Bokanté travel across the world in new video ‘All The Way Home’

Michael League, who directed the video with Rhyan LaMarr, talked about the concept behind it, saying:

“This video is set in three different continents —North America, Europe, and Asia— and was filmed in three nations encountering very turbulent political changes. The idea is not to represent the struggles of these countries specifically, but to show the ability of the individual to create change in society. In this case, a deposed dictator sits in shame as a citizen tells him the story of his own fall from power. Through friends of mine who are members of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York and the great Kardeş Türküler in Istanbul, we tried to convey this message through dance.“

Montreal-based vocalist Malika Tirolien sings the lyrics in her native language, Guadeloupean Creole, in a moody track which sees the band depart from the more electric sound of their 2017 debut album Strange Circles.

Read the English translation of the lyrics to ‘All The Way Home’ on Genius.com

Taking about the inspiration for the song, Michael League said: “I sang the lyrics ‘All the way home’ into my voice notes with no particular groove in mind; I just liked the words and melody together. Later I wrote a tune around it on the oud then Malika and I figured out a story angled towards leaders who don’t represent their people. It’s got a very powerful dark sound, deliberately dirty and sloppy, but with a lot of space harmonically; the composition and production is very like [the 1997 hip hop hit] ‘All About the Benjamins’ by Puff Daddy, where there’s a guitar drone and a very (tastefully) sparse use of bass. That wasn’t a connection I made consciously but once it hit me I laughed for a while.”

What Heat is released on Real World Records on 28th September 2018 worldwide, except North America and France: 5th October 2018.

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