Monzanto Sound - The Channel (2025) [Official Digital Download]

Monzanto Sound are a rising South East London-based music collective fusing together different styles from the African Diaspora with a hypnotic, psychedelic edge and a passion for the alchemical practice of sonic storytelling. Traversing through jazz-inflected funk, psychedelic trip-hop and cosmic neo-soul; they connect the dots using pulsating grooves, hypnotic polyrhythms and soaring vocals. The band consists of Mimi Koku on vocals, Mali Baden-Powell on keys, Wazoo Baden Powell on drums, Anthony Boatright on bass and Rachel Asafo-Agyei on guitar and supporting vocals.

Set for release in August, debut album ‘The Channel’ explores themes of love and conflict, justice and injustice, fantasy and mythology. It's title is a reference to many things: a journey, a portal or window to another place, a connection, a transformation. It also makes links, conceptually and sonically, between the organic and the technological, the material and immaterial.

The band say, “While it has an overarching narrative following a protagonist on a journey, many of the tracks tell their own individual story as well, some leaning heavier into fantasy or mythology and others being very matter of fact and covering heavy subject matter. We emphasise these things sonically with certain production elements and instrumental choices but this combined with the lyrical content conjures up strong imagery - imagery that feels integral to the record. Our hope is for listeners to have space for joy and good vibes but also space for depth and reflection, space for thoughtfulness but also space for escapism”.

Album opener ‘Pepper Dem’ is fun, tongue in cheek, and a little braggadocious. The title pays homage to a common phrase in Nigerian culture, essentially meaning “show ‘em” or “let them know” and is all about not holding anything back. The band say “It sets the tone for the tracks to follow, exuding some confidence now that we’ve had more time to develop our sound. It also serves as a pep-talk ahead of some themes we explore on the record”.

‘Slick Talk’ has had enough of people moving through life with more words and fewer actions, saying one thing and doing the opposite. ‘Midas’ borrows themes and imagery from an ancient allegory about insatiable greed, reflecting on our current reality. “Much of the world is run by megalomaniacs who are seemingly never satisfied. As the story goes: Midas runs mad, is ridiculed and loses everything in the end. The song is as much a warning (or curse) as it is a lamentation”.

Some of the songs - like ‘Foxy Cotton’ and ‘Oracle’ - have been performed live by the band for roughly three years, while newer tracks came about more spontaneously during the album’s recording process. Others began as jams or interludes that later took form as structured songs.

“We approached things very intuitively” says the band. “It was the same with song titles, we try not to overthink these too much. What’s the song about? What’s the story it’s telling or inspired by? Whatever captures the track's essence best and feels appropriate is what we go with”.

Following a creative restructure, Monzanto Sound released ‘Tomorrow, Tomorrow & Tomorrow’ EP in December 2022, showcasing a multi-melodic, raw and experimental approach to songwriting. The subsequent 2023 release, ‘TT&T Remixed’, took the experiments even further with collaborations and features including Dave Okumu and rising lyrical talent Natty Wylah. The band has performed live on numerous occasions, including at renowned and beloved venues such as The Jazz Cafe, Islington Assembly Hall, Roundhouse, Peckham Audio, Amazing Grace, Avalon Cafe, The Servant Jazz Quarters, The Old Blue Last, New Cross Inn and The Post Bar.

‘The Channel’ is set to be released by None More Records, a genre-bending UK-based independent record label focussed on new music, led by Harry Walsh and Sam Bedford. NMR is an eclectic imprint that embraces psychedelic grooves, bass-heavy room two electronica and experimental sounds that defy categorisation.

Tracklist:
01 Pepper Dem
02 Warsan
03 Slick Talk
04 Foxy Cotton
05 Black Gold
06 Midas
07 Hotline
08 Oracle
09 Til Next Time


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