Beyond The Forest

Released 4th May 2009

If you have never heard Baka Beyond before prepare for something of unique and unusual beauty; if you know Baka Beyond you will no doubt agree that Beyond The Forest is their best work yet. The haunting, mystical vocals on the album were recorded on a solar-powered 8-track machine in the middle of the Cameroon rainforest which has been inhabited by the Baka Pygmies, an ethnic group of hunter-gatherers, for thousands of years.

At night time the Baka Pygmy women perform powerful ritual singing (yelli) to ensure a successful hunt. Back in the UK, Baka Beyond leader Martin Cradick deconstructed the original interwoven vocal lines and replaced some voices with bass and acoustic guitar. The result is a stunningly beautiful, other-worldly album. As well as offering a rare glimpse into an exquisite disappearing musical culture, buying this album also directly supports the Baka who face various problems such as being disenfranchised from the forest.