Photo: Lungiswa Gqunta

We first fell under Asher Gamedze‘s spell when he released his debut album, Dialectic Soul, in 2020. He followed it up with Turbulence and Pulse last year, both absolute masterpieces that made it to our Album Picks of the Year, and remain huge favourites today. So we’re over the moon to know that the visionary and virtuosic South African drummer, composer, writer and activist is gifting the world with new music. Gamedze announced today the release of Constitution, an album he brought to life with his new 10-piece ensemble The Black Lungs, featuring Ru Slayen (percussion), Sean Sanby (bass), Nobuhle Ashanti (piano),  Tumi Pheko (cornet), Garth Erasmus (alto saxophone), Jed Petersen (tenor saxophone), Tina Mene (vocals), Athi Ngcaba (trombone) and Fred Moten (words). Collectively they “explore and deconstruct the conceptual, tonal and atonal possibilities of themes which are at once of old and new dreams”, as the press release describes. Gamedze offers some context:

“The Black Lungs is inspired by the revolutionary thought and practice of the Black Consciousness Movement. In particular, the relationship between antagonism – constituting a united front of all the oppressed against white supremacy and racial capitalism – and the possibilities for resistance and elaboration – the creative militant capacities of those assembled – enabled and unleashed by that process of constitution.”

Constitution will see the light of day on August 30th through International Anthem. Ahead of it he has shared the extraordinarily powerful and striking album opener ‘Find Each Other’ and it’s after your ears.