Based in New York City by way of Colombia, the visionary quartet Combo Chimbita has released their new album Ahomale today; listen to it HERE. Ahomale is not only the album’s title but its ancestral muse, fusing folkloric mystique, otherworldly psychedelia and a dash of enigmatic punk; the record is Combo Chimbita’s sophomore effort and first for ANTI- Records.
“Ahomale resurges from the visions that we’ve been having via our music and life, and the lyrics reflect a manifestation passed on through our ancestors and the gods,” lead singer Carolina Oliveros explains. “I wanted the album to convey the search for spiritual awareness, which ultimately serves as a revelation.”
Combo Chimbita is comprised of Oliveros’ mesmeric contralto, illuminating storytelling and fierce guacharaca rhythms, Prince of Queens’ hypnotic synth stabs and grooving bass lines, Niño Lento’s imaginative guitar licks, and Dilemastronauta’s powerful drumming. It is with these sonic elements that the lure and lore of Combo Chimbita comes into existence.
With the help of producer Daniel Schlett (The War on Drugs, Modest Mouse), the group’s rootsy experimental alchemy and metal strangeness take centerfold. Oliveros howls, yowls and chirps with gut-wrenching emotion; whether rock raw and soulful or bewitching like a shaman in a spiritual ceremony, her voice is always a multifaceted wonder.
Ultimately, Ahomale fuses the perennial rhythms of the Afro-Latinx diaspora with a modern-day consciousness, while tracing the prophetic traditions of our ancestry. “Our spirit and energy have passed through multiple generations,” says Prince of Queens. “We might not be open or allowed to explore it because of Western society’s conditions. But the idea is that we are receiving messages from the past, and from our ancestors that each one of us carries.”
In nearly 40 minutes of eye-opening thrills and chills, the listener experiences the pedagogy of Ahomale, journeying through her epiphanies and enlightenment.
“Ahomale is a warrior, not the sword and shield type, but a woman who is ready to listen to her heart, follow her intuition and connect with her ancestors,” Oliveros avows.
TOUR DATES
5/2 – New Haven, CT – State House
5/3 – Winooski, VT – Waking Windows
5/4 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere Hall
5/5 – Washington DC – DC9
5/6 – Raleigh, NC – Pour House
5/7 – Charlotte, NC – Snug Harbor
5/8 – Atlanta, GA – 529
5/10 – Houston, TX – Satellite
5/11 – San Antonio, TX – The Rustic
5/12 – Austin, TX – Barracuda
5/14 – Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge
5/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Echo
5/16 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation
5/17 – San Francisco, CA – Café Du Nord
5/21 – Seattle, WA – Barboza
5/22 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir
5/23 – Boise, ID – Neurolux
5/24 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
5/25 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive
5/27 – Kansas City, MO – Record Bar
5/28 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
5/30 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups
5/31 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Café
6/1 – Philadelphia, PA – Boot & Saddle
7/3 – Easthampton, MA – New City Brewery
7/4 – Montreal, QC – Bar Le Ritz
7/5 – Toronto, ON – The Rec Room
7/6 – Detroit, MI – UFO Factory
7/7 – Chicago, IL – West Fest
7/8 – Chicago, IL – The Empty Bottle
7/9 – Madison, WI – U of Wisconsin
7/10 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
7/11 – 7/14 – Winnipeg, Canada – Winnepeg Folk Festival
7/16 – Cincinnati, OH – Northside Tavern
7/17 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern
7/18 – Buffalo, NY – 9th Ward
7/19 – Kingston, NY – BSP Kingston
7/25 – 7/28 – Calgary, AB – Calgary Folk Fest