It was primarily the idea of returning to his roots as a beatmaker that settled in Guts' mind. A solitary work, with samplers and sequencing. Guts ultimately put that idea beneath his pile of concepts and brought up another one, that of making an album radically different from the previous ones. Experimental, sunny, exploring all those vibrations from the southern hemisphere that Guts has been collecting for years while indulging in his passion for digging. The ones he ignites his DJ sets with, those he has patiently gathered over the five volumes of his Beach Diggin' compilations. To execute his plan, Guts enlisted the help of Cyril Atef (co-leader of Bumcello and Congopunq) and Ben Wolf (a behind-the-scenes man for African legends Pat Thomas and Ebo Taylor), to whom he entrusted part of the keys to the production. Along with Cyril's percussion and Ben's saxophone, he combined Kenny Ruby's bass, Christiane Prince's drums, and Adélaïde Songeons' trombone. The gathering of the five gave birth to his new live band. A focal point around which all the tracks were conceived and composed! A formidable quintet that paved the way for groove, carving a path through the thick musical jungle so that other musicians could join the base camp. Jowee Omicil, Lameck Macaba, Djeuhdjoah and Nicholson, Pat Kalla, temporarily parting ways with the Voilààà Sound System, Draman Dembélé, Black Sage, and Mario Canonge. The pinnacle of Angolan semba, Vum Vum. The queen of samba-soul, Catia Werneck. Pinduca, alias The King of Carimbo. The illustrious Nazaré Pereira. All came to lend a helping hand. Adding a dose of brass, guitar, flute, or vibraphone. Laying down keyboard layers, making the balafon resonate, taking the mic for a vocal caress or to unleash a powerful performance. To set poems to music or bring a touch of humor. Traveling between Brazil, the Caribbean, and Africa. Losing one's sense of direction in an Afro trance, between the rumble of the bass and swirling percussion, swaying until dehydrated on tough funk, gently undulating to Brazilian jazz-funk. Like on a biplane journey, contemplating Haiti, Trinidad, and the Antilles, admiring Cameroon, Guinea, and Burkina Faso. Flying over the Amazon rainforest, a spectator of its lush vegetation. Guts is at the controls of the aircraft. On the fuselage, a colorful and generous mural announces the name of this new album: PHILANTROPIQUES.