Founded and lead by Otura Mun, ÌFÉ is one of the most underrated acts of our time, with their unique and distinctive sound fusing Cuban rumba, Jamaican dancehall, and Yoruban spiritual music. ÌFÉ’s show at the Echoplex truly embodied the ethereal and the powerful, with their performance of BANGAH being a stellar example, a song advocating for Puerto Rican independence from colonialism and imperialism. Pia Love’s dancing embodied the emotions of each song, and tied ÌFÉ’s performance together with beautiful visuals and choreography. -Emerald Anastasia

The Echoplex was home to the first ÌFÉ performance in Southern California and my first live experience of their music. I had followed the band for several years, watching every YouTube video I could find and in my opinion their Los Angeles debut proved to be their best performance. Ensemble director and Babalawo (Ifa priest) Otura Mun constructed a sophisticated correspondence of electric drum pads and triggered acoustic drums that allowed the band to freely interpret different feelings influenced by the “nuts and bolts” of Cuban Rumba with the textures found in Jamaican Dancehall. The syncopated rhythms were layered with intertwining vocal melodies that put me in a trance. This was all accented and reinterpreted by their dancer, Pia Love, who hand crafted a selection of stunning costumes that were reminiscent of Dogon and Afro Diasporic threads with a choreographed dance to accompany each song/rhythm. The show flowed through feelings of joy, dismay, pleasure, triumph and I found myself riding along until it all culminated with an encore where the band unplugged and played a rumba on actual conga drums. It was as close to a perfect show as I’ve ever experienced. – Eduardo Valencia