Africa Express has dropped two brand new tracks - titled ‘Hacernos Así’ (ft Luisa Almaguer, Damon Albarn, Seye Adelekan, Nick Zinner, Joan As Police Woman, Mexican Institute Of Sound) and ‘Invocation’ (ft Onipa, Jupiter & Okwess, Otim Alpha, Damon Albarn, Joan As Police Woman).
‘Hacernos Así’ and ‘Invocation’ are the fifth and sixth singles to be taken from the forthcoming studio album titled ‘Africa Express presents... Bahidorá’, set for release on 11 July 2025 via World Circuit Records. These two singles follow on from the already released tracks ‘Mi Lado’, ‘Kuduro’, ‘Soledad’ and ‘Otim Hop’. Listen to all six HERE!
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Mexican singer-songwriter Luisa Almaguer features once again on ‘Hacernos Asi’, a passionate and deeply-personal meditation on being transgender in a hostile world. She sings - ‘Te propongo algo quitarnos la ropa, y hacernos así ‘(I'll tell you what, take off our clothes. And make us like this) - backed by Damon Albarn on piano, Joan As Police Woman on violin, Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on guitar and Seye Adelekan on bass, with what Albarn has described as “one of the most unique and enchanting voices I have ever heard.” The track is accompanied by a profoundly moving video, filmed during the album recording sessions in Mexico, and captures an extraordinary and emotional moment of musical collaboration and human connection. Watch video HERE.
This powerful song is joined by Invocation - a dark, haunting and mystical hymn to the ancestors and ancients - from Congolese singer Jupiter Bokondji and K.O.G. What starts as a ritual incantation from Jupiter is lifted up by K.O.G.’s poetic rap to become an unforgettable piece of music. Watch video HERE.
Luisa Almaguer said - “When we recorded ‘Hacernos Así’, musicians from London, New York, Mexico, and Nigeria came together and fully gave themselves to a song that was written by and for trans people. When the session ended, I broke down in tears and we all hugged—some of us were crying too. Something powerful happened that day.”
Seye Adelekan said - “I have had the pleasure of working with Luisa on Hacernos Así and I can’t help but feel honoured to be sharing a space with such a great Mexican musician at this moment in time when we need more trans visibility and more love spread around the world.”
Nick Zinner added “Watching this video [Hacernos Así] again I’m reminded how emotionally charged that recording was - I think we did 2 takes - during and after this second take everyone was in tears . It was an honor to play this beautiful song with Luisa.”
Jupiter Bokondji said of new track ‘Invocation’ - “When my friends played this sound, it instantly carried me away and made me want to sing—then to invoke our common ancestors. It came out naturally; that’s the magic of bringing together artists from all over the world.” He added - “I’m very proud to have started my career in Europe 15 years ago with Africa Express, and to continue collaborating through this new experience with Mexican artists. Coming back with all these encounters in Europe is wonderful. We keep proving that the cultural diversity of Africa, Europe, and the Americas unites us in a world that is far too divided!”
K.O.G. said of ‘Invocation’- “Allowing the power of shared consciousness and responsibility towards arts as we all journey through different spheres of life, how we connect our experiences with others is the richest and most organic form of human symbiosis. Sharing these creative moments with Jupiter who invokes and unlocks portals of cathartic energy by the shuddering sound of his voice and the delicate melodies assigned to every chord. Otim Alpha extends the light, cadence and mood of this record, and the myriad screens of life. Africa Express creates profound and orchestrated music, highlighting the fluid flow and eternal wavelength of this record. It was the most humbling joy getting closer to these legends to watch their creative processes.”
Joan As Policewoman added - "Africa Express has been and will be one of the highlights of my life. It’s truly impossible to relate just how much gratitude I have to be included. AE is a template of what’s possible in the world.”
Africa Express went to the Americas for the first time in 2024 to headline the Mexican festival Bahidorá, a trip which saw an extraordinary group of musicians, singers and DJs from around the world come together to rehearse, perform and write new music ahead of an epic 5-hour show on the banks of the ancient springs of Bahidorá. Afterwards, they stayed on to record together in field studios, tents and hotel rooms. The result is this remarkable collection of 21 tracks - the project’s sixth album and first since 2019’s ‘Africa Express presents…Egoli’, which was recorded in Johannesburg.
An album like no other, ‘Africa Express presents... Bahidorá’ is a joyful and mind-blowing sonic trip which distills the joy of a musical adventure in Mexico into 21 extraordinary songs that are perfect for our times. Featuring artists from four continents but with roots firmly planted in Mexico, it entwines rich musical traditions ranging from cumbia, hip-hop and kuduro through to soul, salsa and the sweetest pop.
Africa Express is an adventure and a journey, always evolving and exploring fresh musical boundaries. It is based on respect and seeks to promote a simple concept: that human beings are stronger when we collaborate, when we communicate openly and when we accept that we all have something to say. It is about breaking down barriers with artists from different nations, genders, generations and musical genres, joining forces in a display of unity. The idea is perfectly expressed by the eclecticism, spirit and sounds of ‘Africa Express presents… Bahidorá.’
