Kenya: Udulele shares Lamu Tamu remix

The new rendition, available for streaming and downloading, adds new shades of funk, electronic elements and stark bass lines, lending the song a danceable slant and an atmospheric feel.

“‘Lamu Tamu (Remix)’ is a musical piece that celebrates Lamu town, one of the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlements in East Africa,” Udulele said. “This remix combines benga guitar playing with intricate tribal and ambient groove production.”

It was done in collaboration with Kenyan alternative electro producer Mwondi who is known for his dark, eerie and introspective downtempo work. As Udulele soulfully sings praises about Lamu, Mwondi expertly layers the lead guitar with electro instrumentation.

The track was mixed and mastered by Jo Bissa, the co-founder of INI Movement label in the Netherlands, and one-half of Umoja DJs, known for promoting and championing benga and other African sounds in Europe’s dance clubs.

“The input of these two producers really opened up the sound dynamic and put the song on a global stage sonically. Mwondi is one of the best emerging downtempo producers in Kenya, while Jo Bissa is an undeniable master of Afro-dance collaborations,” Udulele added.  

The original track is taken off Udulele’s debut album, Soulful Benga Vol. 1, released last year –  a product of both experimentation and masterful music-making.

A celebrated multi-instrumentalist and producer, Udulele found a way to add a new twist to the sound of his forefathers by merging electro with traditional African instrumentation, rendering the Kenyan benga sound in ways rarely heard.