Vula Viel
LONDON | Raw yet peaceful: punk with a Ghanaian xylophone
Raw yet peaceful: punk with a Ghanaian xylophone.
Ghanaian punk. That’s how some would describe Vula Viel’s music. Fair enough, this UK trio has a rough edge. They’re definitely unique. But they also have some of the most peaceful songs that could conceivably be classified as punk.
Vula Viel revolves around the gyil, a Ghanaian xylophone made of a special, sacred wood. That gyil is played by bandleader Bex Burch. But make no mistake: the other bandmembers, Ruth Goller on bass and Jim Hart on drums, are every bit as adventurous. Aside from Vula Viel they’ve played in bands ranging from jazz-punk to free spirited electronic improv.
January 2019 saw the release of Vula Viel’s sophomore album, ‘Do Not Be Afraid.’ Iggy Pop praised the record, saying “Dance to it, make love to it, stare at the clouds to it.” Burch says the album “comes from a life of figuring out how to not be afraid in a world that can seem very scary.” Burch is an Artist in Focus at Music Meeting, performing with multiple formations during the festival. In 2020 the album What's not enough about that was released.
Formation
Bex Burch – gyil
Ruth Goller – bass
Jim Hart – drums
