Shabaka - Of The Earth

This week’s PBS Feature Album is Of The Earth, the debut release from instrumentalist/producer Shabaka.

A deeply personal album, Of the Earth is entirely written, produced, performed and mixed by Shabaka. Beats and loops made on portable devices whilst on the road lay a foundation for choral flute melodies to soar within. Sequences of electronic rhythms outline a story of diasporic progression and words contextualise the record’s lyrical framework. A self imposed saxophone hiatus ended mid 2025 with a performance for South African drum maestro Louis Moholo’s memorial concert. This album marks Shabaka’s first recording made after a year and a half not playing the saxophone and a reckoning as to what his time on flutes primarily has shown him to be the future for his relationship with the instrument.

Shabaka says of an initial inspiration for the album - “D’angelo’s Brown Sugar was the first CD I bought and it sparked a lasting curiosity about the emotional possibilities allowed by the self produced and performed album. This record is my celebration of freedom in creative self expression. Before the pandemic I could only play the clarinet and saxophone and knew nothing about music production (or how to play the flute), so this has been a journey of learning and a reflection on the music that’s been created as a result.” 

Tune in all this week to hear tracks from Of The Earth. PBS Members have the chance to win a vinyl copy of the album - simply email your name and membership number to  before midnight Sunday March 8.

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TOP TRACKS WE'RE LOVING THIS WEEK

Blademasters - 'King's Knight'

Marisa Anderson - 'Taqsim for Guitar'

Gusto Gusto - 'Astro 9'

Molly Jane - 'Heavy'

Cam Butler - 'Clear Infinity'

Killer Instinct - 'Dhungala'

The Antics - 'Dogs Bloody Dogs'

Tiaryn - 'More Than Skin'

The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis - 'L'Orso'

Courtney Barnett - 'Mantis'