Aphrodesia Announce New Album, Tour

Aphrodesia in Lagos with Femi Kuti's dancers

If it seems like SF Afrobeat band Aphrodesia have been a bit quiet of late as the genre continues to attain critical mass, don't worry, they've been laying low in the studio, recording the follow-up to 2007's Lagos By Bus. On July 28, the band unleash their fourth full-length release, Precious Commodity, on their own Shackrobeat label.

What I've always admired about Aphrodesia is their gumption and originality; like many Afrobeat bands, they worship at the altar of Fela Kuti--in fact, they are the first American group to play the Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria--but unlike some of those groups, they aren't afraid to diverge off into their own thing. Another thing that makes them unique is the fact they are fronted by two female singers, which is rare in the Afrobeat world. And while the band still adheres to its strict no-guitar solo policy (the better to keep their grooves tight), on Precious Commodity's "November 5," they take a page from Konono No. 1 and hook up an electric mbira (which sounds like a guitar with crazy fuzztone distortion). The song's title is a reference to the day of Obama's election, btw.

(UPDATE: Aphrodesia bandleader Ezra Gale confirms there are indeed a couple of guitar solos on the new record, breaking with the band's previous policy. Thanks, Ez.)

Currently on tour through the Pacific Northwest, Aphrodesia comes home August 21st for their official record release party at the Great American Music Hall. Audio clips from the new record can be heard here.