Hailing from the sweltering city of Gulu in Northern Uganda, both Alpha, an ex bare-knuckle boxer and master harp player, and Palayeng are considered pioneers of what’s become a veritable hyper-local electronic scene among the Acholi community. In 2001, Otim Alpha together with his early producer Leo Palayeng began taking traditional Acholi ‘Larakaraka’ wedding songs and reinterpreting them with music software on computers.
Due to the influence of missionaries who thought of them as non-Christian, Acholi traditions were for many years pushed to the periphery, and only preserved and passed down thanks to traditional musicians like Alpha.
Most of the songs on the Gulu City Anthems are electronic re-interpretations of Larakaraka folk songs that are traditionally performed at weddings. The lyrics were different for each occasion, and would weave the long histories of the clans being united in marriage. Released on the Nyege Tapes label, a Kampala based label exploring, producing and releasing outsider music from around the region and beyond.
