Photo by Jim Mimna
For the past four years ATOMGA has been gettin’ bodies shakin’ and dance floors quakin’ with their progressive brand of Afrobeat. Having released their eponymous EP in early 2014, the 10-piece Afrobeat outfit is back with their first full-length album. The album—recorded by Josh Fairman at Scanhope Sound and mastered by Grant Phabao of Paris DJs—is titled Black Belt and it kicks like a roundhouse to the face in the best way possible. While the music is inevitably danceable, the lyrics will make you think as ATOMGA has always carried the torch lit by Fela Kuti in using Afrobeat music as a platform for activism. Recently, Listen Up Denver! had the chance to chat with members of ATOMGA about their craft, Black Belt, recording at Scanhope, and working with Grant Phabao.
Although the band’s first EP was released a year and a half ago, ATOMGA wasted no time in writing material for a follow up, and while they have performed some of the tracks off Black Belt it was important for ATOMGA to keep some of the tracks a surprise. “We wrote most of the songs over the past year. We were road testing a few of the tracks as we finished up the EP and we’ve been playing them proudly for almost two years, but we definitely wanted to keep a lot of these songs in the bag until the CD release and not play them in front of any crowds at all,” said baritone sax player Leah Concialdi. Road tested or in the bag, ATOMGA has always written collectively, but with a 10-piece band LUD! was curious as to just how the band approached composition.
“There’s definitely different ways that we write,” said tenor sax player Frank Roddy. “Sometimes Casey will come in with a guitar riff or Sam will have a bass riff or the percussion section will have a groove they want to try out. On the other hand, sometimes the horn section will have horn parts charted to where we come in and introduce it to the band and they write their parts around it. But the main thing is that we all write together as a group and try anyone’s suggestions in the writing process.” There was one track in particular Concialdi remembered that spoke to the collaborative nature of the band’s writing process. “One track that I like and really showcases our collaborative process is the single ‘Cobra Kai’. Sam brought in a bass line he was messing around with, he and Casey write well together, and they made up a cool rhythm section. I wrote a horn A and B section and then Frank filled it in with a counterpoint-esque, horn soli. So that’s an example of four minds coming together to crush the composition process.” With names like Black Belt and “Cobra Kai” we wondered if there was a theme emerging and Frank Roddy shed some light on the subject.
“It’s not a theme album. The songs stand on their own and they all have different messages. We weren’t thinking in the beginning, ‘let’s write a theme album where all the songs are connected.’ I feel like the songs are connected, but it wasn’t the mindset in the beginning. ‘Cobra Kai’ and Black Belt, I don’t know if that was a connection either but the name got thrown out there and everybody thought is was really strong.”
The tracks on Black Belt do flow seamlessly together and more on that later, but what about the title? Concialdi expanded a bit on selecting a name for the album. “Not to get too metaphysical or hippy dippy but we had just finished this amazing product and we could see the light at the end of the tunnel, sort of like someone getting a black belt.” Although the tunnel may have been long, it lead through Scanhope Studios where Josh Fairman made the band feel right at home and captured the sound that ATOMGA was looking for.
Scanhope Sound, owned by Josh Fairman and Joel Scanlon, is not only one of Colorado’s premier recording studios but also uniquely equipped to handle a 10-piece Afrobeat band. ATOMGA bassist Sam Lafalce weighed in on his experience at Scanhope. “I haven’t been in too many studios but when I walked into Scanhope it was like a castle of amazingness! It felt so good to be in the environment and everybody there is so dedicated to their craft. Josh killed it for us.” The studio was also equipped to capture ATOMGA in their element, a live setting. “There were one or two tracks on the album where we went in, set up everything, and recorded it live. On those two tracks there were no overdubs,” Roddy remembered. “On some of the other tracks there were minimal overdubs, some here and there, but at Scanhope they have enough room and iso-booths so the horns can be in their own separate room, the vocalists in a separate room, guitar and bass separate. So we actually could go in and record live for the most part.” ATOMGA was also going for that vintage 70s sound, and analog recording is one of Scanhope’s specialties. “That is one thing I liked about Scanhope; we wanted a vintage 70s sound, but a modern vintage 70s sound. Josh uses Pro Tools and then he goes through a 48 channel board and runs everything to two inch tape.” Fairman’s process certainly gave the album the sound the band was going for, but the cherry on top for Atomga was Paris DJs Grant Phabao’s mastering and remixing of the track “Alaskan Pipeline.”
