Belgian maestro Manu Riga aka Adriaan Baussens kicks off 2016 with Indigenous Rights which is taken from his much anticipated forthcoming studio album. 2015 was indeed a bumper year for this guy and we’d need quite a few paragraphs to cover everything as he was a very busy man. Aside from an exhaustive release schedule which included several original works as a solo artist and a few collaborative projects, he also churned out a raft of remixes and featured on a lot of compilations including Bonzai Progressive’s 500th release – Bonzai and Friends 500 – where he appeared three times with his own A Sense Of Hope, with Matt Holliday on As We Become One and on remix duty alongside Matt on Phi Phi’s Hiccup. Check out manu-riga.com for more and be sure to stay tuned for another fantastic Manu Riga-music filled year ahead.

Indigenous Rights intros with a nice chunky kicks and rhythmic hat alongside a fading in bass pulse. We get a glimpse of some beautiful melody from the superb vocal snippets and swirling pads and strings that mesmerize throughout. The pulsing bass is soon joined by a much grittier but very subtle wub wub bass that works perfectly within the track. The track takes a short break to prepare for one of the stars of the show, those stunning vocals. As the title suggests we get treated to some of the most beautiful chants that takes us up to the main break where a powerful poetic vocal rings out and sends shivers down your spine. A very strong sound on this one with a superb solid progressive groove, perfect for those late night sets.

Moments Of Sobriety opens with a cool punchy kick and is surrounded by layering percussions that form into a solid rhythmic sequence. A wonderful sequence follows as a Turkish Oud plays out its rich melodic sound to the backdrop of some cool sweeps and FX. A fantastic bassline sits perched on the low end and moves effortlessly through this sea of melodies, driving the track forward. The break is a beautifully constructed kaleidoscope of sound which is joined by some stunning hair raising vocals that deliver a haunting groove. A truly epic slice of progressive with a plethora of sounds, from tribal to Ethnic and beyond, top notch.

#manuriga #bonzaiprogressive