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From the depths of Hackney come a band who are taking over the world with the unique Afro-pop sound of The New Electric High-Life. Led by A.J Holmes, this 6 piece are destroying everywhere they play, the ultimate Afro party disco machine. Born in Barking & Dagenham in the industrial far east of London, A.J. Holmes discovered a love for playing African music by a chance meeting with his Hackney neighbour, Folo Graff, a legendary musician from Sierra Leone who taught him to play the pan African guitar style.
Recent Blogs About A. J. Holmes & The Hackney Empire
Sound Way records are re-releasing A.J. Holmes’s excellent remix of Yumbala that we put out last year featuring original guitar parts by legendary Sierra Leonean guitarist Folo Graff. You can grab one of the limited edition 7″ vinyl copies if you’re quick from Sound Way. Its really good and has another great track, ‘N’gongo J’Ami’on the flip.
A few months ago, A.J. Holmes played me his great remix of a champeta track ‘Maki Man’. Its finally been released along with some other banging remixes from our dudes Moroka, Daniel Haaksman and Hat & Hoodie. Like most Colombian champeta tracks it has a strong west african soukous flavour and can’t fail to cheer up your January with its sunny caribbean party vibes. Grab the whole release from Chasuma records and here’s the Daniel Haaksman remix for gratis.
This Friday 16th September, join myself Moroka, A.J. Holmes & MC Kastro raising some tropical hell with special guests The Ndote Project live. Info here.
Hyped for this one. A very special one off warhouse party hosted by the amazing Sound Way label in Hackney. Featuring a live show by The Cambodian Space Project and DJ sets from Soundway’s Miles Cleret, Chris Menist & Maft Sai (The Sound of Siam), The Quietus DJs as well as myself & A.J. Holmes playing a special old school tropical set. Earlier on in the evening will be a film
screening of ‘Black Goddess‘, an award winning from the 1970s shot in Nigeria & Brazil – starts 7.30pm.
Grab your tickets at www.soundwayrecords.com.
And check out the Youtube mixes we made for Sound Way here.
This Friday, Super Mom is back!
After two riotous parties (sorry) The Very Best are back with an essential carnival warm up summer jam.
Join us this Friday at Villain in East london for more FIRE!
Get all the details here and on the Facebook page
The Very Best have teamed up with Invisible Children and just released a line of limited edition exclusive Tees. Available here for only $20.
They are also giving away 2 FREE remixes of Ndekha from the Super Mom mixtape. Grab the awesome remixes by tropical bass producer WILDLIFE! and the UK garage legend Wookie on The Very Best soundcloud.
The Very Best & Moroka – Ndekha (WILDLIFE! Remix) by The Very Best
The Very Best & Moroka – Ndekha (Wookie Remix) by The Very Best
Recent Comments
where can i get these!?? i want them so bad now!
[...] something conceptually complete I could point to at the end of my visit. My first thought was a DJ ...
i am looking for a latin for a new club.