kampala, London & Nairobi Vol.1. It features five tracks by all eight artists in different combinations, and three cameos. A1 Lex Amor, Hibotep & Faizal Mostrixx -Ancestry A2 Maxwell Owin & Xenia Manasseh feat. Joe Armon-Jones - Probably Never A3 Lynda Dawn & Bes Kept - Roses B1 Faizal Mostrixx & Karun - In My Soul B2 K15 & Labdi - Utokapo Leading the EP out is first single ‘Probably Never’, by London DJ and producer Maxwell Owin with Nairobi singer Xenia Menasseh, featuring pianist Joe Armon-Jones. The track was born out of a series of improvised moments that epitomises the spirit of ESP. A low-slung gospel-sampling beat Max was playing around with late at night with no real purpose, whispered lyrics laid down in minutes on the final day in the studio during an unplanned-but-welcome cameo, and keys added by a supportive housemate as it was being finished in London. It followers EP teaser ‘In My Soul’, released earlier this month featuring Kampala dancer and producer Faizal Mostrixx with Nairobi singer Karun rapping in Swahili for the first time; as if Obongjayar had been processed through a Hyperdub filter. All five tracks from the EP will be performed live for the first time on the ESP. tour, featuring all eight artists performing solo and collaborative sets: 22 Feb: The Jazz Cafe, London 23 Feb: Band on the Wall, Manchester 24 Feb: 24 Kitchen Street, Liverpool Tickets and info about the project: www.extrasoulperception.com ESP. is supported by British Council, Arts Council England and Analogue Foundation.

Peppered with sneak previews of tracks from the forthcoming audio visual album, we learnt that what was key for the group was that this exchange happened as equals, sharing and learning from each other, and not just European musicians travelling to East Africa to sample, which, Labdi stressed, happens a lot.

After the artists discussed their process – which was much helped along by Hibotep’s crystals and incense, according to Karun – and in the most genuine way, heaped praise onto one another, it was time for some truly special performances.

A silence fell as we were treated to the melliferous voice of Labdi, whose accompaniment was the Orutu, a traditional string instrument played by the Luo people. What was remarkable was not only the skill with which she played but also because she is Kenya’s first professional female Orutu player. Karun followed her with an upbeat performance of her R&B stylings, including the melodically toe-tapper of a song, Glow Up.

After this intimate event, the ESP. crew went on a UK-wide tour. The first EP ‘New Tangents in Kampala, London & Nairobi Vol. 1’ is available to pre-order now on Bandcamp with an instant download of the first two singles, ‘In My Soul’ by Faizal Mostrixx and Karun and ‘Probably Never’ by Maxwell Owin & Xenia Menasseh feat. Joe Armon-Jones. Then look out for the full Extra Soul Perception audio visual album is due to be released in the autumn.

Buy New Tangents in Kampala, London & Nairobi Vol. 1 here

Read more about Nataal’s partnership with ESP. here

Photography Martin Eito
Words Miriam Bouteba

Visit Extra Soul Perception

Published on 29/02/2020