Review: Following 2012's fourth volume that celebrated the existential work of Tim Maia, here we find Luaka Bop exploring the legacy of William Onyeabor. A high chief and Kenyan diplomat who allegedly refuses to discuss his music, he self-released eight albums in the 70s and 80s and these are some of the many highlights. Stretching from the New York-influenced post-punk synth funk of "Good Name" to the most authentic Afro fusion of "Why Go To War", Onyeabor's range not only reflects his clear creative skill, but also the ever-developing international language of music during the fruitful period he was active. Who is William Onyeabor? Press play and find out yourselves...
Lexy Mella - "On The Air" (Rap mix - Frankie Francis edit - bonus 7") (3:47)
Review: Soundway offer us a new compilation featuring 20 rare tracks from the currently much talked about world of Nigerian pop music; a zeitgeist of their early 1980s club culture. The country's economy was booming at the time and so was its recording industry. Strongly influenced by '70s disco and funk, this new generation were, as the liner notes explain "Eager to sound as American as possible with no hint of the fervour for afro-beat, afro-rock and afrocentric thinking that the 1970s had thrown up". The original albums that many of these singles came from go for exorbitant prices online, so here's a chance to snap up some of the periods finest music, remastered across three 12"s.
Steve Monite - "Only You" (Frankie Francis Disco Jam edit) (7:55)
Tabu Ley Rochereau - "Hafi Deo" (Nick The Record & Dan Tyler re-edit dub) (10:15)
Review: Edits in the hole! Two Afrofunk gems enjoy floor-primed refocuses: Steve Monite's Doing It In Lagos-featured "Only You" gets a little juice from Sofrito's Frankie Francis who really brings the bass out in proceedings. Meanwhile on the B Nick The Record and Idjut Boy Dan Tyler tweak the energy and sheen of Tabu Ley Rochereau's "Hafi Disco" as the drums are given a little more momentum and the chorus and horns are really brought to the centre of the action. Stunning.
Review: Sounds like it came out of Lagos in 1971, actually written and recorded in Lyon in 2015: Voilaaa is the brainchild of Bruno Hovart whose long relationship with Favorite goes way back to his days as Patchworks, Mr President and The Dynamics. Recording on a whole host of vintage machines and calling upon local African singers both cuts have a real authentic sense of realness; "Spies Are Watching Me" drives with big horns and swooning strings which isn't dissimilar to the work of The Movers, while the TY Boys-esque "Le Disco Des Capitales" is a heavier, more concentrated slab of floor-minded disco where the groove takes more of a forefront role. Apparently there's a whole album of this cooking... We can't wait to hear it.
Review: South Africa's Letta Mbulu has put out a vast amount of quality material in her lifetime, and although the singer was based far away from Europe, her music was picked up by the London massive during the mid '80s at clubs like Dingwalls and featured heavily in the rare groove digs. The opener "Sweet Julu" is now a London two-step classic, while other tracks like "Nomalizo" or "The Village" are more on the disco side, all of them filtered with a distinctly tropical edge! A top reissue!
Review: This latest reissue from Awesome Tapes From Africa is the whole reason for founder Brian Shimkovitz starting the blog and the label that grew out of it. Some 13 years ago, Shimkovitz stumbled across a cassette copy of Obaa Sima whilst travelling Ghana and his love for Ata Kak's music lead to the foundation of the Awesome Tapes From Africa blog and the commencement of a long running effort to track down the Ghanaian musician. Some four years after ATFA became a label, Shimkovitz finally tracked down the musician, real name Yaw Atta-Owusu, and was granted permission to reissue Obaa Sima, using the second hand tape purchased in Ghana as the source. The seven tracks on this LP are a winning tinny combination of highlife, rap, pop, and more with "Daa Nyinaa" sounding like a cover version of William De Vaughn's "Be Thankful For What You've Got".