Grant Phabao is a member of the Paris DJs record label and specializes in remixing artists from all over the world in many genres, as well as mixing and mastering recordings. “We knew about his remixes so when it came time to mix and master the album, we reached out to him. He listened to a few tracks and said ‘I’d love to work with you guys.’ When we got the first version of the mix back there was virtually no editing that we needed to be done.” Lafalce and Concialdi sang Phabao’s praises as well. “He gave the horns a lot of character,” said Lafalce. “He got the bari sounding like a foghorn, it was so beautiful,” Concialdi added. “We just wanted to say that working with Grant was a really seamless and wonderful experience,” Roddy continued. Phabao also remixed “Alaskan Pipeline” off of Black Belt. “As far as the remix part, we gave him carte blanche on any of the eight songs, so that’s how the remix of ‘Alaskan Pipeline’ got on the album.” Phabao’s remix of “Alaskan Pipeline” has a definite Reggae feel and while the band hasn’t done a lot of Reggae they were pleased with how the remix turned out. “It really works,” Concialdi said. It is no surprise that Phabao picked “Alaskan Pipeline” to remix as it is one of the most interesting tracks on the record both musically and lyrically, the later of which is where vocalist Kendra Kreie shines.
“I really try to focus on writing lyrics that fit well in Afrobeat. As I see it, Afrobeat has always been a very politically driven medium. Many songs focus on the distance between the oppressed and those who oppress them. More than that, what I strive to bring to the table in regards to my contribution, via lyrics or vocal parts, to ATOMGA is passion…no matter the subject,” Kreie said about her approach to writing lyrics. A lot of subjects are passionately broached by Kreie on Black Belt, but just how the material would fit together didn’t come right away.
As Roddy noted, the band had no preconceived notions as far as how the album would fit together when they began the project. It wasn’t until the recording was finished that a track list began to take shape. “When we sat down and thought of a track order it just kind of melded together and ended up being really cohesive from front to back,” Concialdi remembered. One of the most interesting track juxtapositions is that of “Alaskan Pipeline” and “Lurkin.” While “Alaskan Pipeline” seems to comment on rampant ignorance and apathy in American culture, “Lurkin” speaks of the Big Brother society that ignorance and apathy breeds. In this way the juxtaposition of the songs is pointing out a cause and effect. “I’ve never really bought into the whole ‘American Dream.’ Graduate high school, then borrow a bunch of money and graduate from college, get a 9-5 job, have 2.5 kids, and work to pay for your house, car, and education…until you die. Oh, and don’t forget to watch TV when you need to relax and medicate yourself out of the depression you feel because you can’t escape the trap!” Kreie said. “I understand that there has to be a certain order that’s maintained in this world…we are animals, after all. But, what I try to accomplish with my music is that I really want people to think for themselves. Question the hype! See the illusion for what it is. Then, decide how you want to spend your days.”
There was one particular track of Kreie’s that her band mates raved about. “Cressidation is one of my favorites,” Lafalce said. “’You gotta’ right yourself!’” Roddy and Lafalce exclaimed together during the interview, which is the lyrical hook line of the song “It’s all about self empowerment and bringing yourself to light,” Lafalce continued. Roddy went on to expand on what the song meant for him. “It almost has a double meaning for me. One is you have to write yourself, like you’re writing your own future and you’re writing who you’re gonna’ be. On the other hand, if you’re living your life wrong and you’re doing bad things…then you gotta’ right yourself!” The lyricist concurred with her band mates. “No matter the stress of your life, or the amount of self-absorption you find yourself mired in, there is a way out. There’s always a way to right yourself, and it’s an individual journey. But, so necessary! Forward, onward, better yourself, right yourself, do it, do it, do it!” Right on.
With their first full length album under their belt, ATOMGA is looking to hit the road and share their music with as many people as possible. Concialdi spoke about the band’s future plans. “We’re ready to crush the CD release and after that do some epicenter type runs, hitting the West Coast and doing some Southwest stuff. We’ve got some regional dates here and there as well. But we have a full-length record now, so I really want us to put ourselves out there. We’ve really felt some momentum picking up in the past few weeks and I feel like we’ll be hit with a train in the best of ways.”
ATOMGA CD Release Party
Saturday, June 6th
The Bluebird Theater
Tickets: $10 Adv. $15 DoS
Purchase Here
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