Premiere: “New Beginning” from Armo, Featuring Members of Antibalas
Armo on New Year’s Eve 2018
Armo is a spirited collective that draws together members of Antibalas, past and present. The group’s timely track “New Beginning” features Marcus Farrar (lyrics, lead vocals, percussion), Amayo (spoken word vocals), Justin Kimmel (bass, organ, engineer, producer), Nikhil P. Yerawadekar (guitar), Jordan McLean (trumpet) and Kevin Raczka (drumset).
Armo tells Relix, “This track was written collectively, and produced remotely in the age of COVID as a testament to the band’s resilience. The track arrives as Amayo, Antibalas’ longtime lead singer and Armo vocalist, celebrates the birth of a child and Antibalas’ first Grammy nomination in the Best Global Music Album category for Fu Chronicles. The album was inspired by his lifelong dedication to the kung fu and the Afrobeat style pioneered by Fela Kuti.”
Kimmel, who plays bass in Antibalas, Toubab Krewe and Armo, directed the video. He notes, “I created the video loop with a great iPad app called Looom. It allows you to manipulate drawings in real time almost like playing a musical instrument, which was a perfect fit for the improvisational music of Armo.”
Amayo adds, “No matter the condition, we must learn to adjust. Here is to a ‘New Beginning.’”
