An inscription on the new EMEFE vinyl record reads: “This album is for you - our listeners - thank you for inspiring us to keep moving forward.” EMEFE has developed a loyal-turned-fervent following since their first EP release in 2010, when they were classmates in NYC jazz programs, hungry to revel in the joy of musicmaking together. They yearned to express as individuals and connect as a whole, free of judgment and focused on fun; 15 years later, their new album shows that their initial mission remains exactly the same. Through 10 energetic and inspired tracks, FORWARD exhibits a tight knit group of longtime friends seasoned in accessing that musical joy together. “We just flip a switch, and boom, we’re locked in - it’s a level of connection we don’t take for granted” says bandleader Miles Francis, whose Manhattan basement served both as the sole recording studio for their new album and the site of their very first rehearsals in the early days. At their legendary live shows, as cathartic and potent as ever, the crowd is made up of both longtime followers and many who just discovered them online in the last few years. “We’ve been actively motivated by our fans to celebrate what we’ve built so far and stay true to our path ahead, ” says bassist Doug Berns. “They are the engine that propels us to keep making new music that we’re overflowing with excitement about." Saxophonist Jas Walton chimes in: "Same as it ever was!”

Lester Rey tiene la Salsa pa' tu Rave, el Juketeo pa' tu Perreo, y los Boleros pa tus feels.​Expanding upon the cultural psyche that is Latin music by diving head first into the intersections and nuances of identity, Lester Rey fearlessly searches for the divine in the spaces between the gritty club bass and the beautiful Caribbean rhythms. Exploring personal relationships, questioning norms, and pushing boundaries both in lyrical content and delivery, their music teases amalgamations of crooning, chanteo, and shatta flow. Vocal styles found in R&B, Reggaeton, and Dance Hall. The global, sonic landscape Lester Rey creates is informed by the concrete jungles of Chicago, the tropical island of Puerto Rico, and evolves further with the spirit in the machine of the internet.Lester Rey defines his catchy, eccentric, and honest sound as a creation that taps into the knowledge "de aqui y de alla" to create a world "ni de aqui y ni de alla" (the knowledge from here and from there to create a world neither from here or from there). A new home for people who feel forgotten, displaced, and left behind to survive between the cracks. A proclamation, a stance to declare our existence and worth in a post colonial matrix.