Ouroboros Presents
Onipa
& Yvan Jam

Saturday 29th January, 7.30pm
Tickets are £12.50 in advance (more on the door) and are available online via See Tickets.

“Effervescent, life-affirming” Mojo

“A sizzling Afrobeat vibe…everything was on point: the costumes, the set design, and the dancing. Pure joy!” KCRW (Top picks of SXSW 2021)

“Riotous beats and irresistible delirium of Onipa, whose rogue strain of griot hip-hop and charismatic front man KOG have the entire place beaming” The Guardian

Born out of deep collaboration between long-time friends K.O.G. (Kweku of Ghana of KOG and the Zongo Brigade) and Tom Excell (MD, guitarist and writer of acclaimed jazz/ soul afrobeat pioneers Nubiyan Twist), the 5-piece live show features KOG on vocals, balafon and percussion, Tom on guitar, percussion and electronics, Dwayne Kilvington (Wonky Logic) on synths and MPC, Joe Henwood (Nubiyan Twist) on baritone sax & electronics and Finn Booth (Nubiyan Twist) on drums.

Regarded by those that know as Afro futurist sensations, Onipa unleashed their debut album, ‘We No Be Machine‘ on Strut Records March 2020 and will be releasing a follow-up mixtape – TAPES OF UTOPIA – in September 2021.

Fresh out of the box but already with some major live shows under their belt including The Great Escape (UK), ADE (NL), Eurosonic (NL), Glastonbury (UK), Fusion (DE), Africa Express (AUS/UK), Sauti Za Busara (ZAN), Karbardock (RE), Onipa also showcased at the digital edition of SXSW 2021 and were picked by The New York Times and KCRW as festival highlights. 

The upcoming mixtape brilliantly showcases their crossover appeal, full of danceable grooves alongside political lyricism.

“Tapes of Utopia harks back to a time of African cassette tapes sold on street markets, a reimagination of mixtape culture, blending genres from analogue tones of Afrobeat, Highlife and Soukous to Afrofuturistic rap and electronics. Tapes of Utopia symbolises a time when technology was decentralised, a vision of utopia where humans are liberated by safe technology that benefits the people not the elite.”

“ONIPA means ‘human’ in Akan, the ancient language of the Ashanti people of Ghana. It’s a message of connection through collaboration: from Ghana to London, our ancestors to our children, Onipa brings energy, groove, electronics, afrofuturism, dance and fire!” (K.O.G.)

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Yvan Jam is a fresh collective of students running the York student jazz scene. Inspired by the work of South African jazz pioneers such as Abdullah Ibrahim and Dudu Pukwana, Yvan Jam gives an authentic and vibrant take on Cape classics.

Ouroboros Presents
Onipa
Saturday 29th January, 7.30pm
Tickets are £12.50 in advance (more on the door) and are available online via See Tickets.