Roots to Rhythm

time to listen! time to dance! here's where I'll be playing and/or talking about traditional African music in the month of March, including a very special debut at the @180.studios listening room, my first excursion to Belgium and finally something you can dance to - back at one of my favourite spots @jazu.bar and that club that everyone seems to be talking about but i'm not allowed to talk about! All thanks to the most High, see you soon :)

first session @brilliant_cnrs this coming wednesday! 5 hours of traditional African music, Highlife, Makossa, Soukous and so much more - have been getting a bit tired of the whole listening bar thing (more on this) but Brilliant Corners has always been one of my favourite rooms to play, great sound and warm feelings, very excited to play and highly encourage you to join!!! See you weds!!!

An Introduction to Nigerian Highlife, live @spacetalk.ldn tomorrow! fortunate to return back to that hallowed booth for an evening of some of the best music to ever exist, Nigerian Highlife (without being overly-patriotic) - i'll be playing and talking about records that for me reflect the rich diversity Nigerian music has always had to offer. I'm hoping you, the listener, can join me in this evening of communal listening with peace, love and respect, see you soon!

BANDE SONORE #2 — Burger Highlife : voyage du Ghana vers l’Europe Retour en images sur cette deuxième Bande Sonore, une soirée portée par le collectif Roots to Rhythm et dédiée au Highlife, genre musical emblématique du Ghana. Merci à Dare Balogun et Grace Shelley pour cette exploration vivante, à toutes celles et ceux venu·es partager ce moment, écouter, danser, apprendre — et repartir avec un peu de cette mémoire en mouvement. 📍MansA — Maison des Mondes Africains #Mansa #maisondesmondesafricains #BandeSonore #MansA #RootsToRhythm #Highlife #BurgerHighlife #MusiqueGhana #Diaspora #ExplorationSonore

Bande sonore #2 — BURGER HIGHLIFE 🎶 Avec @rootstorhythm (Dare Balogun & Grace Shelley) 📅 Jeudi 6 novembre — 20h 📍 MansA – Maison des Mondes Africains 🎟️ Entrée libre sur réservation (lien en bio) 🗣️ Séance en anglais, en présence d’une traductrice Le jeudi 6 novembre, le collectif Roots to Rhythm te fera voyager des côtes ghanéennes jusqu’aux pistes de danse européennes, à travers une exploration du Burger Highlife — ce style né de la rencontre entre le Highlife traditionnel et les sonorités de la diaspora. Dans un format d’échange vivant, Dare Balogun et Grace Shelley retraceront l’histoire de ce genre musical : de ses origines au Ghana colonial jusqu’à sa réinvention dans les années 1980 en Europe, quand les rythmes du Highlife se mêlent aux synthés et aux grooves urbains. Chaque participant·e repartira avec un poster illustré, souvenir de cette traversée musicale et culturelle. Des expériences sensorielles uniques où musiques, archives et récits se rencontrent — pour célébrer le dialogue entre les sons, les mémoires et les mondes. [En] BANDE SONORE #2 — BURGER HIGHLIFE 🎶 With @rootstorhythm (Dare Balogun & Grace Shelley) 📅 Thursday, November 6 — 8 PM 📍 MansA – Maison des Mondes Africains 🎟️ Free entry with reservation This Thursday, November 6, the collective Roots to Rhythm will take you on a journey from the coasts of Ghana to European dance floors, exploring Burger Highlife — a style born from the fusion of traditional Highlife and diasporic sounds. In a lively, interactive format, Dare Balogun and Grace Shelley will trace the history of this musical genre: from its origins in colonial Ghana to its reinvention in Europe during the 1980s, when Highlife rhythms intertwined with synths and urban grooves. Each participant will receive an illustrated poster as a keepsake of this musical and cultural journey. A unique sensory experience where music, archives, and stories meet — celebrating the dialogue between sounds, memories, and worlds. #mansa #maisondesmondesafricains #bandesonore #rootstorhythm #burgerhighlife #highlife #musique #music

