Ibibio Sound Machine at Band on the Wall
Johnny James, Managing EditorBook now
Ibibio Sound Machine
Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.
Fusing West African funk and disco with modern post-punk and electro, trust Ibibio Sound Machine to inject some much-needed energy into dreary January.
Fronted by British-Nigerian vocalist Eno Williams, the eight-piece band formed in 2013 with a mission: to combine the sound of the Ibibio language Williams grew up speaking in Nigeria with both traditional West African and modern electronic elements. Their self-titled debut – led by the single ‘Let’s Dance’ – was full of full-fat funk, outlandish pop and London-tinged club music. Uyai followed in 2017, deepening the cross-cultural alchemy and leaning into themes of liberation and power, while 2019’s Doko Mien pushed New York new wave and disco further to the front of their sound.
Then came Electricity, their 2022 collaboration with Hot Chip – a record that sharpened their dancefloor instincts. That shift carries through to their latest outing, Pull the Rope. The hope, joy and sexiness of their music are still fully intact, but the centre of gravity has moved: away from sun-kissed festival bounce and towards the sweatier, all-night pulse of a club. The vibe has changed, but the high remains.
It should make for a great live show. The band have long had a reputation for flipping gigs into total release – polite head-nodders at the start, unselfconscious dancing by the end. A jolt of colour, sweat and movement in the dead of winter. Exactly what January calls for.
