Ibibio Sound Machine ¦ Bedford Esquires

Fronted by Nigerian singer Eno Williams, Ibibio Sound Machine is a clash of African and electronic elements inspired in equal measure by the golden era of West-African funk and disco and modern post-punk and electro.

Ibibio Sound Machine were founded by Williams and Max Grunhard in 2013 with the idea of combining the unique sound of the Ibibio language that Eno spoke growing up in Nigeria with both traditional West African and more modern electronic musical elements. They linked up with Merge Records in 2017 for Uyai and returned with Doko Mien in 2019.

“ Western pop fans will hear echoes of Michael Jackson, James Brown, Gary Numan, Prince, Talking Heads and, yes, Miami Sound Machine; African music devotees will recognize threads of juju and Afrobeat from Nigeria, high life from Ghana and makossa from Cameroon .” —New York Times

“ a groove-driven melange of styles which also takes in gospel, funk, post- and electro-punk and contemporary R&B, alongside African polyrhythms, horns and guitar ” —Guardian

“ No one is crushing different sound worlds together quite as compellingly as them right now .” —DJ Mag

Tickets available online at SEE from Friday 21st March (10am) and in person from Slide and Esquires.

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• This Saturday, 17th May, 07:30 pm, SKINNY LISTER + Duzzy Avocado | BEDFORD in Bedford
• Next Saturday, 24th May, 07:30 pm, THE SKIDS + Cold Caller | LUTON in Luton
• This month, 27th May, 07:30 pm, KAIROS CREATURE CLUB + VIDDY : BEDFORD in Bedford

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