Santrofi

Santrofi – ‘Making Moves’ New album out 14 February 2025 on Outhere Records

Santrofi's debut album ‘Alewa’ (2020) was released to critical acclaim, including:
“Santrofi revive Ghana’s golden era of music … Drums patter, shakers rattle, then the flourishes solidify into a groove, the responses into harmonies...” **** Financial Times

“.. the playing is immaculate – a high-octane mix of punchy jazz horns and call-and-response vocals ... Santrofi’s message is joy rather than defiance. A winner.” **** The Observer

“Santrofi intend to stir the soul as well as the body … they are the torch bearers for Ghana’s homegrown art form, and the flame burns hot and bright.” **** Songlines (Top of the World album)

“Santrofi bring elements from different eras acknowledging the rich history of Ghanaian music into a cohesive and vital sound for the 21st century.” The Quietus

“A heady mix of zestful energy and positive messages … a resounding success.” **** musicOMH

Almost five years after their celebrated debut album ‘Alewa’ introduced this 8-piece Highlife collective powerhouse from Ghana’s capital Accra to the world, Santrofi are about to return with a new album, ‘Making Moves’, out on 14 February 2025 on Outhere Records. Recorded and mixed by four-time Grammy Award winner Jerry Boys (REM, Ali Farka Toure, Buena Vista Social Club, Orchestra Baobab, Kronos Quartet), ‘Making Moves’ is both a celebration of Santrofi’s roots and a leap into the future of Highlife. The album delves deep into raw Highlife grooves but also introduces a new vibe of funk driven dancefloor bangers and soulful songs reflecting on life.
Santrofi was formed in 2019 by a group of dedicated young musicians with a shared love for the music they grew up with: Highlife. This supergroup headed by charismatic producer-bassist Emmanuel Kwadwo Ofori unites eight of Accra’s most gifted musicians with a passion for vintage highlife grooves and with a hip hop sensibility. The members have played in the bands of countless Ghanaian artists including Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas, Ambolley, AK Yeboah, as well as Highlife pioneer AB Crentsil, with whom they recorded just before he passed away. They have also collaborated with Ghana’s popular new stars jamming and recording with the likes of Kidi, Yaw Tog, AratheJay, shooting star Black Sherif and many more.

Since their formation Santrofi have brought their fresh Highlife energy to stages all over Europe,
including Roskilde (Denmark), FMM Sines (Portugal) and WOMAD (UK), and lately have also gone
down a storm in Japan (13 sold out shows) and played in the USA for the first time in 2024. The band’s amazing live energy was captured on ‘Deep into Highlife (live in Berlin)’, a live album (released October 2023) for which Santrofi were joined on stage at Kulturbrauerei in Berlin by Berlin’s finest 14- piece brass band, the Omniversal Earkestra.

From the opening Highlife funk of “Amina” (the album’s first single) to the Ghanaian-childhood-gameturned- boogie-banger “Gyae me how”, the new album ‘Making Moves’ will get you dancing. The album’s title song “Making Moves” sees Santrofi team up with the current booming Afrobeat scene in Ghana and features shooting star Arathejay and newcomer Kofi Jamar. The song talks about trying to survive on the sometimes crazy streets of Accra without losing your mind (“Life has never been easy, so keep moving” is the song’s opening line.). The nostalgic “No money, no honey” sums up yet another common truth from the streets of Accra. “Su nkwa” sees Santrofi celebrating their love for typical Sikji Highlife music. Second single “Domebi” (which translates to “love me back”) talks about a relationship which grows through mutual love and respect. It’s about a guy who tries to put in all his heart for a good relationship and he asks his partner to do the same: “I love you just the way you are, regardless of what people say I will always choose you but don’t take my love for granted. Do your best and I’ll do my
best, nobody knows tomorrow.”

If you think it is impossible to play a funk groove (or even drill) over a pulsing Highlife clave, Santrofi will prove you wrong. Listen to the phrasing of Santrofi’s horn section, hear the Highlife clave running through every bar of their music. Santrofi are pushing Ghana's Highlife grooves into the future without losing its sweet soul.

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Style: High-Life/ Afrobeat
Territories: World
Travelcrew: 9
Availability: August September 2025

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