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Afrofuturism STL saw a livestreamed release at SK8 Liborius in November. | FOVEAL MEDIA
[MUSIC]
Black to the Future A deep dive into Afrofuturism STL Written by
JOSEPH HESS
B
y all accounts, it takes a good deal of effort to catch a glimpse into the future. With the infinite expanse that is our physical universe, it stands to reason that any future, proven or imagined, is theoretically possible. If you’re the scientific type, your burden will then be proving your truth; if you’re more mystical in nature, an experience found through art might be your best path forward Afrofuturism often describes an
artistic aesthetic that recontextualizes the future, typically through the lens of African diasporic culture and technology. Although the term was first widely used in the 1990s, Afrofuturism has been applied retroactively to describe the wor of artists across multiple eras and disciplines. Musician George linton, sci fi novelist ctavia Butler and visual artist Angelbert Metoyer are all good reference points — but there are artists much closer to home participating in the movement as well Released on November 8, Afrofuturism STL is a compilation of songs by several area musicians and artists who share individual interpretations of possible futures that can be reached now only through sound. While the collection is available digitally, the St. Louis-based Close-Far Recordings also produced a limited edition cassette tape — a distinct retro touch provided by label founder and curator Nathan Cook. “I think overall the compilation provides a brief feel for the energy, atmosphere and character
of several communities within the city that act as audio portraits of some of the incredible artists living in it,” Cook says. “[The compilation] is also a gesture of solidarity and support to the incredible lac musicians I now and was hearing around town, and to the Black Lives Matter movement. It stems from my belief that music and art can be very powerful unifiers across social divides Cook started Close-Far Recordings in while living in Springfield, issouri, as a way of documenting the music he and his friends were ma ing at the time. After moving to St. Louis in , he witnessed a vibrant and active experimental music scene and was inspired to document the community in a distinct way y the end of 2010, Close-Far had released its first of many uality cassette tapes to come with full color art and accompanying download codes for those lacking a tape deck. lose ar has been prolific ever since, building a reputation through a wide range of albums
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from local luminaries such as Rich ’Donnell and evin Harris, to name a few, including standouts well beyond the borders of St ouis such as ’ s New or maximalist” artist/musician Charlemagne alestine ne of the label’s most substantial wor s to date is Rhizomatic St. Louis, a compilation series that documented more than regional artists across five volumes from to , with a ma or focus on the local experimental music community. ith that series wrapped up, though, Cook set his sights on the future. “Since the Rhizomatic St. Louis compilations had ended and were a general survey of underground music in St ouis, I wanted to start new compilations focusing on specific communities wor ing in electronic and experimental music,” Cook says. Cook credits many musicians and colleagues in the creation of Afrofuturism STL, naming Michael illiams as a ey player who supported and inspired the project
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