Nok Cultural Ensemble is the unmissable new project from percussionist Edward Wakili-Hick (Sons of Kemet, Steam Down, Kokoroko). Their debut album Njhyi, was selected the No. 1 Contemporary Album of 2022 by The Guardian and for good reason! The four-piece drum circle journey through Afro-diasporic traditions of Jamaican nyabinghi, drill and Brazilian baião to thrilling effect.

Nok Cultural Ensemble’s Njhyi was released last October via SA Recordings, and features an impressive line-up of Edward’s collaborators including; Onome Edgeworth (Kokoroko), Joseph Deenmamode (Mo Kolours), Dwayne Kilvington (Wonky Logic), Nubya Garcia, Theon Cross, Sulyiman (Afrorack), Watusi87 (RU1 Fam), Zarak (Blue Alchemy), Niyabja aka Simeline Jean-Baptiste(DJ Noss), David Wehinm (Omah Lay, Ezra Collective) and Angel Bat Dawid.

On Njhyi, the Nok Cultural Ensemble centres diverse Afro-diasporic percussive traditions. Glitching beats unfold on African timelines, expressed through free jazz sensibilities which extend the futuristic pulse of dub technologies.

The collective craft a visionary rhythmic continuum that tunes into living traditions stretching back to the ancient NOK civilisation, and reaches towards liberated futures. NCE foregrounds the diversity of black percussive music styles - from agbaja and apala, soca to bélé, sega, broken beat and beyond.

In Wakili-Hick’s own words, they ‘celebrate percussion as a complete music’. Drawing on their own collective heritage - from Nigeria and Mauritius to St Kitt and the UK, the record platforms percussion ensembles as a vehicle for music making whilst centring afro-diasporic knowledge systems and cultures.