New full-length ‘Fabiola’ by global beat pioneers Da Lata
10 years after their latest record, long awaited new full-length “Fabiola” from London’s global beat pioneers Da Lata is finally being released on October 21st by Agogo Records, and celebrates 20 years since Chris Franck and Patrick Forge first founded the project.
“Fabiola” features a host of talent including Luiz Gabriel Lopes (Brazil), Mayra Andrade (Cape Verde), Miguel Atwood Ferguson (USA) Rich Medina (USA) Marcelo Janeci (Brazil) Luisa Maita (Brazil), Fabricio FBC (Brazil), Sacha Gabriel (Canada), Jason Yarde (UK), Finn Peters (UK) and Diabel Cissokho (Senegal) who have all helped craft a record with a raw and live approach that fuses Afro-Brazilian influences with a distinctly London-based dancefloor sensibility.
The big question is, can their album be defined as solely ‘world music?’ Ultimately, it’s the melting pot of London that really lies at the heart of “Fabiola”, a city where cultures and tastes continually collide. This album is not bound by any set of rules, for all its authenticity in the musicianship and grooves, the tunes themselves seek out new territory beyond glib categorisation. Characterised by Da Lata‘s new “organic edge” and dispensing with programming and electronic production gimmicks, the emphasis in “Fabiola” is definitely on the “real” in every sense.
Franck, Forge and studio wizard Toni Econimides are the team that have crafted this album into Da Lata’s most mature and accomplished yet. Melding elements of Brazilian and African styles with everything from folk, rock and psychedelia to spoken word, soul and dub, “Fabiola” tears down the divide between ‘world music’ and just about every other genre.
Out on Agogo Records via CD / LP / Digital on Oct.21st
