“Often symbolised by a bird looking back over its shoulder, Sankofa is a spiritual principle derived from the Akan people of Ghana; that one should remember the past to make positive progress in the future…’
NikNak’s 3rd album was first created during her time on the Sound Generator R&D programme in 2021, and was released in July 2022 on the new label Inventing Waves, and serves as a creative extension of NikNak’s continuing research into immersive turntablism composition and performance.
A snippet of the “Submerge” music video, created by Loepa.
What People Are Saying
“It’s a brilliant work; very thought-provoking and wonderfully experimental textures. I really enjoyed the themes and concepts within it and it flowed so well from beginning to end, and there were so many dramatic contexts as well…”
— Shiva Feshareki
“Loved it! … An intense listening experience full of lush sonic material… setting out a much more sophisticated and interesting version of what a comic book inspired sound world could be - far from the kitsch sounds of early comic book TV serials or the bombast of the current cinematic universes… More playful, more creative, more thoughtful, a deep dive into a new world, carefully spatialized sound, the body feels bathed in sound…”
— Nwando Ebizie
“Sankofa is an immersive journey that transports the listener through time and space. A thoughtful artist who explores sound with an open-minded curiosity, each track on NikNak’s new work is a vivid blend of fascinating interpretations of colour, space and texture found through field-recordings, synthesisers, electronics and creative turntabling. Sound worlds swirl and shimmer, drawing inspiration from both the world around us and imagined futures or new worlds…”
— Cassie Kinoshi
“…Sankofa hits my biggest checkmarks: it’s imaginative, visceral and the use of the turntable as an instrument is right in the same lane I enjoy travelling. It’s a very rare find that sits somewhere in between Maria Chavez and DJ Roc Raida (RIP)…NikNak takes it to new heights with Sankofa, and it’s the kind of adventure I could go on over and over again. NikNak’s scratches are perfectly positioned and there is a great mix of rhythm and textured soundscapes. Sankofa is a must if you’re looking for a fresh new beautiful sonic experience…”
— SlowPitchSound
To NikNak, “Sankofa” serves as a way for all Black womanhood within the diaspora and beyond to further accept and grow within themselves without apology, to not forget the power, mysticism and beauty that resides within and from our ancestors, whilst uniquely taking up space as much as possible. Sankofa sends a message that Blackness and femininity are so much more than stereotypes often allude to.
Whether experienced on headphones or on 8 speakers, “Sankofa” gives its listeners the ability to be engulfed by an Afrofuturist and spiritual comic-book world where everyday sounds and musical improvisations are beautifully expanded upon and manipulated via the turntablism artform.
Teaser Trailer of Sankofa, with footage from the Strange Brew / Bristol Beacon Show in July 2022.