Review: Soundway's latest essential collection successfully shines a light on synth-heavy South African music of the 1980s, chronicling local musicians and producers' attempts to create their own hybrid forms of boogie, synth-soul and bubblegum pop. Naturally, compilers Miles Cleret and DJ Okapi have done a brilliant job bringing together killer cuts that showcase the best of South Africa's '80s synth sounds, while at the same time ensuring a high ratio of rare and hard-to-treats. While some of the tracks genuinely sound like they could have been made in New York, London or L.A, there are plenty of others that include multiple instrumental nods to a diverse range of contemporaneous South African sounds. Crucially, the music is superb throughout.
Mystic Djim & The Spirits - "Yaounde Girls" (5:51)
Bill Loko - "Nen Lambo" (6:23)
Bernard Ntone - "Mussoloki" (4:21)
Pasteur Lappe - "Sanaga Calypso"
Eko - "M'ongele M'am"
Olinga Gaston - "Ngon Engap"
Emmanuel Kahe & Jeanette Kemogne - "Ye Medjuie"
Nkodo Si-Tony - "Mininga Meyong Mese"
Pasteur Lappe - "Sekele Movement"
Pat' Ndoye - "More Love"
Clement Djimogne - "Africa"
Review: Just when you think that the well of obscure music from around the world has run dry, Analog Africa returns to put the record straight. Pop-Makossa shines a light on a glorious but largely overlooked period in the story of Cameroonian makossa, when local musicians began to replace funk and highlife influences with the rubbery bass of classic disco and the sparkling synth flourishes and drum machines of electrofunk. The resultant compilation, which apparently took eight years to produce, is packed full of brilliant cuts, from the heavily-electronic jauntiness of Pasteur Lappe's "Sanaga Calypso" and horn-totin' Highlife-disco of Emmaniel Kahe and Jeanette Kemogne's "Ye Medjuie", to the dense, organ-laden wig out that is Clement Djimogne's "Africa".
Review: Antal has already been dropping the worldly beats on this EP which is a fine stamp of approval for Israeli DJ and collector Elado. This marks his debut on the label having won plenty of fans for his offering on Eddie C's cult Red Motorbike. The music take its cues from all over the planet - Africa, India and the Middle East - and brims with disco joy, funk richness and plenty of earthly soul. 'Big Baba' is a classy party starter with good time feels, 'Gulab Jamun' is a foreign language acid laced love song and 'Blame' is synth heavy disco funk.
Review: Should you stumble on an original copy of N'Draman Blintch's 1980 album Cosmic Sounds for sale, it would cost you upwards of 1,000 Pounds. This, then, is a much-needed reissue. It contains four fine cuts that showcase the Ivory Coast-born musician's distinctively intergalactic take on Afro-disco, where spacey electronics and mazy synth lines rise above bustling, high octane grooves. The album does contain one decidedly laidback and loved-up slow jam - closer "She Africa (Ton Tour Viendra)" - but it's the celebratory brilliance of the set's dancefloor workouts that most impress. Check, in particular, the anthem-like strut of title track "Cosmic Sounds" and the hot-to-trot, solo-laden Afro-disco explosion that is opener "Self Destruction".
Rim & The Believers - "I'm Not Going To Let You Go" (3:11)
Rim & The Believers - "Peace Of Mind" (3:52)
Review: Having re-released Rim Kwaku's long lost Rim Arrives album, BBE follow it up with more dusty disco treasures from the Ghanaian hit maker's repertoire. From the blistering horns and thundering drum rolls of the near-nine-minute romp "Shine The Ladies" right the way through the looser, more Afrobeat-focussed "Peace Of Mind" by way of the emphatic Stevie Wonder-style showmanship of "I'm A Songwriter" it's a collection that still sparkles with soul 30 years after they were recorded. If you're unaware of Rim's story, you'd be wise to check it; from Quincy Jones endorsements to homelessness in the space of 24 hours, Rim's tales are as serious as his music is funky.
