Debut album from fabric fuses Afrobeat, soul, bossa nova and funk into sunlit groove that double as a call for identify, equality and communion.

WOVEN TOGETHER

Fabric are formed as a group of artists who, despite their diverse backgrounds, are woven together in the fabric of the music and the message they wish to impart within it. It is then, that Until We Are Free arrives with true social intent and purpose: not just in the ever-important message is attempt to deliver, but in the movement it attempts to underpin. This debut album from the group – who should be seen as a fluid collective rather than a fixed roster – leans into the groove of their impressive sound as provocation.

Through their fusion of Afrobeat, Soul, Bossa Nova and Funk, the album is both drenched in the early spring sun and the political alertness of this group of artists. Sonically, the album sees the dancefloor more as a  stage for expression, not escape. Sounds that are lifted from every corner of the globe are received in communion and harmony through the ten-track debut release. 

Brazilian Street Party Through a European Lens

The Afrobeat-inflected rhythm section, rooted in a crossover with 70s disco with a modern palette, helps set the tone with album opener Taste This Sound – both an invitation and an instruction. The percussion here is crisp and purposeful, laying a solid foundation that fully allows the melody to sit effortlessly above it. This is a Summer track, but here it isn’t just a feel – the warmth here carries weight. 

As the album unfolds showcases striking vocal performances. On Make Me Dance there is a unique voice and rhythm balance as the vocal cuts through the rich groove and interplay of bass and drums. The track gives the space for the groove to breathe giving a lived-in feel, nothing short of the clear lineage inspiration from Fela Kuti. The result is a sound you’d enjoy in a late morning Mancunian Northern Quarter café – preferably as the sun shines through the window. It’s full of samba rhythms, subtle keyboard work and street-level percussion that reveals a vivid sense of place: think Brazilian street part through a European lens. 

Interwoven Identity of fabric

There is more to this record though than Afrobeat and Samba rhythms. In Fight we learn the true thematic spine of the album: a call for recognition and equality. Layered vocals overlap and interweave in a way that they mirror the complexities of the struggles they try to articulate: these are voices that refuse to sit neatly in line. That thread continues is tracks like Tic Toc and No More. The former introduces a more cinematic feel. Here, the focus sharpens on social justice, particularly the visibility and role of women and mothers. It creates one of the album’s more compelling moments – both musically and through the texture of the message. In No More the spoken word ricochets with “We are the invisible citizens,” that anchors the track in stark political reality – yet without losing the grip of the groove. 

Once Again and Feel It push deeper into the fusion of message and groove. The former leans into a carnivalesque energy, layering voices in a communal and celebratory soundscape. The latter stands out for its perfect production – arguably the most refined moment on the album – the intersection once again of soul, Afrobeat and Bossa Nova. There a direction here that hints at where the collective could next evolve. 

Vocal Shimmer in the Spotlight

Through the intensity and joy of the groove within the album, Aria offer a moment of lift, built around vocal interplay that is delicate and expansive. The production and arrangement here gives space for the vocal performance to shimmer and culminate in a chorus that spotlights the band’s commitment to craft. 

The album is brought to a more shadowed close in Falling Down, with a looping piano arpeggio that build a more ominous tone. This is largely in contrast to the carnival atmosphere of earlier tracks. Yet the album still holds together. As is edges towards the closing bars, it surges with a final surprise – bass, strings and drums arriving together in the final defiant gesture that feels close to self-affirmation. 

Tom Campbell’s mix and production provide clarity to the combination of groove and message. Fresh from his work with Little Simz and Michael Kiwanuka, his touch is evident in the balance throughout – nothing here feels overcrowded. What the album does well is avoid the traps of overplaying either the core message or the sound. The themes of identity, equality and resistance are present throughout but they are designed to carry the rhythm rather than influence it. Until We Are Free is a compelling debut that insists music can still move bodies and ideas with equal measure – as key now as it ever has been. Mixed by Tom Campbell, this vibrant collective effort turns the dance floor into a stage for expression and irresistible rhythm. 

Until We Are Free is out now through Four Flies Records. 

fabric: Bandcamp

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