The Haitian-Belgian combo Chouk Bwa & The Ångstromers return in October with their new album Somanti (Bongo Joe Records), supported by their first UK tour in October. They draw on the deepest origins of Haitian Vodou culture while propelling it towards a pulsatingly transcendent future through modular synths and vintage electronic instruments.
Since joining forces in 2016, they have continued to refine their music to the point where their fiery and frenzied sounds are more aligned with the percussive trance rites of Chouk Bwa’s homeland – Gonaïves, the heartland of Haitian Vodou and the birthplace of the country’s independence, their mizik rasin (roots music) is steeped in the profound spirituality of the lakou temples, the revolutionary history of their hometown, and the African heritage of its people.
Separated by covid for two and a half years Chouk Bwa and The Ångströmers were finally reunited in May 2022, and an intense European tour followed. 32 concerts were interspersed with near-constant rehearsals, discussions, experiments, intercultural dialogue and meticulous musical negotiations. It was during this time that the material for Somanti grew, organically.
“Being reunited again meant that we played with those tracks, we arranged them in many ways, and they became something totally different,” says Frederic Alstadt of The Ångströmers. “We had toured for about two months and we set up three days of recording sessions at a studio in Brussels, and basically we recorded everything in one day. There was one day of set-up, one day of recording and one day of fine tuning. We were playing live in the studio, and then we spent about two weeks producing it. It was done pretty fast, actually. It really came from the live energy.”
This approach has resulted in a more mature sound based on the closeness of the collaboration itself, the mutual respect and a deeper understanding of each other’s traditions, methods and taste.
To support the album release Chouk Bwa & The Ångströmers regroup in Europe for their first UK tour in October, with more dates on the continent to be announced.
From their new album Somanti (6th Oct):
A KEXP live session recorded at the La Chapelle by le Studio in Rennes, France, during Trans Musicales 2019.
Chouk Bwa & The Ångströmers UK Dates
6.10 – London, Cafe Oto (UK)
17.10 – Falmouth,The Cornish Bank (UK)
18.10 – Bristol, The Jam Jar (UK)
19.10 – Norwich, Arts Centre (UK)
22.10 – Leeds, Headrow House (UK)
If you enjoy this, then listen to KLOF No. 24: