The Koforidua-based producer, singer and rapper, Delasi has released his new EP ‘The Audacity Of Free Thought’ via Brownswood Recordings.
Seeking to challenge gatekeeping and groupthink mentalities prevalent in many domains and brimming with themes of agency, self-certainty and resilience, ‘The Audacity Of Free Thought’ is a project that at various turns is spiritual, aggressive, experimental and socially observant.
Self-described as a “prophetic insight into the future”, the EP iscomprised of 5-tracks produced by Delasi himself alongside collaborators Morgan Eric Greenstreet and David Powell.
Seamlessly and neatly combining the kaleidoscope of Delasi’s music influences, the EP pulls from funk, avant-garde jazz and alternative R&B. Distilling its soulful core is a club-leaning and futuristic approach accented by electronic and new wave affectations.
All the while, never steering away from his Ghanaian roots. Throughout the project, Delasi weaves in sounds indigenous to his heritage on tracks like ‘Agbe Dzidi’ in ways that are both unconventional and cutting edge. In the process, expanding and destabilizing what are often homogenous notions about what contemporary music borne out of West Africa can sound like.
Speaking on the EP’s concept, Delasi said: “I want to instigate conversations on being one’s self; on obeying our true influences while creating and not folding to the pressure of what our immediate environment seeks to dictate. Telling stories from the heart that are vulnerable and truthful. I hope to continue painting such pictures”.
The arrival of ‘The Audacity Of Free Thought’ comes on the heels of previously released singles ‘Amplifier’ which was noted for its bustling drum breaks, electronic synth lines and jazz sensibilities and the electro-funk delight of ‘Perception’ which scored comparisons to the work of KAYTRANADA and Anderson Paak.
Both singles cumulatively received rapturous critical praise and support from press and radio outlets such as CLASH, CRACK Magazine, Bandcamp Daily, The Line Of Best Fit, COLORS, Official Charts, The NATIVE Mag, Brooklyn Vegan and Rough Trade. Most recently, Metro, one of the UK’s most prominent newspapers, spotlighted Delasi as a rising star to watch out for in 2024.
Speaking on the warm reception to his music thus far, Delasi said: “This is the first time I’ve taken on a much more technical role in the execution of my music by way of production. This has worked out brilliantly by how well the music has been received. All of this strengthens me day to day and assures me that I’m doing something right.”
‘The Audacity Of Free Thought’ marks Delasi’s first body of work in nearly a decade. His last project, 2015’s ‘#thoughtjourney’ was a self-released affair which garnered support and praise from Rolling Stone, BBC6 Music, Worldwide FM, KCRW, Afropop Worldwide, Deutschlandfunk Kultur, NRK and legendary French DJ/Producer Laurent Garnier. Eventually, this parlayed into touring and festival gigs across Nairobi, Berlin, Morocco, Denmark and Sweden.
Delasi is an artist that has been quietly prolific for over a decade. Entrenching himself in the Ghanaian rap scene via collaborations with Hammer of The Last Two, Reggie Rockstone and Yaw P with whom he would release a joint project ‘Imperfections: The Break Up Vol 1’ in 2013.
After many years of operating as a proudly independent and self-contained artist, Delasi has now partnered with Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings. Famed for their instrumental role in breaking the likes of KOKOROKO, Yussef Dayes, Swindle and Joe-Armon Jones, Delasi now joins that ilk of illustrious artists.
After many years operating in Ghana’s musical underground, he is now en route to an international breakthrough that was long out of reach.
TRACKLIST
01 Agbe Dzidzi
02 Amplifier (feat. Nii Noi Nortey)
03 Perception
04 Audacity of Free Thought (feat. Noah Dreiblatt)
05 Learn From Adversity (feat. Lollise)
‘The Audacity Of Free Thought’ Brownswood Recording.
Story by Obaapa Janee/ahotoronline.com
