Pyrography

More of a cultural artifact than an album in the traditional sense, Osunlade’s ‘Pyrography’ first materialised in 2011, intended to mark the closing chapter in his House music journey, the start of a new creative phase. Titled after the ancient artistic practice of burning an image onto a surface, everything about ‘Pyrography’ implied both ritual and permanence. A few signed, ultra-limited edition CD copies of the album were accompanied by a specially commissioned art book, with original works by highly regarded Australian artist Scott Marr and a series of ‘oriki’ prayers appearing in print for the first time ever.

In 2017, BBE are proud to team up with the mercurial DJ, producer and ordained Yoruba priest Osunlade to make this incredible work of art available on vinyl for the first time. Two heavyweight 12” records nestle in the front and back covers of a lovingly printed book containing a brief history of the Yoruba culture, Scott Marr’s evocative images and those all-important traditional oriki prayers by Maria Oggun Bemi. Placed at the meeting point of art, culture, history, music and spirituality, Pyrography simply cannot be described or compared, much like the ritual Anagó language the project celebrates.

The work in this book was created in honour of the Yoruba Orisha gods.
Its concept, music and artistic direction by devotee and Yoruba priest, Osunlade.