Live show by the London ensemble Ibibio Sound Machine, fronted by singer Eno Williams, that fuses West African rhythms, funk, disco and post-punk.
Ibibio Sound Machine play The Liquid Room on Thursday 22 October, bringing their London-based ensemble to Edinburgh for a night of West African rhythms and post-punk. The band is fronted by Nigerian singer Eno Williams, and the set is built around percussion, electronics, brass and driving rhythms, with the standing-room stage dominated by her presence.
What they do is a bit of a crossover: they fuse West African highlife and funk with synthesizers, disco grooves, horns and the energy of London club music. It's a sound that crosses borders, pairing the highlife and funk of West Africa with the electronic production of the UK, and they present it as a contemporary example of African and British identities existing together. Language and storytelling are held in as much regard as the rhythm, and that's where Williams comes in. She draws on stories from her own family and sings in Ibibio, the language spoken by her family in south-eastern Nigeria, to bind the band's modern electronic production to Nigerian heritage.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Edinburgh and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
The live show is a full-band affair, with the percussion, electronics and brass all working together around those driving rhythms. The date falls during Black History Month in the UK, and the gig is at The Liquid Room, 9C Victoria Street, Edinburgh EH1 2HE. Tickets are £25 plus a booking fee.
