First in-studio session - Posted on 2013-04-30 by Anthony Howell

Today we are recording a "West-African inspired, hip-hop fusion" outfit akin to what you would expect to hear at Toronto's Caribanna festival; we're talking jambe's galore in various tonal ranges (high, medium, low). My role has thus far been that of studio hand, assisting in set up mostly. The vibe is pretty great and these boys are practiced! The control room is a little crowded today with myself and one of the other students taking in the session via wallflower status. I find it fitting that my inaugural 'sit-in' be a high energy drum circle; given the critical nature of the drum sound in the recording process. It's rosebud, it's the white whale, it's that ever-elusive eye-floater you can never seem to focus on long enough to get a good look at. What I find fascinating is that this genre is quite literally foreign to me. The composition escapes me at first but once they begin to hit their groove it all starts to make sense, primal sense. Although this music comes without lyrics, it has its own unique voice. The result; a very high energy, pulsating, rhythmic, and pardon the pun (though I mean it quite literally) tribal quality to this band. It's a pleasure to step out of my element and experience a genre of music that I until  now only held a casual acquaintanceship.