Berlinista presents AXL MAKANA “ich ist ein anderer” - live on tour
Due to this week’s release of his first solo Album “ich ist ein anderer”, AXL MAKANA will soon be touring Germany.
“It was important for me to have the “MAKANA” idea in my name, cause that’s what my music is all about - to connect people and to celebrate some exstatic high”, says AXL MAKANA, who - after a more than ten years lasting career as leadsinger, songwriter and co-founder of the popular Berlin ethnopunk band Mutabor - now goes solo and already underlines his concept with his stage name.
MAKANA goes back to some amharic (language in ethiopia) word which describes the ecstatic connection of man and nature. This state of being is promoted by the 38 year old one as some universal experience of life, and whenever he’s on stage, parts of the audience seem to indulge in this ecstatic experience of life which the ethiopians usually achieve by chewing “kat”, some kind of hallucinogen. Ten years ago the musician travelled to ethiopia for the first time. Till today his experiences become part of his work as an artist.
Diverse arranged reggae grooves, ska beats and dub basses are the solid base of the songs. Seasoned with musical herbs from Africa, Latin America and the Orient, charming fractures and surprising sound nuances complete this outmost organic work, which still contains some touch of Mutabor. For the production of the album, Berlin’s current figurehead for grooving reggae sounds, Kraans de Lutin, could be hired. The Berlin sound artist produced among others Martin Jondo, Culcha Candela, Mellow Mark and has been on tour with his band Tiger-Hifi recently as support to Gentleman. He adds a big dose of dub and some 70s synthesizer sound to MAKANA’s musical mixture of styles.
“ich ist ein anderer” is not just about easiness. The German lyrics bring together poetry and realism as well as irony and optimistic messages. Chocolate is unmasked as replacement drug, dancing designated as some antidepressant and the muse freed from the shady. Thereby some story is the red thread of the album: the voyage through ones own self. It is the discovery of the undreamt possibilities that man is able to achiebe. Even after the farewell this story continues and finds it’s origin by each listening to the cd anew.
On his tour which will start on the fourth of April, AXL MAKANA will tell some tales from his travels to Ethiopia by means of his music. Check out some impressions over at YouTube: Clip 1 Clip 2
Dates:
04.04.2008 Magdeburg - blow up
05.04.2008 Köln - Underground
11.04.2008 Berlin - SO36
12.04.2008 Singwitz - Kesselhaus
19.04.2008 Zobersdorf - Muckefuck “Linde”
25.04.2008 Jena - Rosenkeller
26.04.2008 Bad Salzungen - Pressenwerk
30.04.2008 Oldenburg - OpenAir/Marktplatz
02.05.2008 Hassleben - HardTaste Festival
03.05.2008 Reutlingen - Cafe Nepumuk
04.05.2008 Freising - Lindenkeller
23.05.2008 Rostock - Mau
24.05.2008 Flensburg - Kühlhaus
21.06.2008 Berlin - Fete de la Musique
19.09.2008 Stralsund - SundstockOpenair
http://www.makana-movement.de http://www.myspace.com/axlmakana
