Baraka

Released February 21st, 2025
Artlist Original

Ben Aylon and Saboula Bangoura meet after 15 years apart, bridging culture, age, color, and tradition. Their journey began when Saboula, a master drummer from Guinea's Landouma people living in Israel, became Ben's first African drum teacher—a connection that would lead him to The Gambia and shape his musical path.

The "Baraka" EP captures their reunion through three powerful tracks: two traditional Guinean rhythms where Ben's modern Senegalese drum set accompanies Saboula's masterful djembe, and at its heart, "Simbo," an ancient Mande kingdom song where Saboula's raw vocals carry ancestral wisdom while traditional melodic instruments (balafon, xalam) create a contemporary expression.

This rare collaboration sees these two master drummers exploring both percussion and melody, capturing moments where time stops, just as it did in their first lessons together.