Can sound take us into space? We were invited to a very special recording session at Youth’s home studio in London, where Guarani and Kaiowá Indigenous elders joined
@mattblackninja @youthmartin and Tymon Dogg in a unique musical collaboration, along with Indigenous musicians
@kelvinmbarete and
@scott_h1ll . The result is a unique album - Shamans in Space - that will be released this week on limited edition vinyl by
@liquidsounddesignuk , celebrating Brazil’s national day of Indigenous people.
The album brings the ancestral traditions of Guarani and Kaiowá sonic shamanism into dialogue with the complex layers and psychedelic textures of UK ambient electronica. Together, these remarkable musicians embarked on a cross-cultural exploration of sound and its potential to transport us to new planes of experience.
The project was guided by a radically collaborative approach which sets a new standard for cross-cultural partnerships between indigenous communities and electronic music artists. Youth and Matt Black listened to the elders sonic philosophy and followed their direction, spending weeks in the studio to create this deep composition. Then, elders were invited to review the tracks and provide Guarani names to each one. The final result is a genuine partnership, co-created by the combined sonic histories of Indigenous communities and UK electronic music pioneers.
All artists’ have generously agreed to donate the artist royalties to the communities themselves, directly supporting the elders who preserve these ancestral traditions.
I am immensely grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to bring this record into being - from Youth and Matt Black who contributed so much of their time and effort, Robin Triskele,
@dinazstafford and and the production team who made it possible to bring the elders to London - including
@oga_yvytu , Scott Hill, and the whole team at
@ucl_mal , as well as the support from
@uclenterprise . I am also grateful to
@luca_sorsoli , who edited this beautiful video.