Fadumo Qassim & Waaberi Band - "Waa Kaa Helaa" (6:21)
Iftin Band - "Sirmaqabe" (6:28)
Mukhtar Ramadan Idii - "Baayo" (5:36)
Ahmed Shimaali & Ahmed Sharif "Killer" - "Hoobeya" (5:10)
Dur Dur Band - "Shaleedayaa" (3:47)
Dur Dur Band - "Ladaney" (5:06)
Bakaka Band - "Gobonimada Jira" (8:33)
Iftin Band - "Ii Ooy Aniga" (3:37)
Review: The result of three years of digging through tapes of "strange music" in the Radio Mogadishu archives and restless research to find the musicians involved, Analog Africa's latest compilation shines a light on Somalia's previously undocumented dance music scene. It features tracks recorded between 1972 and '91 by a variety of unknown artists, with the assembled music touching on disco, psych-funk, Moog-laden club-focused instrumentals and heavyweight, Bob Marley-inspired reggae rhythms. It's a hugely vibrant and entertaining set of off-kilter and unusual Somalian translations of American and Caribbean music styles, with the bumper accompanying booklet offering up a wealth of little-known information.
Review: Faze Action's Afro series hits a fourth and final volume with Zeke Manyika and Faze Action themselves at the helm of two new singles. The vibes on this one take their cues from Afro Latin and Balearic worlds with opener 'Maswera' bringing nice open-air festival sounds, rich horn work and expressive drum funk. Manyika's chants are the icing on the cake for this one. Then comes a nice dubbed-out remix of 'Rugare' by Faze Action with lively disco drums and loose-limbed percussion. The original on the flip is a more straight-up and dazzling disco cut while a paired back instrumental of 'Maswera' closes things down in style. Timeless Afro bombs for sure.
Bar Konon Mousso (Musicien C'est Pas Quelqu'un) (Ben Gomori N'est Pas musicien edit) (8:00)
Massa Kamba (Ben Gomori's Massabbatical edit) (9:11)
Review: This officially licensed 12" sees prolific British disco producer Ben Gomori take a scalpel to two cuts from veteran African musician Amadou Balake's 2015 album, In Conclusion. On side A you'll find a fantastic, eight-minute extension of the breezy shuffler "Bar Konon Mousso (Musicien C'est Pas Quelqu'un)", where snaking saxophone solos and sun-kissed, juju style guitars rise above a hot-stepping, bass-heavy groove. Turn to the flipside for a thrillingly epic take on "Massa Kamba", a deeper and slightly more musically intricate cut blessed with a blissful; Pat Metheny style jazz guitar breakdown, memorable chorus vocals and evocative horn lines.
Review:
A-grade diggers Kalita have a few top class releases on their hands this month and this is one of them: a first ever official vinyl reissue of Mpharanyana & The Peddler tunes 'Disco' and 'Freak Out With Botsotso.' This is worldly South African disco and funk from 1979 that comes with a super remix from Rotterdam-based DJ, producer and funk specialist Jamie 3:26. is version of 'Disco' is primed for modern dance floor with murky drums and the big vocal chants sure to get huge reactions. Meanwhile, opener 'Disco' keeps it deep and tropical with tumbling drums and a powerful bass riff, then 'Freak Out' ups the ante with more clipped disco funk o,
Review: Since it was first reissued a few years ago, Steve Monite's Only You album has gone from being a stupidly rare Nigerian boogie "holy grail", to an easy-to-access "must have" for anyone with even a passing interest in African disco and electrofunk. If you've yet to acquire a copy, we'd recommend picking up a copy of this officially licensed Soundway repress. It contains two different takes on the now anthemic 'Only You' - an infectious Lagos boogie delight - plus the pleasingly dubbed-out, piano-heavy electrofunk gem 'Things Fall Apart (Disco Jam)' (the original mix is also included at the end of side B), the slick and sweet 'Welcome My Love' and the more downtempo 'I Had a Dream'.
