The plan for the BLNRB-NRBLN project was set in motion back in 2009: Berliners Modeselektor, Jahcoozi (pictured above), and Gebrüder Teichmann would travel to Nairobi, Kenya to “meet, mix, and mingle with artists from the local music scene.” Two years later, the project has fully come to fruition with the impending release of BLNRB—Welcome to the Madhouse!, due out July 8 on Outhere Records, in which the aforementioned musicians collaborated with some of Nairobi’s finest hip-hop voices, including Mister Abbas, Kimya, Lon ?Jon, and Nazizi. While it started off as a simple joining of forces, when word spread through East Africa, even more artists came out of the woodwork to get in on the project, thus naming the studio that housed the revolving cast of characters the “Madhouse” and giving birth to the album’s eventual title. Attempting to describe the cornucopia of sounds that resulted could never do it justice, so instead, check out the artwork, tracklist, video teaser, and 17-minute sampler below, and then grab the record when it hits shelves next month.

BLNRB | NRBLN from NRBLN_BLNRB on Vimeo.

1 “Goldbreaks Variation” Abbas, Kimya, LJ, Teichmann
2 “Madhouse” Nazizi, Jahcoozi, Abbas
3 “Dirty Laundry” Teichmann, Abbas, Kimya, LJ
4 “Msoto Millions” Jahcoozi, Ukoo Flani
5 “Very Necessary” Necessary Noize, Teichmann
6 “Room For Me” Just a Band, Jahcoozi
7 “Ma Bhoom Bhoom Bhoom” Jahcoozi, Ukoo Flani, Radi
8 “Everyday Without You” Teichmann, Alai K
9 “Living Room” Teichmann, Ukoo Flani, Dogs
10 “Monkeyflip” Modeselektor, Nazizi, Abbas
11 “Goldbreaks” Teichmann, Kimya, LJ, Abbas
12 “Take It Higher” Jahcoozi, Little King, Robo
13 “Kumbuka” Jahcoozi, Michel Ongaro, Abbas
14 “Richie Interlude” Teichmann, Ukoo Flani
15 “Kibera Benga” Massai Mbilli, Modeselektor, Just a Band
16 “Away” Just a Band, Jahcoozi, Teichmann, Michel Ongaro
17 “Zamaney” Jahcoozi, Ukoo Flani
18 “Whateverman Dub” Teichmann, Ukoo Flani

BLNRB – WELCOME TO THE MADHOUSE (DALA DALA MIX) by OuthereRecords