MDR Selects returns: a series that invites our favourite artists, labels, record stores and more to curate a playlist of songs that hold specific meaning to them. This time, we’ve got sounds from across the globe courtesy of genre-defying quartet Penya.
Penya embody the energised sound of a cosmopolitan UK. A host of traditional folkloric rhythms, club culture motifs and DIY electronics mark the band’s distinct sound. Their live performance evokes a euphoric ritual, with drums, horns, vocals, as well as as visceral dance scapes, ancient and future. Not only have they quickly achieved critical acclaim from the likes of Giles Peterson and Bonobo, they have also released collaborations with an array of talent, including Dengue Dengue Dengue, Photay and Sarathy Korwar.
Fresh from releasing their new EP ‘Safari’, a collaboration with renowned Tanzanian artist Msafiri Zawose, they present their selection of percussive sounds from all corners of the globe. Combining the old and new, traditional and innovative, ancestral and futuristic.
“Our diverse musical influences are reflected in this eclectic mix, which seeks to highlight the deep human connection to drumming and percussion. By tracing traditional rhythms prominent in today’s sounds, we embark on a journey through the human sonisphere, beyond borders.”