Afropop Worldwide

London's Heliocentrics have never been shy about their influences. First appearing in the mid-2000s as a live band deeply indebted to the continent (and context) shifting approach to music pioneered by DJs like Madlib and Shadow, the group has extended this crate-digging aesthetic into full-scale collaboration, most notably through their work with the Ethiopian composer Mulatu Astatke on 2009's Inspiration Information Vol. 3.  As if working with an legend like Mulatu wasn't enough, the band has just completed a new album with the Nigerian saxophonist Orlando Julius, an unsung hero who has recorded, in the opinion of the band, "some of the heaviest music ever." We'll be hitting you with coverage of that album next week, including an interview, a retrospective of Orlando's storied career, and a review of the album. But for now, we though that we would whet your appetite with a premier of this behind-the-scenes video. Enjoy!