Afrotronix And Daara J Family make a break for it and Run Away Ta Senegal in their collaborative Afro-futurist single and video — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
“Run Away is a song that evokes the magical places close to our roots that we like to reach when we feel the need to escape. It is an electrifying song that celebrates the great symbols of Africanity that is embodied in Chad and Senegal,” says Chad-born, Montreal-based singer-songwriter, producer, mixer and multi-instrumentalist Caleb Rimtobaye (aka AfrotroniX).
An exotic blend of hypnotic Saharan desert blues, Arabic percussion, cutting-edge electro and blazing rock, Run Away Ta not only crosses musical genres, but also traverses continents, cultures and languages. The lyrics were written by Rimtobaye and guest artists Faada Freddy and NDongo D, who contribute vocals in Sara, Wolof and Arabic. They speak about the will to live in the present moment, because we never know how tomorrow is going to end.
The video for Run Away Ta, shot by Djérabé Ndignar in Chad and Lickma in Senegal, was edited, colorized by Victorine Sentilhes. It presents an Africa vibrant with creativity. In the mountains of northern Chad, with camels straight out of haute couture fashion shows, the artists set off on a frantic race. This electrifying clip helps us discover the powerful symbols of Africanity embodied in the sumptuous landscapes traversed by the stylized dromedaries, explosive colors and nomadic silhouettes.
Run Away Ta is an ode to memories, these roots in which we immerse ourselves to recharge our batteries. Written during the harshest period of confinement linked to Covid, it symbolizes the need for freedom, escape and the desire to reconnect all together in this multiculturalism which leads humanity to another level of greatness.
“Today when I need to recharge my batteries and really get out of my head, my spirit takes me to a big tree in southern Chad, to Sewé the village where my grandfather took me when I was younger,” Rimtobaye says. “In Run Away Ta I wanted to put that in pictures, and have it filmed in Chad, to show what is beautiful in the country. Representation is key. In my opinion, Chad is not this country whose borders were drawn by the settlers, it is us, it is the people, our neighborhoods, the people, who make this joy of living. We wanted to show that. And this clip shot in Mongo in the region which ends in N’Djamena at the roundabout of the fountain is for us a strong symbol of unity. Through this song, I invite people to see this, to see the beauty in Chad.’’
Rimtobaye formed AfrotroniX in 2014 as a concept encompassing an Afro-futuristic approach to electronic music production. In 2016, he headlined the Afropunk festival in Paris. Since then, AfrotroniX has toured North and South America, Europe and Africa, releasing a critically acclaimed album and numerous music videos. His mission is to use his music as a medium to convey a pan-African message, presenting a different image of Africa to the world — and bringing it home as evidenced by recent large-scale performances in Chad. AfrotroniX has won several international awards, including Best African Electro (2019) and Best African DJ (2018) at the All Africa Music Awards.
Watch the video for Run Away Ta above, hear more from Afrotronix below, and make a run for his website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
