Ndox Electrique. It translates as ‘Water Electric’ - in other words, highly dangerous - and it is the name of the most original and exciting musical group I’ve heard in years. How often do you hear something that literally stops you in your tracks and obliges you to quit whatever you were doing and pay attention?
(Pic: Jelmer de Haas)
I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t happen too often with me. This group really turned my head though: it’s a collaborative affair between François R Cambuzat, Gianna Greco (who together make up the band Putan Club) and a group of traditional Senegalese vocalists and percussionists (Rokhaya “Madame” Diène on lead vocals, Adjaratou "Oumou" Diène : vocals, Mar Faye : mbëng-mbëng drums, Ndiaga Mboup : tunguné & tama drums and Abdou Seck on thiol & talmbath drums). The music is a fresh, inspired and passionate take on a very secretive series of n’döep rituals intended to invoke positive spirits, blended with layers of expressive, colossal electric guitar and bass. I can almost guarantee you’ve never heard anything quite like it, so have a look at this performance video before moving on to the interview…
I won’t explain too much more here since François and Gianna do a far better job of it in our video below, but suffice to say, this is not your regular rock band! Listening to their debut record Tëdd ak Mame Coumba Lamba ak Mame Coumba Mbang, it’s clear that there are no obvious rock cliches occurring here at all, even though the musicians launch into huge grooves, riffs and atmospheric passages as the rituals commence. As their Bandcamp page states, ‘"Ndox Electrique" transcends cultural boundaries, immersing listeners in the enchanting sounds and mystical narratives of Western Africa.’
It’s incredible stuff, and I was immediately drawn into wanting to learn more. I reached out to François, who routinely plays over 200 gigs a year with Gianna in a number of different musical collaborations. I learned that they had a small window of availability in between commitments across the globe, into which I gratefully jumped and organised a Zoom call.
(Pic: Triciclo Barcelos)
François and Gianna - guitar and bass respectively - were both on the call from their home in the south of France, and we enjoyed the most stimulating and adventurous conversation I’ve had in a long time! We talk about how difficult it was to get ‘inside’ the communities in Senegal, how much distance had to be travelled to reach the destinations, the methods used to capture the rituals and the gear used to add their textures and parts.
Our conversation touches on further points: presenting the music live, the commitment and work ethic required to live lives such as theirs, and how important it is to be simultaneously respectful of the n’döep traditions without also paying any heed to genre conventions or expectations.
It’s an exhilarating conversation - thanks to Gianna and François - and one I'm very happy to present to you in full, right here. Enjoy!
For more on Ndox Electrique, head over to their official Ndox Electrique Bandcamp page. For more on François and Gianna's other projects, click through to the official Putan Club website. My sincere thanks to Gianna and François for their time and generosity of spirit! For over 200 more exclusive, original interviews, please head over to the guitarguitar Interviews page. Thank you for checking out this original content, and be sure to keep an eye out for more!
