Back in November of last year, Dave Okumu announced an intriguing new project in the form of an album spearheaded by him, but with a cast of many that would be released in four installments (EPs) under the auspicious name of Dave Okumu & The 7 Generations. He encouraged the contributors (who include Wesley Joseph, Tom Skinner and Kwabs) to adopt alternative identities in an effort to mine previously unexplored facets of their artistry.
The four tracks contained within the just-released second installment The Intolerable Suffering Of (The) Other include a recitation of Aime Cesaire’s poetry by Anthony Joseph, a spiky groove featuring Kwabs (“The Cost”) and the centerpiece of the album “Black Firework.” This, as explained by Okumu, was inspired by his five-year-old son who said he could see black fireworks during a display. The notion sat with Okumu for a while before he could draw an analogy with Black culture and the way it is in the ascendancy without truly being celebrated or valued by those who profit from it.
Alongside this new release, come more visuals by Nicolas Premier (responsible for all the accompanying videos/short films across the project) and it features the juxtaposition of the English coast and figures wearing headdresses and masks associated with African cultural expression. The impact in combination with Okumu’s music as he comes to terms with different notions of identity is extremely powerful.
The full album I Came From Love is set for release on April 14th and it promises to be a scintillating collection.
PRE-ORDER I Came From Love via Dave Okumu’s Official Store
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