Who is this Fantastic Man?
One of 2013′s most potent and mysterious records, Who Is William Onyeabor posed as many questions as it answered even as it introduced the wider world to the titular Nigerian electro-funk enigma.
Having spent years trying to track down the elusive Onyeabor (who’s now a born-again Christian and apparently unbothered by the interest the kids are suddenly taking in his records of mutant Afro-funk), the Luaka Bop label has now followed up their excellent compilation album with a full-length documentary.
Created by film-maker Jake Sumner with Noisey, Fantastic Man traces the long search for Onyeabor from the first collectors to discover his records to Luaka Bop’s attempt to make contact with the man himself in his hometown of Enugu in Nigeria. Talking heads include Onyeabor fans Damon Albarn and Femi Kuti plus a number of the musician’s old colleagues and producers.
Watch the very spiffy documentary above and find out what FACT’s Arron Merat made of the compilation in his review. A remix album featuring John Talabot, James Holden, Daphni and more is also in the works.
