Alaroye Yokode by Farolinho & Kiko Navarro feat. Hannah Nedas & Ivan St. Ives
Farolinho is the new alter ego of Alex Farrell, who is best known for being the founder and guitarist for the band London Afrobeat Collective. After developing a love for house music and DJing in his early life, Alex set off on a path of musical discovery around the globe.
This intrigue in digging for new rhythms and styles took him to places such as Nigeria, Colombia, Brazil & Cuba, where he became entranced with Afro-Latin folkloric music.
There’s a common thread in the spiritual music connecting those countries he visited, and that is Santeria (as they call it in Cuba) or Candomble (in Brazil), all based around the African religion of Yoruba. Chanting to the gods around a ceremony of drums and dance.
For the first track under this new name, Farolinho decided to pay homage to the Orisha Eleggua, who is the god of crossroads, paths & doorways….fitting for someone who was looking for a new direction.
After writing the track, he recorded his favourite horn players - Andy Watts and Pat Kenny (trumpet and trombone respectively) and then roped in singer and good friend Hannah Nedas to record the traditional chant ‘Alaroye Yokode’ with him (which is one of the most important songs for Eleggua in the Yoruba tradition).
He then sent the demo to Kiko Navarro, loved the track and asked if he could help to finish it and release it on his Afroterraneo label. This was a dream come true for Farolinho. Kiko worked his production magic and the track really came to life.
After a few days together in Kiko’s studio in Mallorca, where they recorded Ivan St Ives as the lead vocalist and Benji Habichuela on congas, the track was finished and is now ready to be unleashed on the world.
Its bubbling synth lines and uplifting horns sit on top of a driving Afro House beat based upon the clave (the basis/foundation for most Afro-Latin music, which is derived from ancient African traditions). Then the sweet voices of Hannah Nedas & Ivan St Ives sing in reverence to Eleggua.
Alaroye Yokode.
Tracklist
| 1. | Alaroye Yokode | 7:02 |
| 2. | Alaroye Yokode - Edit | 3:36 |
Credits
written by Francisco J. Navarro Gomez and Alexander John Farrell
Produced by Farolinho & Kiko Navarro at
Lead Vocal and trumpet solo by Ivan St. Ives
Background vocals by Hannah Nedas, Farolinho and Ivan St. Ives
Synths by Farolinho
Congas by Benji Habichuela
Brass section by Andy Watts and Pat Kenny
Artwork by Al Kent
Mastered by Garcynoise at Human Mastering Studio
