"We Are To Answer" was the 2009 album debut by german production duo Ancient Astronauts on Thievery Corporation´s label ESL Music and has never been released on vinyl before.
Their very name, “Ancient Astronauts,” implies a mash-up of the distant past and the far future; traits exemplifed in their melding of old school hip hop, funk, and dub reggae with forward-thinking flair and production technique. The Ancient Astronauts are Kabanjak and Dogu hailing from Cologne, Germany. . .via outer space! Coy with their true origins, the duo can only confrm that they returned to planet Earth in 2001 after traveling the musical cosmos for thousands of years.
"We Are To Answer" features guests such as The Pharcyde, Tippa Irie, Raashan Ahmad, Bajka, Azeem and more. A block-rockin’ boom-bappin’ sonic tour-de-force, "We Are To Answer" is a musical vision of life on Earth and beyond!
The album features Ancient Astronauts most successful song to date "I Came Running", which has more than 10 million streams on Spotify alone.
International press quotes:
“Bridging the gap between library beats and straight-up club funk ain’t nothing but a Saturn Ring for the Ancient Astronauts. Prehistoric space explorers probably built the pyramids, so it’s no surprise that they’ve got the right stuff when it comes to making those moon booties bounce!”
Wax Poetics Magazine/USA
“a refreshing, genre defying, cross pollinating masterpiece”
Pathaan (BBC Asian Network/UK)
“Yes, this is a slice of great German hip hop.”
BBC Online (UK)
“The album is a beautiful slice of hip hop ingredients, dub-tinged spices and jazz chili sauces, all blended into a heady stew of breakbeat wonderfulness.”
Lostinasupermarket.com
“Like the album guys. Good job.”
DJ Vadim (Ninja Tune/BBE/UK)
“Peeped the CD, good stuff.”
Beni B (ABB Records/USA)
"Melding old school hip hop, funk and dub-reggae with forward thinking flair and production, the duo of Kabanjak and Dogu come from Cologne with a fresh take on quality, contemporary hip hop with soul."
Ibeats.co.uk
“a refreshing, genre defying, cross pollinating masterpiece”
Pathaan (BBC Asian Network/UK)
“Great album, great production!“
TM Juke (Tru Thoughts Recordings/UK)
Since 2001, Switchstance Recordings has been standing strong both in the club and music world and in the boardsports community. Releases of the label's artists on vinyl and CD, cooperations with labels such as ESL Music, Fort Knox, Six Degrees, Stereo Deluxe or OM Records as well as the regular use of its music in international boardsports videos by companies like Method TV, Quiksilver, Absinthe Films, TTR World Snowboard Tour, Element Skateboards or Red Bull have established Switchstance as a music label, while its DJs have stunned audiences at big international events such as Nyege Nyege, Air & Style, Reggae Summer Jam, Burton European Open, Winter Music Conference, SXSW Music Conference, Art Basel Miami, Lollapalooza Festival, Midem and many more.
The label´s creed and therefore the style of its producers and DJs is to have ultimate freedom, whether in their musical movements or in “switching” between various styles.
The aim of the label is to combine early musical influences such as Funk, Jazz, Latin, 90´s Hip Hop and Reggae with the most progressive techniques of electronic music production in order to create a new dynamic sound that pays respect to the diverse cultures it comes from. It is the soundtrack of the lives of artists that dedicate their time and energy to produce cutting-edge grooves for a conscious and open-minded generation. Inspired by the label members' and friends' lifestyles in music, boardsports, arts and travels; the sound of Switchstance is always in motion and reflects a unique vision and attitude towards modern life.
Quality Grooves Since 2001