my first ever global tour! across the next 2 months, I will be playing records in 3 different continents! from DJ sets, listening sessions and radio shows, I'll be showcasing what I believe to be some of the best traditional African music as part of @rootstorhythm with further dates to be announced. All thanks to the Most High, and everyone involved in the creation of the music I will be playing. From the artists, the producers, the labels, some gone, some still with us, I am incredibly grateful. A big thank you to all the people and venues hosting me, to my dear friend and partner @graceshelleyy who I could do none of this without, to @graceladoja and @ourhomecoming for turning a tiny dream into a true reality, and to you, the listener, for your support and attention. I'll be spending some time in each city, so please drop me an email if you would like to meet, or even show me around! I look forward to sharing this music with you, and to listen, to dance, together in community. With love, kindness and respect, Chief Commander Dr. Oluwadare Balogun, commonly known as Dare Balogun

@nts_radio was a pleasure to cover for @maccalaaa on his saturday morning breakfast show. thoroughly enjoyed recording this! played a lot of percussive led house music - listen back via the @nts_radio website or via soundcloud - link is in my bio thanks to @maccalaaa for having me on & to @minus_kendal for producing the show 🫶🏽

Back on @nts_radio tomorrow, live from the studio from 12 to 2PM, playing traditional African dance music: Soukous, Makossa, Highlife, Coupé-Décalé, and so much more. This track is You Pass My Number by Ayata Yomkil, a Cameroonian artist active through the 1980s and 90s, celebrated locally for his distinctive approach to Makossa. Yomkil’s music is marked by vibrant, dancefloor-driven arrangements, mixing the percussive swing and guitar melodies central to Makossa with influences of reggae and funk, reflective of the evolving music scene in Cameroon during that era. Released in the mid-90s, this song encapsulates the playful yet heartfelt energy of Cameroonian nightlife, speaking to everyday experiences of connection, flirtation, and rhythm-driven storytelling. Tune in and join me spending two hours immersed in these incredible sounds. See you in the chat.

the first show of my @nts_radio residency is now up for your listening/relistening pleasure. a big thank you to to you, the listener for joining me live! its such a surreal experience, and im so so moved by all the feelings people shared with me and on the chatroom. alongside each show, i'll be sharing my listener notes alongside scans of each record i played to hopefully share more context about my show and the music i'm playing, adapted from my notes i use for my show. i'll also be sharing my full notes on a platform more suited for reading soon. so grateful to be able to not only share this music, but the joy that it brings me, and for other people to feel the same joy, wherever they are in the world, wherever they are from. full show available to listen NOW in the link in my bio.

in case you missed it, I’m officially an @nts_radio resident. Every month I’ll be playing and talking about traditional African music as part @rootstorhythm - a show dedicated to tracing the sounds that shaped the world, from ancestral rhythms to today’s dancefloors. This music isn’t “world” music. It’s not background. It’s foundational. Nigeria is just one example: over 5,000 vinyl titles between 1960–1990, most of them endangered or lost. This residency is about honouring what’s been left behind and keeping it in motion. We preserve it by playing it. All thanks to the Most High and a big thank you to @nts_radio for the platform, @keturecords and @volta45_ for the constant guidance, to @graceshelleyy for being the best partner, and to you, the listener. My first show broadcasts this Saturday, 12:00 - 14:00 GMT. More to come, looking forward!

@foundation.fm - Listen back to my latest show on Foundation FM. You can find the full mix on Soundcloud - link in bio. Music from @leodtrax @gigitesta__ @dennisferrerofficial @damswindle @mr_raoul_k @soundspeciesmusic & more. Thanks to Foundation for having me down! 🤎

next few dates over the next couple weeks if you enjoy traditional african music or are even just a tad curious, i highly recommend you join me in listening to and enjoying some great records on some amazing soundsystems! @rootstorhythm always always always