Friday, 1 May 2026

Posted by Gerry Hectic | File under : , , , , ,

It's not often you get a 5th anniversary remaster of any album but it's not going to take you long before you realize Bridge The Gaps' Àbáse "breakthrough' project 'Laroyê' is worthy of a proper May Day celebration.



It's not been that long since Naná Rizinni's album, 'Epiblast' (see review HERE) but here's another fantastic album.  This time by acclaimed Hugarian/Berlin-based producer, composer and pianist/keyboardist Àbáse (aka Szabolcs Bognár) brings to life his travels through Brazil musically in 13 tracks. 

We are told the album, “'Laroyê' evolved through weeks and months of research and collaborations into the album that it is now. That means that all the sessions were done in different apartments, small studios, often with borrowed equipment, which all adds to the character, but makes the creation of a coherent sound a challenge. Benjamin Tierney, Erik Breuer and Analogue Foundation did an incredible job with the mixes and with this new remaster. I truly believe that we are able to hear the tracks in a new light, with even more depth and clarity.ˮ

Coming from the West African Yoruban language, ‘Àbáse stands for “collaborationˮ – a key element of the music perfectly encapsulated on ‘Laroyêʼ. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, Abáse spent five months working with diverse artists, from young talents to veterans of the Brazilian scene including Letieres Leite, Luciane Dom, Dofono dʼOmolu, Afrojazz and more. The album explores the rich heritage of Afro-Brasilian culture through samba, MPB and Candomblé, mixing these with broken beat, hip hop and afrobeat, creating e a contemporary homage to the classic Brazilian sound. Szabolcs shares: “Despite already leading and managing musical projects that are close to my hearth, I always felt that one day I would like to start a solo project, where I could take full responsibility for the artistic direction and the music would reflect a truly personal vision. In 2017, I decided to take five months to fulfil a childhood dream and travel to Brazil to expand my creative horizon and expose myself to new influences.ˮ 

And as the result is possibley the closest you're likely to get between beautiful Hermeto Pascoal, West London, jazz-soul MPB Sao Jorge!  Recommended to get you your Bandcamp Friday orders in as likely to sell-out very quick.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Laroyê (2026 Remaster) | Àbáse


Artist: Àbáse 
Title: Laroyê
Release date: 1st May, 2026
Label : Bridge The Gap / Oshu Records
Catalog Number : TBC
Format: 2x LP 180g Vinyl / Dgital / Bandcamp  

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