Review: A while back, Africaine 808's DJ Nomad contacted Favorite Recordings' chief Pascal Rioux about a killer track he'd been given some years back - an obscure, previously CD-R only fusion of modern Gwo-ka and Zouk by Esnard Boisdur entitled "Mizik Bel". Rioux was excited by what he heard and agreed that the track should come out on vinyl, accompanied by a fresh rework by Nomad and Dirk Leyers as Africaine 808. Boisdur's original version (side A) is rhythmically dense but also cheery and life affirming, with celebratory chorus vocals and 80s zouk style synth lines subtly rising above a busy, all-action groove. Arguably even better is the sub-heavy Africaine 808 mix, which brilliantly re-imagines the track as a tasty chunk of tropical house/disco-zouk fusion.
Review: Voodoocuts returns to Matasuna Records with another officially licensed 45, this time putting his expert touch on two disco gems by South African legends The Movers. Active from the late 1960s through the early 80s, The Movers were instrumental in shaping the country's vibrant music scene. Voodoocuts tackles 'Soweto Disco' and 'Shanana,' two tracks from their late-70s catalogue, and gives them his trademark treatment with pinpoint precision. The result is a fusion of South African rhythms with international influences like jazz, funk, and disco, transforming the originals into dynamite for any dancefloor. These reworks elevate the raw energy of the originals while remaining true to the spirit of the band. 'Soweto Disco' pulses with infectious grooves, while 'Shanana' offers a more laid-back vibe, but both are packed with the flair and soul that The Movers were known for. A perfect blend of local and global, these edits are a must-have for any record bag, seamlessly mixing South African funk with universal disco sensibilities.
Review: Since he last appeared on Razor 'N' Tape six years ago via a digital-only debut single, Dino Soccio has built up quite a catalogue of re-edits, not to mention a reputation as one of the scene's more interesting editors. It's for this reason that we're not surprised that his return to Aaron Dae and J Kriv's rework imprint is so good. It sees him offer up a quartet of killer cut-jobs that bounce between sumptuous, string-laden, French language Afro-disco (the superb "Fred's Groove"), sparkling up-tempo disco-boogie brilliance (the awesome "Star Beaming"), languid deep disco warmth (the dubby, spaced-out goodness of "Laid Back") and ultra-sweet, reggae-influenced Afro-boogie heat (sublime closing cut "Forgot").
Faut Pas Dire Des Choses Comme Ca (feat Pat Kalla) (4:38)
LYMYE-A (feat David Walters, Pat Kalla & Lass) (5:25)
Manu Ecoute Ca (feat Pat Kalla) (4:33)
Ku La Foon (feat Lass) (4:15)
Francois, Va Te Laver (feat Pat Kalla) (3:59)
Tenor Jam For Manu (feat Boris Pokora) (3:37)
Review: Favorite Recordings presents Voiciii, the third album by Voilaaa - the nom de plume of Bruno 'Patchworks' Hovart. It features guest vocalists such as Pat Kalla and Lass who he has worked with previously, but also new ones such as David Walters, Rama Traore and Ayuune Suule. There's also the addition of saxophonist Boris Pokora. The LP is a tribute to major artists of influential African sounds, such as Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango: from the empowering groove of 'Women Can Do', the late night boogie-down antics with a message on 'Water Get No Enemy' to the spiritual life music of LYMYE-A' - a delightful album from start to finish.
