Makala, What? For those of you who do not know who Makala is, here are a few clues. Born Mikel Unzurrunzaga Schmitz on 23 May 1970 in the Basque town of Zarautz, his professional life has revolved around his two passions, surfing and music. He first broke onto the music scene in the '90s, going by the name of Makala. Over the years his sessions have embraced an ever increasing range of musical styles: from afrobeat to funk, soul to reggae, ska to hip hop, boogaloo to dub, rocksteady to jazz, all mixed, cut and ready to be enjoyed.