Akoya Afrobeat launches new album project

By Robert Fox

Brooklyn's excellent Akoya Afrobeat project has announced a new album on the way, which is exciting news.  I've been a fan of their work for many years, and I'm definitely looking forward to hearing their new sounds.  The Akoya Afrobeat website has a good intro to the band's music:

Akoya Afrobeat is one of New York’s most original and longest running Afrobeat Bands. Started in 2002, Akoya has grown into a 14-piece multicultural Afrobeat Ensemble that includes musicians from Nigeria, Benin, South Africa, Botswana, Japan and the United States. The Akoya ranks are filled with some of New York’s finest musicians who have performed with Fela’s Egypt 80 Band, Fela! the Musical, Antibalas, Arcade Fire and Zozo Afrobeat, to name a few.  Akoya’s first two records, “Introducing the Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble” and “PDP,” have been distributed in the US, Japan and Europe on both vinyl and CD. 2005′s “Introducing…” was met with critical acclaim, and Akoya quickly gained the reputation of being one of the strongest new Afrobeat bands on the global scene.

You can support their independent recording effort through Kickstarter, and be the first to own a digital copy of the new recording, or an autographed vinyl record, or lots of other goodies.  Support independent music and help keep afrobeat strong by supporting Akoya Afrobeat!