There is a visceral link connecting the visionary, yet hidden, architectural landmarks of the Salerno province to the music of Banda Maje. On their debut album, the focal point was the Ufo Bar—a retro-futurist concrete spacecraft docked on the Salerno coast that inspired the title track and its promise to make us all feel like "superstars." With their latest single, the band shifts its gaze a few miles down the Amalfi Coast, venturing into another dimension.

"Africana", the second glimpse into their upcoming LP Costa Sud (due May 2026), is once again a "spacey" affair, drenched as it is in synthesizers that intentionally evoke RAI television themes of the late 70s and early 80s.

However, composer Peppe Maiellano has evolved the formula. Here, he constructs a mantric instrumental dialogue between bass, drums, and marimba, into which he weaves Afro-tribal elements. It is a rhythmic séance designed to summon the ghost of Luca Milano's grand dream: L'Africana in Praiano. A nightspot like no other, carved into a sea-cliff cave and accessible directly from the sea, it was a sanctuary where the international jet-set—from Frank Sinatra to Jacqueline Kennedy—came to seek out the Dolce Vita.

"I wanted to dedicate this piece to his memory," Maiellano explains, "to ensure that the 'creature' to which he devoted his entire life is remembered. That is why I wrote the refrain to say: 'Africana, Souviens-toi de moi!' — Africana, remember me."

"Africana" is the soundtrack to a golden era that refuses to succumb to oblivion—a time that continues to smile and dance amongst the shadows of a cave overlooking the Mediterranean, allowing us to forget our troubles, even if only for a moment.


Banda Maje has recently been featured in the Spotify Playlist "Emily In Paris Official Playlist" with the track "Wait For Me", which was synched on the Netflix show. The playlist has more than 200k saves.