Henrietta Smith-Rolla is a British born Ghanaian/Russian/German artist, composer, producer, and DJ based in Manchester, UK, frequently working under the name AFRODEUTSCHE.
Her polyrhythmic compositions integrate a wide array of musical genres, including Afrofuturistic electro and techno, classical solo piano and Detroit legacy house; all memorable journeys into deep, abstracted sound.
Henrietta has written and performed scores for films and documentaries including the BAFTA nominated ‘Kamali’ about a young girl skateboarder in India, and renowned earth documentary ‘Baraka’. Her soundtrack for ‘Kamali’ is now released on SA Recordings, the label arm of Spitfire Audio, and the moving short film can be viewed in full here.
Across six minimalist sketches, Henrietta uses recurrent themes and motifs to craft gentle melancholia in unconventional forms, and in reducing her setup to just the piano, we are given a glimpse into a different side of her musicality. Using a simple arrangement of sparse harmonies and delicate melodies, Kamali distills moments of serenity into a series of introspective wanderings.
Accompanying the 10″ and digital release is a sample library created for composers and producers. The collection of manipulated synth sounds further illuminates much of Henrietta’s writing process as a self-taught musician and composer. Inspired by her work with the Kyma sound design environment, it’s a set of tools for compositional storytelling, based around colour. Her aim is to offer a new perspective and a sense of freedom for those delving into the library, no matter their level of experience.
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