Senegal's Ibaaku Is Bringing Afrofuturism To the Dance Floor

There's a lot of electronic music coming of Africa these days, and none of it sounding quite like anything else. From the talismanic beats of Ethiopia's Mikael Seifu, to the silky production work of Nigeria's Aina More, to the Bacardi House of DJ Spoko. CNN even recently declared South Africa the new epicenter of House music. But a little over 6,000 miles from Capetown to the Senegal capital of Dakar, a producer named Ibaaku Extez is turning heads with with a West African variant of Afrofuturism.

Now, OkayAfrica has reported that Ibaaku's debut LP Alien Cartoon, originally conceived to soundtrack the fashion show of Senegalese designer Selly Raby Kane, will be released later this month on the Ghanaian label Akwaaba Music. For a taste of what an alien cartoon might be, look no further than the video for single "Djula Dance," which places Senegalese dancers on the rocky terrain of the moon, a perfect location for Ibaaku's cosmic grooves.

Alien Cartoon is out with Akwaaba out January 26. Watch "Djula Dance" below.