Yanna Momina - Afar Ways [Glitterbeat Records]

The Glitterbeat Records camp is back with a new issue of their 'Hidden Musics' series, the 10th of this series, unearthing a new gem that most Westerners and even most African people might never have heard of. The labels new release is the Ian Brennan produced album "Afar Ways" by Yanna Momina, recorded in a stilt-hut on the horn of Africa with the incoming tide playing an essential, and actually physical, role in contributing to the albums atmosphere whilst a set of friends and musicians took care of sparse percussions and other stripped down backings. The result of this recording session is a unique, spine-tingling journey into mostly unchartered sonic territories starting with the hypnotic, space-time defying and yet somewhat danger-heralding bass notes and vocal performance of the opener "Every One Knows I Have Taken A Young Lover", progressing into the traditional call-and-response approach of the title track "Afar Ways" and the more uptempo acoustic guitar backed jam that is "Honey Bee" whereas both "For My Husband" and "The Donkey Doesn't Listen" follow a traditional rural African approach with Yanna Momina's unique voice riding atop a minimal Tribal rhythm signature before the closing a capella rendition of "My Family Won't Let Me Marry The Man I Love (I Am Forced To Wed My Uncle)" provides a sense of the social realities of the Afar people even if one does not understand their language. Quite an intriguing longplay experience, this. Go check.

Album artwork on Instagram!