Arsenal Mikebe

About

With raw, hypnotic beats, exhilarating chants and heavy basses, Arsenal Mikebe has steadily been infiltrating the international avant-garde. The Ugandian percussion group has celebrated triumphs at festivals such as Dekmantel and BRDCST and platforms such as Boiler Room. At the heart of their sonic identity is a steel percussion system, custom-made by Ugandan sculptor Henry Segamwenge and inspired by the Roland TR-808 drum computer. It makes the band become a living drum machine that sounds at least as intense and dynamic as today’s electronic dance music. Arsenal Mikebe is part of the Nyege Nyege collective, based in the outskirts of Kampala. The group is comprised of master drummers Ssentongo Moses, Dratele Epiphany, and Luyambi Vicent de Paul. Their debut album Drum Machine, produced by visionary Portuguese artist Jonathan Uliel Saldanha, is a ritualistic plunge into dissonant chants, deep rhythmic trance, and industrial textures. Their next album, a collaboration with Valentina Magaletti and HHY, is slated for release this autumn.