
aftne078 | 2025-12-12
Twenty years after its original release on Groove Junkies’ More House label, Kalakuta by Spanish producer Pepe Link and legendary saxophonist Malcolm “Molly” Duncan (founding member of the iconic Average White Band) returns with a powerful new life thanks to Kiko Navarro.
A friendship spanning more than 30 years between Pepe and Kiko already bore fruit back then — with Kiko, under his alias Ma-Yokins, producing the Dub version of Kalakuta. Two decades later, fate would bring the track back to him in the most unexpected way.
A few months ago, Kiko accidentally stumbled upon the original version of Kalakuta, which he hadn’t heard in years. Instantly inspired, he had a “vision” of how the track could sound today. He called Pepe to ask if the original session still existed. After digging through old hard drives and stacks of CD-Rs, Pepe unearthed the long-lost recordings featuring Molly’s majestic sax, Jerry’s lead vocals, and Bilonda’s backing harmonies — the raw essence of Kalakuta was alive once again.
Declared fan of Fela Kuti and deeply influenced by his Afrobeat legacy, Kiko Navarro reimagines Kalakuta through his distinctive Afro-house lens, blending organic percussion, hypnotic rhythms, and the timeless groove of Molly’s saxophone to craft a fresh, soulful tribute to a musical era that continues to inspire generations.
A friendship spanning more than 30 years between Pepe and Kiko already bore fruit back then — with Kiko, under his alias Ma-Yokins, producing the Dub version of Kalakuta. Two decades later, fate would bring the track back to him in the most unexpected way.
A few months ago, Kiko accidentally stumbled upon the original version of Kalakuta, which he hadn’t heard in years. Instantly inspired, he had a “vision” of how the track could sound today. He called Pepe to ask if the original session still existed. After digging through old hard drives and stacks of CD-Rs, Pepe unearthed the long-lost recordings featuring Molly’s majestic sax, Jerry’s lead vocals, and Bilonda’s backing harmonies — the raw essence of Kalakuta was alive once again.
Declared fan of Fela Kuti and deeply influenced by his Afrobeat legacy, Kiko Navarro reimagines Kalakuta through his distinctive Afro-house lens, blending organic percussion, hypnotic rhythms, and the timeless groove of Molly’s saxophone to craft a fresh, soulful tribute to a musical era that continues to inspire generations.
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