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Photo Credit Camila Jurado
NEW STUDIO ALBUM ‘AFRICA EXPRESS PRESENTS… BAHIDORÁ’ OUT 11 JULY
PRE-SAVE/PRE-ORDER ALBUM HERE
Globally acclaimed music phenomenon Africa Express has released two brand new tracks titled ‘Soledad’ (ft. Damon Albarn, Luisa Almaguer, Nick Zinner, Seye Adelekan, Joan as Police Woman, Mexican Institute of Sound) and ‘Otim Hop’ (ft. Otim Alpha, Bootie Brown, K.O.G., Tom Excell).
‘Soledad’ and ‘Otim Hop’ are both taken from the music collective’s forthcoming studio album titled ‘Africa Express presents… Bahidorá’, set for release on 11 July 2025 via World Circuit Records.
‘Soledad’ is a stunning cinematic duet sung in Spanish by Damon Albarn and Luisa Almaguer, a melancholic and beautiful track with mournful lyrics that intone ‘Soledad soledad soledad sin fin’ (Loneliness, loneliness, endless loneliness). It is accompanied by ‘Otim Hop’, a cool slice of laid-back hip-hop with Bootie Brown’s slick tale of a hustle spliced with Ugandan Afrofuturist Otim Alpha’s autobiographical lyrics about ‘Big man running trying to escape poverty’.
Mexican singer-songwriter and trans community advocate Luisa Almaguer said – “‘Soledad’ and Africa Express are both symbolic and material examples of reparation for the historical debt that whiteness and the mainstream owe to racialised and independent artists around the world. It makes me very happy to be part of this, it still feels like a dream to me. It’s a beautiful glitch in the Matrix.”
Damon Albarn said – “Luisa possesses one of the most unique and enchanting voices I have ever heard. It’s a real honour to accompany her on this piece of music.”
Marco Carion and Camilo Lara of the Mexican Institute of Sound added – “We spent a week in magical Bahidorá and this is the result, our rendition of the Mexican bolero in the voice of Luisa and Damon. ‘Soledad’ speaks of loneliness, but through the collaboration with Luisa, Damon, Camilo, Seye, Nick, and Joan, that loneliness turned into a beautiful sense of union. We are tremendously proud of ‘Soledad’. It was an honor and a privilege to collaborate with such incredible musicians.”
Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) said – “I had so much fun on this Africa Express trip. It was probably one of the best musical experiences of my life, it was just awesome.”
Africa Express went to the Americas for the first time in 2024 to headline the Mexican festival Bahidorá, a trip which saw an extraordinary group of musicians, singers and DJs from around the world come together to rehearse, perform and write new music ahead of an epic 5-hour show on the banks of the ancient springs of Bahidorá. Afterwards, they stayed on to record together in field studios, tents and hotel rooms. The result is this remarkable collection of 21 tracks – the project’s sixth album and first since 2019’s ‘Africa Express presents…Egoli’, which was recorded in Johannesburg.
An album like no other, ‘Africa Express presents… Bahidorá’ is a joyful and mind-blowing sonic trip which distills the joy of a musical adventure in Mexico into 21 extraordinary songs that are perfect for our times. Featuring artists from four continents but with roots firmly planted in Mexico, it entwines rich musical traditions ranging from cumbia, hip-hop and kuduro through to soul, salsa and the sweetest pop.
Africa Express is an adventure and a journey, always evolving and exploring fresh musical boundaries. It is based on respect and seeks to promote a simple concept: that human beings are stronger when we collaborate, when we communicate openly and when we accept that we all have something to say. It is about breaking down barriers with artists from different nations, genders, generations and musical genres, joining forces in a display of unity. The idea is perfectly expressed by the eclecticism, spirit and sounds of ‘Africa Express presents… Bahidorá.’
Africa Express will hit the road this summer for a run of dates across Europe, including Roskilde Festival on 5th of July and Barcelona’s Cruïlla Festival on 11th of July.
