Afrobass – A New Nordic Groove
Afrobass
Desert blues, jazz, afrobeat and West African grooves
Afrobass is a Norwegian groove-based ensemble led by bassist and composer Lars Martin Vik. Drawing on afrobeat, desert blues, jazz, funk, rock and West African musical traditions, the band explores rhythm and repetition as a foundation for collective improvisation.
At the heart of Afrobass is the groove: persistent, hypnotic and open-ended. Vik’s compositions provide strong rhythmic frameworks while leaving space for the musicians to shape the music collectively through improvisation, interaction and individual expression.
The current line-up brings together Lars Martin Vik (bass), Kenneth Kapstad (drums), Oddrun Lilja (guitar), Heidi Kvelvane (saxophone/flute), Vegard Holum (trumpet/electronics) and Kouame Sereba (vocals, kalimba and percussion). Their different backgrounds in jazz, rock, improvised music and West African traditions give Afrobass a distinctive and dynamic sound.
Following concerts and touring in 2025 and 2026, Afrobass releases the single “Jamal” on 11 September 2026 through the Norwegian independent label NYE NOR. The release is followed by a six-date Norwegian tour, with concerts in Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim, Molde, Vestnes and Ålesund.
Immediately after the tour, the band heads to Ocean Sound Recordings on the island of Giske to record new material, continuing the development of an Afrobass repertoire built around groove, repetition and the energy of a live ensemble.
Afrobass is music in motion – a meeting of rhythmic traditions, improvisation and contemporary Nordic jazz, driven by a shared commitment to the groove.
