At an early age Esinam Dogbatse became fascinated by percussion instruments such as the ‘tama’. Piano was her first ‘true’ instrument, but for obvious practical reasons when travelling, she soon opted for the flute.
Her compositions carry traces from different worlds, geographically, culturally and musically. In her live performances, she wants to preserve as much freedom as possible. By defining as little as possible in advance, she’s left with enough room for improvisation.
As a flutist, she plays and played with bands the likes of Marockin Brass, Kel Assouf, Témé Tan and Sysmo. Baloji invited her to guest on his latest record and Melanie De Biasio booked her as a support act for her sold-out shows at Ancienne Belgique in December 2017. In April 2018, she performed the opening act on the large stage at Botanique (Orangerie) during Les Nuits for Nakhane and Témé Tan. Both Alsarah & The Nubatones, Selah Sue and Moses Sumney are also impressed with her unique musical universe and invited her to start as their support act for their sold-out concerts.
EP / Vinyl out 21st of September 2018 on SDBAN/N.E.W.S.
With her debut EP, ESINAM gives us an insight into her eclectic musical world. She mingles traditional instruments with her warm voice and her delicate transverse flute. The use of electronic effects allows the acoustic sounds of these instruments to evolve and take on new dimensions. Hence, ESINAM drags you along into a universe with a kaleidoscopic spectrum of sound colours.
Her music exudes a particular tension at the crossroads of past and future, darkness and light, melancholy and cheerfulness. It sometimes triggers to dance, and other times to contemplation. Echoes from the future invite you to apprehend the world through an innovative musical narrative.
ESINAM produced and played almost everything herself. Only for ‘Electric Lady’, she teamed up with Senegalese DJ & producer Ibaaku, who added some distinctive musical hues. For ‘Gavoé’, the multi-instrumentalist used songs she recorded herself in a village in Ghana.
She even created the artwork. With this first EP, she wanted to reveal as much as possible about herself in order for her audience to discover an authentic and faithful image of her vast musical and graphic universe.
For the mixing of the EP, ESINAM joined forces with Jules Fradet from Studio Planet (Damso, Afrikan Prötökol, Veence Hanao). For the mastering, however, she called on LA-based producer Kelly Hibbert aka Almachrome (J Dilla, Madlib, Little Dragon, Flying Lotus, Ebo Taylor, Mark de Clive-Lowe and Arca).
ESINAM has played a premiere for a brand-new creation during Les Nuits at Botanique Brussels (23.04.19). Up to now, ESINAM always composed and performed her music on her own. She now surrounds herself with Pablo Casella (guitar), Axel Gilain (bass) & Martin Méreau (drums). Together, they explore the possibilities of the spectrum of sound and expand the colors of her musical universe. They travel between genres aiming to create a magical dialogue between the different instruments. From now, beside her solo show, she is playing with this line up of talented musicians.
(...)“She’s committed, she’s passionate and she really is a jack of all trades. Time to pay this woman a visit and listen to her story.”(...)
Red Bull Elektropedia - https://redbullelektropedia.be/article/fresh-on-the-scene-esinam
“Niet alleen die jonge wolven van de hiphop triomferen in onze top tien deze week, maar ook andere koppige bastaards als Skinny Pelembe, Esinam en Chris! […] Op deze eerste ep wil Esinam niet kiezen: zinderende etnologie-soul à la Ibeyi, noisy Avantgarde-elektronica, dwarse r&b en polyritmische tribalmuziek. Alles zigzagt er door elkaar. Heftig!”
De Morgen
“You could call her the Belgian answer to Binkbeats.”
Ness Radio
(...)EP Esinam is a sonorous force, a multi-layer-voice-flute multi-machines, who never loses the final and clear goal: spin towards emotion by opening the field of possibilities (...)
Focus Le Vif - Interview
(...)"It's a beautiful mixture, a kind of twilight atmosphere shot through with burst of radiant colour"(...)
Clash Magazine
Employing the loop, flute and percussive instruments, Dogbatse went into her own world and dished out tunes that captured the imagination of the audience, who cheered and applauded in response.
Arts Ghana
Belgium based, flutist Esinam Dogbatse rocked the audience with a stimulating flute work that tended to reflect the echo of an open landscape while digging deep into Ghanaian traditional rhythms(…)
Arts Ghana
(...) These rhythms, imperceptibly offbeat, lightly distended, fragile and elastic. She sets them free with a excess of warmth and humanity both beautiful and mesmerizing. (…)
Jazzques
(…) She delicately modulates the loops and cycles of the music through which sublime rhythms superimpose over each other. (...)
Jazzques
(...)"She started playing the piano at a young age, was a freelance in different bands, but gradually she evolved into a one woman band that fabricates sound collages with African influences, electronics & cosmic jazz."(...)
Knack Focus
(...) On stage, from the centre of a circle of lights, her sound and moves stun. If you don't believe in magic, that may change once you hear her hypnotic flute lines.(...) - Propulse
Le Focus Vif
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