Watch: Makaya McCraven premieres visualiser for track 'So Ubuji' from new album In These Times
Friday, September 23, 2022
The influential Chicago drummer/producer shares a hypnotic track from his powerful new album, In These Times, that's released today on International Anthem/Nonesuch/XL Recordings - video premieres at 3pm BST
Chicago-based percussionist, composer and producer Makaya McCraven releases his new album In These Times today via International Anthem/Nonesuch/XL Recordings, with a special music visualiser for the track ‘So Ubuji’, premiering at 3pm BST today. The third in a series (alongside ‘Seventh String’ and ‘Dream Another’) it’s directed by Nik Arthur, and features hand-drawn, digital and photographic animations composed and laser-etched into stone in the style of a “zoopraxiscope” – watch the video below.
In These Times is a collection of polytemporal compositions inspired as much by broader cultural struggles as McCraven’s personal experience as a product of a multinational, working class musician community. It’s the recording that he’s been trying to create for seven plus years, as it’s been consistently in process in the background while he’s put forth a prolific run of releases including: In The Moment (2015), Highly Rare (2017), Where We Come From (2018), Universal Beings (2018), We’re New Again (2020), Universal Beings E&F Sides (2020), and Deciphering the Message (2021).
With contributions from over a dozen musicians and creative partners from his tight-knit circle of collaborators – including Jeff Parker, Junius Paul, Brandee Younger, Joel Ross, and Marquis Hill – the music was recorded in five different studios and four live performance spaces while McCraven engaged in extensive post-production work at home. Featuring orchestral, large ensemble arrangements interwoven with the signature “organic beat music” sound that’s become his signature, the album is an evolution and a milestone for McCraven, the producer. But moreover, it’s the strongest and clearest statement yet heard from McCraven, the composer.
See the October issue of Jazzwise for an exclusive interview with Makaya on the album that changed his life in Turning Point – and for more info visit makayamccraven.ffm.to/inthesetimes and intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/in-these-times