'Drummer Warrior Storyteller (Part Two)' is out now, as Apex Zero continues to develop his living visual album alongside numerous, brilliant, multidisciplinary artists. The living album (so far) consists of films, paintings, metalwork, photography, interviews, conversations, costume design, drum circles, curated installation exhibitions, immersive theatre productions and more.

'Drummer Warrior Storyteller (Part Two)', the second film and EP in the series, is built around the tracks Seventh Dimension (On Perspective) featuring Malian Master Kora player and Griot Moussa Dembele, as well as ‘You (On Love)’ and ‘Live Life (On Livity)’ featuring Ghanaian songstress Elia-Naa, both produced by legendary UK Hip Hop beatmaker Micall Parknsun.

Watch the full film here:
youtu.be/XNBWkPzFN7Q

The film and EP symbolise a significant change in the ideas and style expressed in the albums first part, breaking from the often portrayed ‘struggling’ Black figure, aiming to express joy, love and aspirations to live and grow despite society’s obstacles. ‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller (Part Two) celebrates life, honours Ancestors and The Most High, expressing gratitude and appreciation for existence and creation.

The film was made with visionary filmmakers Chiba Visuals, Slim Yearwood, Alicia Warner and Ekua McMorris, shot across Barbados, Venezuela, Peru, Uganda, and England. It features pioneering metalsmith Roxanne Simone, cultural polymath Muti ‘Mutivation’ Musafiri, jewellery from rising star Lucie Gledhill, Ugandan traditional drummers Nilotika Cultural Ensemble, footage from Break Fast Jam 2018 and Afri-cans Street Art Fest 2018 and deeply personal photographs and footage of Apex’s immediate family across four generations.

Earlier releases from Seventh Dimension (On Perspective) and ‘You (On Love)’ are now followed by ‘Live Life (On Livity)’, an uplifting, up-tempo, soulful banger that moves anyone that hears it. The organ driven production by Micall Parknsun gives Apex a platform to show his lyrical dexterity, moving effortlessly between chant-like and rapid-fire wordplay. The hook especially shows Apex’s skill as a lyricist, holding the same multi-syllable rhyme scheme for the whole section, working brilliantly with the ethereal vocals of Elia-Naa as they stake their claims and encourage others to manifest brilliant futures and live life to its maximum.

‘Live Life (On Livity)’, like each track on Drummer Warrior Storyteller (Part Two), will have its own individual release on Apex’s new official artist channel, as well as the release as a full short film. ‘Drummer Warrior Storyteller’ is a living, on-going project, with more releases, installations and events set for the 2023 and beyond, including a full album release and more live theatre shows