FLEE

Extremely happy to announce our latest project "Candomble : Sacred Rhythms in Brazil"! After the traumatic Atlantic crossing, enslaved West African populations in Brazil sought to rebuild their sacred cultural and spiritual systems within a profoundly hostile environment.Five centuries later, the vitality of the terreiros bears witness to a living, adaptive tradition which is Candomblé, still deeply rooted in ancestral knowledge and now recognised far beyond Afro-descendant communities in Brazil. The 2xLP of this project brings together a rich and expansive selection of recordings, including archival material captured between 1985 and 1988 at Ilê Axé Opô Aganjú, a Candomblé terreiro in Lauro de Freitas, alongside newly commissioned works by people we love and admire like @djandersondoparaiso @procura_______se @xexarecords @lasvegasbibeli @djsandriinho @gabiguedesmusic @savioq @thereal_tiger_tigre @kimia_afroelectro The bilingual book that comes with it, brings together a curated selection of archival documentation alongside newly commissioned texts and artistic contributions by the likes of @cicideoxala @thiagomartinsdemelo @joserbaptista @sonxseed @raio_studio Through historical research, essays, and visual materials, it honours this tradition by tracing its foundations while reflecting on its contemporary transformations and future trajectories. Art direction and design by the amazing @sometimes__always Massive thanks to everyone involved, friends and partners who helped this project came to life and especially @lugar_alto @fundacaopierreverger @if_officiel First track by DJ Anderson do Paraiso "Festa Lansã" is out today and we're excited to share the rest! FLEE008 is available for pre-order today worldwide and out 12.06.2026!

Athens Art Book Fair closed its doors yesterday evening, marking the end of the first leg of our tour focused on our new project "Pasé Bel Francophonies and Creolities in Louisiana". Can’t express what it meant to see you all in New York, Barcelona, Paris, London, and Athens over the past few weeks. Huge thanks to all the lovely folks who opened their doors and made it possible: @printedmatter_artbookfairs @bungee.space @thelotradio @librairiesanstitre @montezuma.cafe @thehorsehospital @athensartbookfair Second part coming tomorrow 🤫

This one has been cooking for a long time! 🥧 Back in 2021, we started envisioning a project that would somehow connect our own linguistic roots to a place that had always fascinated us — even from afar. A few (!) years later, we're incredibly proud and happy to announce the seventh installment in the FLEE series, Pasé Bél Tan: Francophonies & Creolities in Louisiana. Combining a double vinyl record and a bilingual book, Pasé Bél Tan pairs historical recordings with contemporary reflections to explore this ever-evolving soundscape. Bridging a vibrant present with a painful past, it opens space for dialogue around identity, memory, and the ongoing transformation of Louisiana’s musical traditions. ⏺️ The vinyl compilation (also available digitally) features a staggering 34 tracks archive and new, ranging from French ballads and Creole chants to zydeco rhythms and reinterpretations by contemporary artists, including @m_a_d_t_e_o_ @400plusyearslater @radio_hito @deaf_kids @yama_warashi Tanz Mein Herz @cyrilcyrilband @heranduband @_thesmoothcatandthe9thlife @nofaceluvv and many more. 📓The accompanying 272-page bilingual book (French/English) seeks to encapsulate the deep implications of Louisiana’s musical heritage within both the local and broader American context. Through a combination of photographs and interviews, it explores how this culture has shaped and been shaped by its environment. With contributions from key figures of the scene such as @cedric.watson_bijou.creole @barryancelet @radbwa_faroush @lovebenoir @_gwennie the book presents the intricate and singular relationship between Louisiana and its music. Discover the first track from the compilation, “Aux Natchitoches”, a reimagination of a Cajun classic by Tanz Mein Herz, undefinable and proud representative of the French underground. Pasé Bél Tan: Francophonies & Creolities in Louisiana is now available for pre-order and will be released on September 19, 2025 🍸🍸 Deeply grateful to @guillaumeettlinger brilliant designs and art direction, which gave shape to these beautiful objects. Endless thanks to @centreforlouisianastudies @lafayettetravel for their support! #louisiana

Iuri Ricardo Passos de Barros @iuripassos10 is a Brazilian percussionist, ethnomusicologist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator based in Salvador. He began his musical training in early childhood at Ilê Iyá Omin Axé Iyamassê, a terreiro, a sacred ritual space in Candomblé dedicated to the worship of Yoruba deities known as orixás, where he was initiated into the sacred rhythms and musical traditions of Candomblé. In his interview with Savio de Queiroz, @savioq from @lugar_alto the artist and researcher reflects on his life at Terreiro do Gantois and his commitment to the transmission, preservation, and respectful practice of Candomblé’s sacred rhythms. His research focuses on the transmission of candomblé toques within the terreiro tradition. He teaches percussion at Federal University of Bahia, @ufba.oficial founded the Rum Alagbê social project at Terreiro do Gantois @terreirodogantois and is a leading voice in Afro-Brazilian rhythm education. As a producer and arranger, he notably contributed to the album Obatalá : uma homenagem à Mãe Carmen, which was nominated for a Latin Grammy Awards. He welcomed us into his world and offered valuable insight into the role of drumming within Candomblé and the social and spiritual structure of the terreiro. Read the whole interview in “Candomble: Sacred Rhythms in Brazil” Out 12.06.2026 Pre-order link in bio

