Antibalas signs to ANTI-
Diverse Brooklyn Collective Readies March 2007 Release
Anti- is pleased to announce the signing of diverse Brooklyn-based musical collective Antibalas. The acclaimed, socially and politically-minded group – with an active lineup of about a dozen musicians – recently wrapped work in Chicago with producer John McEntire of Tortoise on its March 2007 debut for the label.
Antibalas -- whose name means “bulletproof” in Spanish -- have taken their conscious and infectious music to 18 countries so far and to festivals from Bonnaroo, Coachella and Newport Jazz to Glastonbury, Istanbul Jazz and Montreux. Antibalas has recently collaborated on stage and in the studio with the likes of TV on the Radio, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Tony Allen, Gomez, Burning Spear and Angelique Kidjo.
Pushing itself beyond the revolutionary Afrobeat blueprint the group used as a launching pad in the late ‘90s, Antibalas – with the help of McEntire (Stereolab, Tom Ze, Richard Buckner, Smog) – explores and unleashes new sonic elements on its forthcoming release. The new disc and label deal illustrate Antibalas’ penchant for taking chances, building on its acclaimed live shows, back catalog and genre crossing collaborations.
Touted for its “edge like a straight razor” by Billboard, it’s not by chance that the Village Voice exclaimed “their music is right on time.” Elsewhere, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, New Yorker and a slew of others have taken serious notice, while XLR8R called Antibalas “the baddest on the block” and Pitchfork wrote, “They lead the pack.”