Akin Richards & The Executives - "Afrikana Disco" (6:25)
Tee Mac - "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" (5:40)
Joni Haastrup - "Greetings" (6:14)
Don Bruce & The Angels - "Ocheche (Happy Song)" (5:51)
Benis Cletin - "Get Up & Dance" (5:37)
Colomach - "Enoviyin" (5:02)
Joni Haastrup - "Do The Funkro" (4:04)
Tee Mac - "Living Everyday" (feat Marjorie Barnes) (5:19)
Arakatula - "Mr Been To" (4:01)
Angela Starr - "Disco Dancing" (5:30)
Joni Haastrup - "Wake Up Your Mind" (5:58)
Jimmy Sherry & The Musik Agents - "Nwaeze" (7:00)
Benis Cletin - "Soul Fever" (5:02)
Arakatula - "Wake Up Africa" (3:19)
Review: Another work of Soul Jazz curatorial gold: Nigeria Soul Fever is a detailed gatefold trip into one of Nigeria's richest chapters in music. Heavy trade restrictions allowed them to develop their own style without too much US or European influence and the result is an array of national talent who largely remained legends within their own borders. The range is mesmerizing; the sinewy synth and playground vocal Q&A of Benis Cletin's "Get Up & Dance", the ballroom disco soul of Tee Mac's "Living Everyday", the soulful afrofunk folk of Jimmy Sherry's "Nwaeze", the gut-punching power of Arakatula's album finale "Wake Up Africa". This is a treasure trove of unreleased gems that capture a truly unique time.
Review: Africa Seven's A7 Edits offshoot has already proved to be one of the better re-edit series around, primarily because they consistently employ some of the best re-editors in the business, offering them the opportunity to select tracks they want to rework from the parent label's vast catalogue of licensed cuts. This edition - the seventh EP to date - is another action-packed winner. Rising star Alan Dixon delivers a lightly tooled-up, all-action revision of Gyedu Bley Amadou's tropical disco classic 'Highlife', before Barcelona-based John Talabot and Pional re-frame Ekambi Brilliant's 'Afrika Afrika' as a kind of Afro-post-punk/dub disco mash-up. Over on side B, Escapade dances through a bouncy disco-house take on Pasteur Lappe's 'Na Real Sekele Fo Ya', while Jacques Renault expertly rearranges Michael Amara's Afro-disco-funk staple 'New Bell'.
Review: A veritable French fusion institution; classically trained Cameroon musician Eko Roosevelt Louis was responsible for a catalogue of exciting jazz funk, disco and afrofunk records throughout the 70s and remained active touring Europe until the 90s when he returned to Cameroon to inherit the role as tribal chieftain from his grandfather. Released in 1979, Funky Disco Music was his third album and packs some of his most powerful compositions. The triumphant title track says it all; laidback, charming and full of positivity it sets the scene for the whole trip. Highlights include the rock-tinged soul chugger "Une Chanson Sans Paroles", the highlife uplift of "Doi Da Manga" and the smouldering showstopper finale "Emen Ango". Dig deep and enjoy... Africa Seven promise more Eko reissues in the near future.
Review: Labels Hot Mule and Secousse have teamed up to deliver something special: a killer EP of "lost gems from the golden era of Zouk and Gwo-Ka" in Guadeloupe (that's 1985 to '92, fact fans). The four tracks showcased here were performed and produced by an artist whose fame in Guadeloupe sadly never spread any further, Max Rambhojan. The A-side boasts two versions of the rather brilliant and suitably cheery "Tou't Jou Pa Min'm": the jaunty, sun-kissed, whistle-sporting 1986 original mix, and Rambhojan's heavily electronic, synthesizer-heavy, calypso-tinged 1992 re-make of his biggest local hit. Over on side B you'll find the bubby dub bass, sparse synths and flute solos of the decidedly tropical "Cecilia" and a suitably breezy, sunset-ready gem entitled "On Jou Matin".
Review: Born out of a dingy basement club in Hollywood, Pleasure of Love has grown from an anything goes disco house party, to an adventurous re-edit label. Their edits reflect the spirit of the party and a limited pressing of 300 matches the capacity of the venue that holds it each week. The second release on the label is courtesy of Barcelona's Pau Roca, who serves up some sexy and lo-slung disco on "Liquid" (PR's edit), some spiritualised Afro boogie down business on "Ndlho" (PR's edit) and some sweltering conga action (with a touch of lounge) on the trance inducing "True" (PR's edit).
