Sharing some posts in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Holy Forest!
Back in 2015, I released Holy Forest, an album I recorded with friends from around the world:
@preachermannmusic ,
@sparlhaswaby ,
@youssoupha_sidibe_ ,
@stuartbogie ,
@morley_music ,,
@nosurrendernyc ,
@jordanmcleannyc ,
@martinperna , I’kyori Swaby,
@ebonmossbachrach ,
@pierremarc1 .
It started on a trip to The Gambia by knocking on the door of kora legend Tata Din Din Jobarteh. Tata invited me in for tea - a week later we were recording at his studio. I also met emerging singer
@brikama_boyo (now a massive artist) and recorded a few more sketches in my makeshift bedroom/ studio in Sukuta.
Over the next year, I worked on the project like mad — thanks to
@andrewzuckerman for opening his studio to me (he’s also the artist behind the beautiful Lion cover) and engineers
@feet1stmusic and
@more__betterness .
In 2015, days before the record was released, I sent a preview vinyl to Preachermann’s friend who owned
@lovevinyllondon , a small record shop in London. It was the first pressing of the record (thanks
@brooklynphono ). While Raoul was giving a listen to the album,
@gillespeterson happen to wander into the shop. That evening, I got an email asking to send BBC the audio files asap.
The very next day, Gilles premiered “Africa Calling” on
@bbc6music . That serendipitous moment introduced this lovely, very home made record to people ALL over the world (thanks also to
@si_bonobo who shared it far and wide).
Since then I’ve hand packaged and sent the record across the US, and to the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Finland, Australia, Greece - yesterday one shipped to Soweto!
Sending them out makes me very happy and I have 1 BOX OF 50 albums left :) Go to theholyforest.bandcamp.com if you want to grab one.
Shameless promo: In 2015 year end music roundups, Holy Forest was picked BBC Worldwide Winners, Bandcamp’s Best Indie Releases of 2015,, Best of 2015 Higher Ground Radio Toronto, UTNE Music Sampler 2015, Jeune Afrique’s Song of The Week, Top 5 of CFOU Canada, Top 100 Videos of 2015 Worldmusic.net, UK Vibe Best of 2015, British Airways 2016 Playlist and PRI’s Favorites of 2015
