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Although I have been introduced to the many charms of William Onyeabor on many an occasion and enjoyed them EVERY time, I don’t really know too much about him!
What I have discovered is that he was and a very private soul. Apparently he never performed live and almost never gave interviews; his impressive life remains somewhat of a mystery. He refused to speak about anything regarding the past and now he’s passed on (in 2017) I guess there are many things we will never know! What we can be sure of, however, is the quality of his music!
Born outside Enugu, a small, rural town in Eastern Nigeria, he created his own genre of African electronic funk in the late 70’s and early 80’s, making music completely unique for his time. Today, he is reaching cult status among a growing list of admirers, including everyone from Damon Albarn and Hot Chip to Carl Craig and Madlib, with some likening him to the “Kraftwerk of West Africa”, or a “precursor to LCD Soundsystem”.
Better Change Your Mind is a stunning 8:22 minutes of glistening funk! Taken from his 1978 second album, Atomic Bomb, this sonic expedition mocks the arrogance of governments as it guides you through its many textures of cosmic instrumental and buoyant vocal delights! Listen above.
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