Kounady EP by Anka Foh

Anka Foh is made up of multi-talented Malian singer/composer/songwriter and producer Dasmy Djo and French electronic music producer/DJ/composer and Curuba label head Ditti. The duo met at a series of culture mashing jam sessions between musicians from all over the world in Paris’ underground bars. The two artists clicked and came together to work on some of Dasmy’s compositions - within a few months they formed Anka Foh.

Shika Shika is excited to share their first EP, Kounady, four tracks of much needed upbeat, joyful, soul music that finds a magical sweet spot between Dasmy’s original compositions, inspired by Mandingue traditional music, and Ditti’s jubilant electronica.

Though the fours compositions are rooted in the West African mandingue tradition, they are taken into a whole new context. Dasmy’s vocals and instrumental lines sit alongside swirling, airy melodies, swaggering beats and Ditti’s trademark bleeps and psychedelic, dreamy synths - the recipe for an explosion of delicious flavours and colours.

This is summed up on opener Bara or the driving electro-blues track Tâtâ, a song about giving thanks to those that helped and supported us in our lives. The EP ends with the fittingly beautiful lullaby Kounady (a mandingue word that roughly translates as luck) about how we have to look after ourselves and avoid negativity.

On this celebration of borderless music, Anka Foh have created an uplifting and refreshing debut. Music that somehow combines the dancefloor, douceur (sweetness) and melancholy but, most of all, a big dose of fun.

Anka Foh is made up of Malian singer Dasmy Jo and French electronic music producer Ditti. The duo met at a series of culture mashing jam sessions between musicians from all over the world in Paris’ underground bars. The two artists clicked and came together to work on some of Dasmy’s compositions - within a few months they formed Anka Foh.