Africa Express will hit the road this summer for a run of dates across Europe, including Roskilde Festival on 5 July and Barcelona’s Cruïlla Festival on 11 July.
Festival Tour Dates 2025:
- 5th July 2025 Roskilde Festival, DENMARK
- 6th July 2025 Müpa, BUDAPEST
- 8th July 2025 Huxleys, BERLIN
- 9th July 2025 Elbphilharmonie, HAMBURG
- 11th July 2025 Cruïlla Festival, BARCELONA
The tracklisting for ‘Africa Express presents... Bahidorá’ is:
1. Soledad ft. Damon Albarn, Luisa Almaguer, Nick Zinner, Seye Adelekan, Joan As
Police Woman, Mexican Institute of Sound
2. Otim Hop ft. Otim Alpha, Bootie Brown, K.O.G., Tom Excell
3. Mi Lado ft. Alansito Vega, Poté, Mare Advertencia
4. Seya ft. Onipa, Fatoumata Diawara, Abou Diarra, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié
5. Tayhana ft. Tayhana, Otim Alpha, La Bruja de Texcoco
6. Kuduro ft. Fatoumata Diawara, Moonchild Sanelly, Tom Excell
7. Defiant Ones ft. Son Rompe Pera, M.anifest, Ophélia Hié, Mélissa Hié, Mexican
Institute of Sound
8. Raise A Glass ft Django Django, Mare Advertencia, Seye Adelekan
9. Ofrenda de Sangre ft. Luisa Almaguer, Mare Advertencia, Alansito Vega
10. Chucha ft. Son Rompe Pera, Joan As Police Woman, Otim Alpha, Abou Diarra, Ophélia
Hié, Mélissa Hié, Mexican Institute of Sound
11. Quisiera ft. Luisa Almaguer, Alansito Vega, Nick Zinner, Joan As Police Woman
12. The Sky Above You ft. Seye Adelekan, Luisa Almaguer, Joan As Police Woman, Nick
Zinner, Imarhan, Damon Albarn
13. Dorhan Oullhin (What The Heart Desires) ft. Imarhan, Damon Albarn
14. El Niño ft. Eme Malafe, Los Pream, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié, Joan As Police Woman,
Marco Carrion, Alansito Vega
15. Invocation ft. Onipa, Jupiter & Okwess, Otim Alpha, Damon Albarn, Joan As Police
Woman
16. Hacernos Así ft. Luisa Almaguer, Damon Albarn, Seye Adelekan, Nick Zinner, Joan As
Police Woman, Mexican Institute of Sound
17. Frenemies ft. Hak Baker, Bonobo, Damon Albarn, Otim Alpha, Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié
18. Kelegusta ft. Tayhana, Otim Alpha, La Bruja de Texcoco
19. El Diablo y La Bruja ft. La Bruja de Texcoco, Los Pream
20. Pánico (Cuelga al DJ) ft. Mexican Institue of Sound, Damon Albarn, Los Pream, Nick
Zinner, Montana Kinunu Ntunu
21. Adios Amigos ft. Baba Sissoko, Luisa Almaguer, Joan As Police Woman, Abou Diarra,
Mélissa Hié, Ophélia Hié, Yendé Balamba
‘Africa Express Presents… Bahidorá’ will be available in the following formats: Digital; Double CD; and Double Gatefold Vinyl LP.
ABOUT AFRICA EXPRESS:
Africa Express started in 2006 in Mali, connecting local stars Toumani Diabaté, Bassekou Kouyaté and Amadou & Mariam with visiting artists including Martha Wainwright, Fatboy Slim and co-founder Damon Albarn. Now it is a globally-known project - yet it never loses its capacity to surprise, whether live or on record. It has invited Western artists to countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Mali; staged collaborative concerts lasting up to seven hours from Liverpool to Lagos; taken a train filled with musicians around Britain to mark the London Olympics; reformed a Syrian orchestra divided by civil war; and recorded the first African interpretation of Terry Riley's minimalist classic In C. Participating artists have included Baaba Maal, Blur, Charli XCX, Faia Younan, Femi Kuti, Flea, Franz Ferdinand, Kano, Oumou Sangaré, Paul McCartney, Paul Weller, Rachid Taha, Rokia Traoré and Tony Allen among many others.
The complete list of artists featured on the album (artist bios at this link HERE):
Abou Diarra - Alansito Vega - Baba Sissoko – Bonobo - Bootie Brown - Damon Albarn - Django Django - Eme MalaFe - Fatoumata Diawara - Hak Baker – Imarhan - Joan As Police Woman - Jupiter & Okwess - K.O.G. - La Bruja de Texcoco - Los Pream - Luisa Almaguer - M.anifest - Mare Advertencia - Mélissa Hié - Mexican Institute of Sound - Moonchild Sanelly - Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) – Onipa - Ophélia Hié - Otim Alpha - Poté - Seye Adelekan - Son Rompe Pera - Tayhana - Tom Excell