Togo All Stars releases Spirits

Lomé, Togo lives and breathes music. As one of the leading figures that calls the West-African metropolis its home, Togo All Stars blend influences from a range of sources, such as the high life movement that got its start in Ghana and the Fela Kuti-pioneered afrobeat that originated from Lagos, into their own uplifting, spiritual style of music.

'Spirits', the new Togo All Stars album, is dedicated to the spiritual awakening of the world, and the continent of Africa in particular, in these troubled times we are currently experiencing. Everybody has to wake up, contribute and play their part, that's the message. With a special role for the artist. The legendary Fela Kuti once said:

“Music is spiritual. You don't play with music. If you play with music, you will die young. When the higher powers give you the gift of music, you need to utilize that gift to do good for the world.”

'Spirits' opens with 'Zon Kede', sung in the Mina language of South-Togo, Benin, Ghana and Nigeria, and references an old saying that goes: “To go fast, we go alone, to go far, we go together”. It seamlessly fits in with the message of the record, with the idea of getting up and setting things in motion.

The midtempo 'Kokoko' is a musical wake-up-call: the spirit is knocking on the door, wakes us from our deep sleep to keep us from poverty and war, and makes an appeal to the African continent to pick up the torch. Vocalist Dodji Oshe sees it as a mission: “I hate singing 'Mama Africa', I hate singing 'We Are The World'. We need to go further and deeper, especially for our younger brothers and sisters. We need to make them aware of the urgent matters at play.”

'Bring It Out Yourself', sung by Komla Openya, tells us that we have to seek the power in ourselves. We can find health in our deepest, uncharted depths. The spirit sleeps inside of us – and we can wake it.

Agueh Cudjoe, an afropunk innovator who made a name for himself in the 70's, also contributes to the record and makes an appeal to artists of all trades to take action. “We need to utilize our talents as artists to make art that, today or tomorrow, can help us, as humanity.” Art as medicine or catalyst. He continues: “We have a rich, cultural history that we have to appreciate. We need to contribute to the cause in our own way and don't copy what's being done elsewhere.” He proposes that this album is accessible to everyone, because it contains all the rhythms of the various Gods of the Vodu pantheon, varying from afrobeat to funky highlife, impregnated with the ancestral percussion.

Aside from the artistic and musical quality, hope, spiritual awakening and reconnecting with yourself and your ancestors are the main themes on 'Spirits'. A fierce, fiery, uplifting record that swings on the surface, with all its funky rhythms and grooves, but contains a deeper, serious message. Wake up and contribute to the greater good.