{"title":"The Shaolin Afronauts","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Shaolin Afronauts are an Adelaide-based instrumental afrobeat band that draws inspiration from Fela Kuti's Africa 70 band and Sun Ra. Their music combines elements of avant-garde jazz, soul, and traditional African and Cuban percussive rhythms. Formed in 2008, the band initially supported The Transatlantics before venturing out to perform their own shows. With a core of twelve members, they have expanded their repertoire of original songs.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-fundamental-nature-of-being","title":"The Fundamental Nature of Being","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe mysterious afro-soul of the Shaolin Afronauts first echoed across the dancefloors of Australia in early 2008, captivating audiences with a highly evolved and unique approach to avant-garde soul music matched with an improvisational pedigree that immediately set them apart from their peers. In the almostfifteen years since the ensemble's debut they have released three albums on Freestyle Records and toured across Australia and around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter an extended hiatus punctuated by rare live performances, The Shaolin Afronauts return with \u003ci\u003eThe Fundamental Nature of Being\u003c\/i\u003e, an epic five album release that expands the sonic vision of the ensemble to towering new heights of burning afro-funk alongside esoteric and ethereal new sonic excursions. This expanded musical journey further explores the wide spectrum of the band's musical identity – with each of the five parts designed as both standalone records, while also offering a singular listening journey across the band's expansive musical world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 5-part project was recorded over justfive days, drawing upon the band's rich influence of 1970s West, East and South African music, jazz, psych-rock \u0026amp; soul, while also exploring the transatlantic sonic intersection between the 1960s electronic avant-garde \u0026amp; spiritual jazz. Free and partially directed improvisation remains a central component of the compositions, with the musical works acting as frameworks for a collective musical enterprise that has developed over the ensemble's near fifteen years together.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Freestyle","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x5.","offer_id":50402219753803,"sku":"1163922","price":119.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/35b4fe8a-a7e9-4683-9ae8-2564151717c4_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726535961"},{"product_id":"the-fundamental-nature-of-being-part-one","title":"The Fundamental Nature of Being, Part One","description":"\u003cp\u003e­After an extended hiatus punctuated by rare live performances, The Shaolin Afronauts returned on September 16th with The Fundamental Nature of Being, an epic five LP box-set release that expands the sonic vision of the ensemble to towering new heights of burning afro-funk alongside esoteric and ethereal new sonic excursions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Fundamental Nature of Being's expanded musical journey further explores the wide spectrum of the band's musical identity – with each of the five parts designed as both standalone records, while also offering a singular listening journey across the band's expansive musical world. This, the first part in the collection, draws on the band's rich influence of 1970s West and South African music, alongside American jazz, psych rock, soul, and cinematic soundtracks of the same era.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Freestyle","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50435968827723,"sku":"2000700","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50435969220939,"sku":"2000701","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/cover.ki_12_fce2fbee_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726910400"},{"product_id":"the-fundamental-nature-of-being-part-two","title":"The Fundamental Nature of Being, Part Two","description":"\u003cp\u003e­After an extended hiatus punctuated by rare live performances, The Shaolin Afronauts returned on September 16th with The Fundamental Nature of Being, an epic five LP box-set release that expands the sonic vision of the ensemble to towering new heights of burning afro-funk alongside esoteric and ethereal new sonic excursions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis expanded musical journey further explores the wide spectrum of the band's musical identity – with each of the five parts designed as both standalone records, while also offering a singular listening journey across the band's expansive musical world. This, the second part in the collection, draws on the band's rich influence of Ethiopian and sub-saharan soul and funk, alongside spiritual jazz, rock, and 1970s film soundtracks.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Freestyle","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50452248920395,"sku":"2002060","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50452249018699,"sku":"2002061","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/cover.ki_d9513302_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727145688"},{"product_id":"flight-of-the-ancients","title":"Flight of The Ancients","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe mysterious afro-soul of The Shaolin Afronauts first echoed across the dance floors of Australia in late 2008. Heavily inspired by the sounds of 1970's West Africa, Ethiopia and the pioneering avant-garde jazz artists of the same period, The Shaolin Afronauts draw on the this highly innovative and sometimes volatile era in music, using it as inspiration to create music with the same fire and intensity. Though there is something refreshing and original about the Afronauts, their music could be described as somewhere in between the heavy Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and the Ethio-Jazz of Mulatu Astatke. The key to the Shaolin Afronauts unique sound is the line-up, which comprises of a three piece horn section, 5 piece rhythm section and three percussionists, and this polyrhythmic approach layers the groups sound with a mesmerizing and hypnotic texture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKicking off with Journey Through Time (also released as the A side of the limited edition 12 inch vinyl single: FSR091) the multiple layers of percussion and rhythms indeed unleash an unstoppable groove, which is nicely balanced against the albums slower, more introspective moments, such as Rise With The Blind which along with haunting, mellow Scarab prove that contemporary afrobeat rooted music doesn't always have to be an unrelenting, uptempo assault on the senses and can provide moments of sheer beauty and reflection.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis added element of subtlety sets The Shaolin Afronauts music apart from much of the recent crop of other bands with similar influences, That said, these guys are still a collective capable of burning some stone cold classic and killer grooves, The Shaolin Afronauts are the band to watch out for in 2011! .\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Freestyle","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50457671336267,"sku":"1106247","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/95ed626a-57f7-4aef-bce1-a15d0e889a55_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727207298"},{"product_id":"grit","title":"Grit","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Kut is a British rock multi-instrumentalist. She is a double award Winner in the UK Songwriting Contest (Feb ’22) and Winner of the International Songwriting Rock Award (Mar ’22). The album features both recent singles and 8 other fresh kuts, recorded by all seven members of The Kut collective. Produced by James LeRock Loughrey the album sees The Kut feature as vocalist\/guitarist alongside the collective, as well as moonlighting drummer and bassist and two tracks.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Criminal Records","offers":[{"title":"Blue | LP","offer_id":50506347970891,"sku":"1154653","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Pink | LP","offer_id":50506349281611,"sku":"1154654","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50506347479371,"sku":"1154652","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50506347741515,"sku":"1154655","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/19a6a39c-92f8-4004-9c5c-95b2a889828c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727822137"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_f5bb9d8c_thumbnail_4096_9d0d0cb9-4e8e-4788-a308-7395f08775f3.jpg?v=1726535945","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/collections\/the-shaolin-afronauts.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}