Well sheesh, Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab has been around. Sudan-born, Columbus, OH-raised, Brooklyn-based, Gallab has taken the alias Sinkane to pursue an encompassing musical project that blends the rhythms and textures of his birthplace with American funk, punk, and R&B. His second album on DFA, Mean Love, is another go at the mix, and a large undertaking it is. However, Gallab is far from underqualified, having worked with bands such as Yeasayer, Caribou, and of Montreal as a session musician, and as the musical director of that big event for the cat in the hat. Nah, this one. “ATOMIC BOMB! The Music of William Onyeabor” it was called, and it included such young guns as Damon Albarn, David Byrne, a few employees from the Silicon Valley startups Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem assisting with a live stream of the event, and organic, vegan catering service Blood Orange providing delicious, healthful meals. Yeah, connects in the food, tech, and music world? Can’t get much hipper than that.
Funny, then, that Sinkane’s music is so damn gut-grabbing, catchy, and soulful. The lead single for Mean Love, a track called “Hold Tight,” is no less than a thick cut of perfectly seasoned, afro-beat infused funk, replete with a gruff, belly-out bassline, galloping hi-hat, and backing vocals that bloom just when you want them to. All the successes have done naught to displace Gallab’s nose. It remains vigorously forward.
(P.S. I was joking about those Onyeabor bands. Didn’t mean to frighten you.)
Listen to “Hold Tight,” check the tracklist for Mean Love, and scan through the extensive list of Sinkane’s fall tour dates below. The album is slated for a September 2 release and can be pre-ordered here, here, or here if that’s your thing.
Mean Love tracklist:
01. How We Be
02. New Name
03. Yacha
04. Young Trouble
05. Moonstruck
06. Mean Love
07. Hold Tight
08. Galley Boys
09. Son
10. Omdurman
Sinkane tour dates:
08.02.14 - Queens, NY - The LOT LIC
09.04.14 - Berlin, Germany - First We Take Berlin Festival
09.05.14 - Vienna, Austria - Grelle Forelle
09.06.14 - Heer-Sur-Meuse, Belgium - Deep into the Woods Festival
09.07.14 - Vlieland, Netherlands - Into the Great Wide Open
09.09.14 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli
09.10.14 - Paris, France - La Badadoum
09.11.14 - London, UK - Shacklewell Arms
09.12.14 - Lille, France - La Peniche
09.13.14 - Ghent, Belgium - Big Next Festival
09.16.14 - Nantes, France - Scorpitone Festival
09.18.14 - St. Gallen, Switzerland - Palace
09.20.14 - Hamburg, Denmark - Reeperbahn Festival
10.01.14 - Montreal, Quebec - Casa del Popolo
10.02.14 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Showcase Lounge
10.03.14 - Boston, MA - Cafe 939
10.04.14 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse
10.05.14 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right
10.07.14 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
10.08.14 - Washington, DC - DC9
10.09.14 - Charlottesville, NC - The Southern
10.11.14 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
10.12.14 - Chicago, IL - Schubas Tavern
10.13.14 - Saint Paul, MN - Turf Club
10.17.14 - Seattle, WA - Barboza
10.18.14 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
10.19.14 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
10.21.14 - Los Angeles, CA - Echo
10.22.14 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
10.23.14 - Phoenix, AZ - Last Exit Live
10.24.14 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress
10.26.14 - Austin, TX - Empire Control Room
10.27.14 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
10.28.14 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree
10.29.14 - Nashville, TN - Exit In
10.30.14 - Columbus, OH - Ohio State University (Wexner Center)
11.01.14 - Pittsburgh, PA - Smiling Moose
11.02.14 - New York, NY - SOB’s
• Sinkane: http://sinkane.com
• DFA: http://dfarecords.com
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