Emeka Ogboh explores the soundscape of Lagos’ Ojuelegba district on new album

Emeka Ogboh will release his new album, ‘6°30′33.372″N 3°22′0.66″E’, via his newly launched Danfotronics label in July. Listen to the track ‘Ayilara’ below. 

The Berlin-based Nigerian sound and installation artist’s latest project follows his 2021 album on Ostgut Ton’s A-TON sub-label, ‘Beyond The Yellow Haze’, which combined field recordings captured across Lagos with downtempo beats and ambient electronics. The vision for that album was to capture the soundscapes of the Nigerian city, and to create an immersive listening experience in the process.

That idea is magnified even further on ‘6°30′33.372″N 3°22′0.66″E’, which is presented as an audio portrait of the Ojuelegba district in Lagos. Packed with field recordings and voices speaking in the Nigerian Pidgin language, the album is described as “zooming-in” on the bustling urban district, which previously featured prominently in Fela Kuti’s 1975 release, ‘Confusion’.

Speaking about the album, Ogboh says: “6°30ʹ33.372ʺN 3°22ʹ0.66ʺE, continues my exploration of the theme of ‘place’ and how ‘place’ impacts on us.”

Ayilara’ featured in Berghain’s Studio Berlin exhibition in 2020. You can hear it below. 

Ogboh’s Danfotronics label, which he co-runs with former Ostgut Ton label manager Alex Samuels, is intended as a platform for experimental electronic music from West Africa, with a view to expanding to music across the continent and beyond in future. 

‘6°30ʹ33.372ʺN 3°22ʹ0.66ʺE’ will be released on 29th July. Pre-order it here.