Jonathan @radbwa_faroush Mayers is an artist, poet, and cultural activist from Istrouma (Baton Rouge), dedicated to the defense of Kouri-Vini, the endangered Louisiana Creole language. Founder of Latannyèrizm, a style blending Creole mythologies with contemporary imaginaries, he grounds his work in a practice of cultural reclamation and living memory. Through paintings inhabited by legendary creatures and accompanied by poems in Creole, he celebrates an identity rooted in the swamps, oral storytelling, and the struggles of the South. We quickly realized his work would be the perfect poetic extension of our research exploring themes of cultural preservation and artistic creation, and we are extremely grateful to be able to feature his works. Find his paintings and poems in Pasé Bel Tan and in various exhibitions. 🖼️ Paintings: Jonathan Myers

Drake LeBlanc @lovebenoir is a musician, photographer, filmmaker, and perhaps above all, a cultural activist from Lafayette, Louisiana. He co-founded @telelouisiane , a multilingual media platform that produces content in Louisiana French, English, and Creole to support local languages, arts, and communities. He also recently directed his first feature film, Footwork, an abstract portrait of Black and Creole cowboys in Louisiana and their connection to horses. With a distinctly contemporary approach, he shares his perspective on the importance of making culture desirable in order to help it endure. In this extended piece, @_gwennie gathers his reflections and interviews him, placing his thoughts in dialogue with her own research. You can read it in full in Pasé Bel Tan. piece which you can read in full in Pasé Bel Tan. -- Pictures: Joseph Vidrine

As part of our research in Louisiana, Cedric Watson @cedric.watson_bijou.creole quickly emerged as a key figure in understanding the complex realities of Creole music and identity in the state. Originally from Texas, where many people from Louisiana emigrated during the oil rush, he returned to Louisiana to reconnect with his roots and Creole identity. Through his music, language, and artistic practice, he is a dedicated cultural worker, helping to keep Creole culture alive for the next generation, while remaining acutely aware of the systemic challenges it faces. Read the whole interview in "Pasé Bel Tan: Francophonies and Creolities un Louisiana". -- Pictures @olivierthomashenri

Hi there 👋 We're launching a new series drawn from our archives, focusing on individuals and overlooked moments from past projects that left a lasting impression on us and our releases. There is no more fitting place to begin than with the late Sid Williams. We met Sid in 2023 while conducting research for our most recent project, Pasé Bél Tan, at his well known "One Stop" grocery store, a longtime community gathering place on the outskirts of Lafayette in Western Louisiana. A living remnant of a more playful and communal past, "Sid O", welcomed us openly. He spoke with candor about his life, reflecting on both the triumphs and setbacks of a musical career shaped by segregation, perseverance, and deep personal bonds. His stories revealed a cultural legacy that has endured quietly, often overlooked beyond the community that sustained it. The book that grew out of this research was dedicated to Sid’s memory. It stands as a tribute to a foundational figure of Creole identity whose significance risks being lost to time. To Sid -- Pictures @olivierthomashenri

Direction le bayou le samedi 14 mars avec @fleeproject ! 🪗 On invite le collectif franco-suisse pour un événement en deux temps autour de leur dernière sortie livre & vinyles « Pasé Bel Tan » en hommage à l'héritage culturel des chants francophones et créoles de Louisiane. 17h30 • Conférence + expo photo à @lageotheque (gratuit) 21h00 • DJ set à @module_nantes (prix libre) En partenariat avec le @festival_eurofonik ✏️ Illustration par @maitreselecto

Another year goes by for FLEE in this crumbling world, and we remain deeply grateful for your support, which allows us to keep pushing forward. What a privilege it has been to begin new research in Brazil, to consolidate others, to experiment with new formats, and to release two projects despite the current context. From taking part in Rewire Festival to presenting the final result of Pasé Bél Tan in Louisiana and at Tokyo Art Book Fair for the very first time, this past year allowed us to initiate several new projects that we will be announcing soon. We hope to materialise all of these new ideas in the coming year, at a very fragile moment. We are extremely grateful to still be around and send our very best wishes for the long year ahead. From everybody at FLEE 🍾

Pasé Bél Tan 2xLP AD, graphic design & illustrations for @fleeproject ⏺️ The vinyl compilation (also available digitally) features a staggering 34 tracks archive and new, ranging from French ballads and Creole chants to zydeco rhythms and reinterpretations by contemporary artists, including @m_a_d_t_e_o_ @400plusyearslater @radio_hito @deaf_kids @yama_warashi Tanz Mein Herz @cyrilcyrilband @heranduband @_thesmoothcatandthe9thlife @nofaceluvv and many more. Pasé Bél Tan (2xLP + 272p book bundle aaand some merch stuff) is available via @fleeproject ! 🧡 Really excited to share this work, a huge thank you to @olivierthomashenri & @marzoalan for their trust and for all the work these guys @fleeproject put into it [Pasé Bel Tan: Francophonies and Creolities pays tribute to the cultural heritage of Louisiana’s Francophone and Creole songs, shaped by the meeting of African, Indigenous, French, and Caribbean influences. Through the voices of artists, researchers, and musicians, this project offers a sensitive and critical exploration of the painful past of a region whose identities continue to be built, negotiated, and reinvented through music.]

Officially landed at the @tokyoartbookfair 2025 and can't wait to meet you there Tokyo! 🎌 We're here today until 6pm and for every other day until this Sunday ✌️ Find us at booth 64 in the entrance hall section at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Tokyo where the fair is held. See you there 👋