Bristol Afrobeat collective No Go Stop kick off the summer with a beat-heavy, funk laden jam on ‘Simple State’, taken from the forthcoming album ‘Where We Are’ due this autumn.
‘Simple State’ draws on a myriad of influences from jazz, soul, funk and afrobeat, coupled with a powerful, poignant message that sets out their stool as a high energy 12 piece with a contemporary spin on the afrobeat sound.
They say: “Refugees are still being held in camps, being treated as if they are not human. Their temporary homes routinely torn down by police and governments. How does this dehumanisation of people continue to be characteristic of governments [and media] around the world? Where is the compassion? Simple state is a call to think for yourself, don’t allow misguided prejudice to embed feelings of mistrust in vulnerable people who need protection, not incarceration. Everybody deserves a safe place to sleep at night.”
2022 sees the release of No Go Stop’s second album ‘Where We Are’. The Bristol powerhouse features musicians who have performed with the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra, Jazz Defenders, Dundundun, The Heavy, Sheelanagig, and Pete Josef. The album has been two years in the making and follows their well-received debut ‘Agbara Orin’, which garnered support from BBC6 Music, Songlines and various tastemakers.
‘Where We Are’ captures the energetic live sound that earned the band support slots with Snarky Puppy and Ebo Taylor, as well as hosting Bristol’s tribute to Fela Kuti alongside Dele Sosimi and performing at countless festivals including Glastonbury, Greenman, Boomtown and Shambala.
Driving percussion, ancestral funk and heady improvisations remain at the heart of No Go Stop, but refined production at the hands of Nick Dover (Waldo’s Gift, Snazzback, Run Logan Run) alongside snappy arrangements and big choruses, marks an evolution in the band’s music. Marie Lister’s powerful vocal and lush harmonies reflect on mankind’s place in the world, our past, our future, our values, the challenges of societal living and the joy of human connection.
‘Where We Are’ is a hard-hitting collection of original tracks that speak to mind, body and soul and will be a winner on dancefloors around the globe.
Listen to ‘Simple State’ – BELOW:
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