BLK JKS's Abantu / Before Humans is a record that I think a lot of people did not expect to see made. The Johannesburg-based, and self-styled African punk band, first broke on the scene in the late '00s, garnering immediate international attention. Their sensational overnight assent lead to some enviable press coverage and professional connections, which in tern enabled them to record an EP at Hendrix's Electric Ladyland, followed by a laudable debut LP, After Robots.
Unfortunately, the band found that all this attention put significant strain on their internal relationships, leading to the band almost breaking up. Thankfully, the tempests that ravaged their relations eventually subsided, only losing one original member in the fallout. Eventually, the remaining members would regroup with a new fourth and head back into the studio to record their second LP. A funny thing happened, though. At some point during the recording processes, the studio was robbed and the master tapes were stolen (Lady Luck be like, "New phone, who this?"). BLK JKS eventually regrouped, redoubled their efforts, re-recording the album and released it under the title, Abantu / Before Humans.
Now I don't think most people would label Abantu / Before Humans a punk record. At least not sonically. And at least not at first blush. If you wanted to make the case though, I think you easily could. The most important evidence in the pro column being BLK JKS's discernably defiant attitude. A predilection they demonstrate on the rebellious anthem "Yoyo!," where a simple toy is used as a metaphor for resisting state oppression and racial prejudice through the use of tug-and-shove grooves comprised of weaving horn melodies, chiseling guitar solos, and slapping role of fanatical percussion.
What's more, the way BLK JKS combines the elements of their vertical and inspired sound- drawn mainly from African horn traditions, whiplash funk, party music like kwaito, and star-hopping psychedelia- is transgressive at its core. Even downtempo tracks like "Harare" exhibit a fundamental tension of form that registers at a gut level, and manage to train your attention with the same dedication as groovier and more self-consciously twisted tracks like "Running," even when the latter sounds like the Mars Volta skirmishing with an Afro-Caribbean band's brass section. Fast or slow. Soothing or searing. BLK JKS do it all! Agitating their enemies, while consoling their friends.
While the brass melodies are often the most immediate component to these songs, the unsong (no pun intended) hero of Abantu / Before Humans is the guitar work. Rippling, arpeggiated chords form the backbone of most of these tracks. Providing not only grit and character, but a subtle series of looping sonics that chains together the more wild stylistic choices the band makes. Only rarely does the guitar work take the spotlight itself, most notably erupting into the foreground on the mix on the Tuareg psyche-inspired "Maiga Mali Mansa Musa," featuring Malian guitar guru Vieux Farka Tour. All that said, it's pretty refreshing to encounter a veritable rock record that doesn't prioritize guitar melodies as the leading aspect of its sound. The fact that the guitars can kind of take a back seat, but still come off as extremely cool, should clue you into how dynamic this record really is.
So is Abantu / Before Humans a punk record? Debatable. I could see an argument being made. Is it an awesome and imaginative rock record? Fuck yeah! And that's all that counts at the end of the day.
