Fellow Berliners Àbáse and drummer/producer Ziggy Zeitgeist combine here on Body Mind Spirit – the multi-instrumentalist Àbáse is a gifted musician across genres, finding a kindred in the leader of Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange. Ziggy has also worked with Australian nu-soul juggernauts, 30/70.

The duo combine their take on future funk, deep electronica, house and techno and are supported by the voice of the South African singer dumama. The term „Àbáse“ in the West African Yorùbá language stands for collaboration.

As titled on their extraordinary album Buffering Juju, dumama (Gugulethu Duma) and kechou (Kerim Melik Becker) – dumama + kechou – were inspired on their debut album for the Mushroom Hour label in March 2020. A concept album of sorts, about the idea of a woman walking out of prison and into the wilderness, the record fused North and South African instruments and traditional singing with electronics and field recordings. It also featured Angel Bat Dawid, Dylan Greene and Odwa Bongo.

When Àbáse and Ziggy shared the same stage with dumama, they approached the South African-born, Berlin-based, artist, performer, story teller and lyricist. At Ziggy’s studio, a guided meditation by dumama was followed by a collective improvisation that laid the foundation for the profound title track Body Mind Spirit as well as several short ‘meditations’ woven throughout the EP.

Àbáse says that when he heard Ziggy play drums live with 30/70, he had a strong vision that they would create music together. Improvising and jamming regularly at Ziggy’s Xberg studio has driven the EP – Àbáse improvising on keys, synths and percussion over Ziggy’s drum grooves and electronic beat sketches. Ziggy would then spend all night editing and arranging what they had recorded, experimenting with ideas, breaks and cuts, producing new directions and sounds.

Get the EP here.