Alagaa means ‘trance’ in the West African Ewe language, and this missive from the Togolese capital of Lomé certainly seems intent on triggering ecstatic abandon. Built around punchy double snare drum hits and driving rhythm guitar, the alagaa beat feels like a more urgent, punk-energy mutation of Nigerian Afrobeat. But its roots extend deep into Togolese culture, drawing on rhythms of the Ewe, Mina, Ga and Kabye people, with guitar parts based on traditional gankogui bell patterns. It’s the brainchild of singer and guitarist Massama Dogo, who has been resident in the US for a couple of decades fronting Afro-pop band Elikeh. He’s now returned to Lomé intent on forging a new Togolese sound and, for this latest project (follow-up to his self-titled 2022 solo album), has reconnected with some of the musicians he came up with.
A gloriously infectious dance -floor imperative underpins the alagaa beat, but there’s enough sonic detail on this new band’s spirited debut to warrant closer listening too. Lead guitarist Oya Yao unspools gnarled, in-the-red solos that position The Alagaa Beat Band firmly in the tradition of psychedelic Afro-rock outfits like Osibisa and Zambia’s WITCH, and the grooves are punctuated by impeccably tight massed horn stabs and deliciously filthy analogue retro synth squiggles. Lyrically, the album resounds with inspiring calls to action. The title track advises hard work as the key to a better life. ‘Adzé Adzé’ – a languorous crawl in the 12/8 agbadza rhythm, and one of the few tracks to move away from the relentless alagaa beat – urges African youth to create a bright future for the continent. The future is now. And it sounds great.
