Diafrix

Diafrix is an Australian hip-hop group formed in 2001 in Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria. The group comprises Momo and Asmarino, and also works with producer Ptero Stylus from the Blue Mountains, who helps shape its sound.

Style and background

The group’s music combines African rhythms, dancehall, funk, Australian hip hop and reggae. Its sound is described as a blend of these influences rather than a single fixed genre. Diafrix draws on the backgrounds of its two frontmen, both of whom are African refugees.

Momo comes from the Comoros Islands and arrives in Australia with his family at the age of three. His background leaves him feeling isolated in a community that is not yet accustomed to African migration. Asmarino is originally from Eritrea and reaches Australia after a period of moving through countries including Jordan, Italy and Switzerland while seeking citizenship.

Recordings and live work

Diafrix follows a successful EP in 2006 with its debut album Concrete Jungle, which develops the group’s established sound while retaining its raw energy. The group builds a strong reputation on the live circuit and appears at festivals including Big Day Out, Meredith, Good Vibrations and Falls Festival. It also holds residencies at Melbourne venue The Evelyn.

In early 2009, Diafrix tours Europe, playing in packed smaller venues in cities including Paris, London and Amsterdam. The group is also named as a Make Poverty History ambassador alongside figures including Rove McManus, Brooke Satchwell, Zoe Naylor, Missy Higgins and Lior.

Notable appearance

Diafrix is added to the lineup for Pyramid Rock Festival on Phillip Island, where it appears on the Pyramid stage.