The tracklisting for ‘Africa Express presents… Bahidorá’ is:
1. Soledad ft. Damon Albarn, Luisa Almaguer, Nick Zinner, Seye Adelekan, Joan As
Police Woman, Mexican Institute of Sound
2. Otim Hop ft. Otim Alpha, Bootie Brown, K.O.G., Tom Excell
3. Mi Lado ft. Alansito Vega, Poté, Mare Advertencia
4. Seya ft. Onipa, Fatoumata Diawara, Abou Diarra, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié
5. Tayhana ft. Tayhana, Otim Alpha, La Bruja de Texcoco
6. Kuduro ft. Fatoumata Diawara, Moonchild Sanelly, Tom Excell
7. Defiant Ones ft. Son Rompe Pera, M.anifest, Ophélia Hié, Mélissa Hié, Mexican
Institute of Sound
8.Raise A Glass ft Django Django, Mare Advertencia, Seye Adelekan
9. Ofrenda de Sangre ft. Luisa Almaguer, Mare Advertencia, Alansito Vega
10. Chucha ft. Son Rompe Pera, Joan As Police Woman, Otim Alpha, Abou Diarra, Ophélia Hié, Mélissa Hié, Mexican Institute of Sound
11. Quisiera ft. Luisa Almaguer, Alansito Vega, Nick Zinner, Joan As Police Woman
12. The Sky Above You ft. Seye Adelekan, Luisa Almaguer, Joan As Police Woman, Nick
Zinner, Imarhan, Damon Albarn
13. Dorhan Oullhin (What The Heart Desires) ft. Imarhan, Damon Albarn
14. El Niño ft. Eme Malafe, Los Pream, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié, Joan As Police Woman, Marco Carrion, Alansito Vega
15. Invocation ft. Onipa, Jupiter Bokondji, Otim Alpha, Damon Albarn, Joan As Police Woman
16. Hacernos Así ft. Luisa Almaguer, Damon Albarn, Seye Adelekan, Nick Zinner, Joan As Police Woman, Mexican Institute of Sound
17. Frenemies ft. Hak Baker, Bonobo, Damon Albarn, Otim Alpha, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié
18. Kelegusta ft. Tayhana, Otim Alpha, La Bruja de Texcoco
19. El Diablo y La Bruja ft. La Bruja de Texcoco, Los Pream
20. Pánico (Cuelga al DJ) ft. Mexican Institue of Sound, Damon Albarn, Los Pream, Nick Zinner, Montana Kinunu Ntunu
21. Adios Amigos ft. Baba Sissoko, Luisa Almaguer, Joan As Police Woman, Abou Diarra, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié, Yendé Balamba
‘Africa Express Presents… Bahidorá’ will be available in the following formats: Digital; Double CD; and Double Gatefold Vinyl LP.
LIVE TOUR DATES 2025:
5th July 2025 Roskilde Festival, DENMARK
6th July 2025 Müpa, BUDAPEST
8th July 2025 Huxleys, BERLIN
9th July 2025 Elbphilharmonie, HAMBURG
11th July 2025 Cruïlla Festival, BARCELONA
The complete list of artists featured on the album (artist bios at this link HERE):
Abou Diarra – Alansito Vega – Baba Sissoko – Bonobo – Bootie Brown – Damon Albarn – Django Django – Eme MalaFe – Fatoumata Diawara – Hak Baker – Imarhan – Joan As Police Woman – Jupiter & Okwess – K.O.G. – La Bruja de Texcoco – Los Pream – Luisa Almaguer – M.anifest – Mare Advertencia – Mélissa Hié – Mexican Institute of Sound – Moonchild Sanelly – Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) – Onipa – Ophélia Hié – Otim Alpha – Poté – Seye Adelekan – Son Rompe Pera – Tayhana – Tom Excell
ABOUT AFRICA EXPRESS
Africa Express started in 2006 in Mali, connecting local stars Toumani Diabaté, Bassekou Kouyaté and Amadou & Mariam with visiting artists including Martha Wainwright, Fatboy Slim and co-founder Damon Albarn. Now it is a globally-known project – yet it never loses its capacity to surprise, whether live or on record. It has invited Western artists to countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Mali; staged collaborative concerts lasting up to seven hours from Liverpool to Lagos; taken a train filled with musicians around Britain to mark the London Olympics; reformed a Syrian orchestra divided by civil war; and recorded the first African interpretation of Terry Riley’s minimalist classic In C. Participating artists have included Baaba Maal, Blur, Charli XCX, Faia Younan, Femi Kuti, Flea, Franz Ferdinand, Kano, Oumou Sangaré, Paul McCartney, Paul Weller, Rachid Taha, Rokia Traoré and Tony Allen among many others.
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