Review: Original copies of T.Z Junior's bubblegum-boogie cut "Sugar My Love" are hard to come by outside of the artist's home country of South Africa. It's been that way since the single was first released on Roy B Records in 1985, hence this tidy reissue from the on-point Jamwax label. The title track remains a breezy, melodious, cheery and soul-flecked treat, with T.Z Junior delivering a brilliantly evocative lead vocal over bustling bubblegum synths, delay-laden machine drums and an inspired electrofunk bassline. "Are You Ready For Love", meanwhile, may not be quite as celebrated but is equally as impressive. It's the kind of sun-kissed "bubblegum" treat that would sound perfect blasting out of a soundsystem on a hot summer's day.
Review: Last year, Marcel Vogel dusted down his Em Vee edit alias for the first time in three years, serving up a tasty four-pack of reworks for OYE's ongoing Edits series. It clearly inspired him to make more reworks, because now he's popped up on Razor-N-Tape with another fine selection of scalpel revisions. He begins by reworking a tongue-in-cheek chunk of disco silliness rich in spacey Moog lines and wonky vocals ("You Move Me"), before tweaking and rearranging a superb chunk of Latin-tinged tropical disco ("Spreading Energy"). "Don't Be Sabi Say" is a high-tempo chunk of Afrobeat/Afro-disco fusion full of ear-catching Nigerian vocals and bustling electric piano riffs, while "I Wish I Knew The Words" is a cheeky revision of an obscure Japanese synth-boogie number.
Review: Samosa Records is back with a summer edition titled Afrikano Vol. 1, featuring four tracks from various artists. On the A-side, Vagabundo Club Social kick things off with the life-affirming boogie vibes of 'Mr. Mista', while by C. Da Afro & De Gama are equally uplifting on 'Sweet Dance' that's all about the beat and horn breakdowns.Over on the flip, Atchoum & Grincheux appear with the spiritual life music of 'Demokousse' remixed by Les Inferno who underpins the track with infectious breakbeats and finally Lego Edit provides goes poolside and sunset on the low slung 'Afromaniaco'.
Don't Wanna Be Your Lover (feat Raymond Ledon) (5:36)
Get It In The Sun (feat Olugbade Okunade) (5:22)
Review: Sai Galaxy is a collective that draws inspiration and influence from 70s and 80s Nigerian artists such as Nkono Teles, Jake Sollo and Mike Umoh. Australian multi-instrumentalist Simon Durrington leads the way with Olugbade Okunade - former trumpet player from Seun Kuti's Egypt 80 - as well and guests Gabriel Otu, Ray Ledon and Vanessa Baker also playing on these sessions. There is everything from West African funk to a touch of psychedelia, with dance floor ready tunes like 'Get It In The Sun' irresistible to all who hear it.
Thandi Zulu & The Young Five - "Love Games" (Luke Una edit) (11:14)
Lionel Pillay - "Plum" (Luke Una edit) (12:51)
Review: 18 months after a fantastic launch instalment courtesy of the mighty Danny Krivit, Mr Bongo's Edits series returns. This time round, it's Manchester legend and 'E Soul Cultura' specialist Luke Una at the controls. On the A-side he handles 'Love Games', an obscure slice of mid-80s South African disco by Thandi Zulu and The Young Five, cannily focusing on the warm, gently funky groove and the track's spacey synth solos. Over on the flip, the Electric Chair co-founder takes on Lionel Pillay's percussion, synth-and-organ classic 'Plum', stretching out the most dancefloor friendly sections before unleashing waves of solos and the original's saucer-eyed, sun-splashed instrumentation.
Review: Kalita Records have secured rights to a first ever reissue of Wilson Boateng's 'Asew Watchman' and 'Mabre Agu' tunes as well as serving up two new extended mixes from Amsterdam-based producer and DJ Mendel for more useful dance floor deployment. Originally privately released in a small run by Wilson himself, these sought after highlife tunes were recorded in London and put out in 1988 and have been pretty much impossible to find ever since. They are phenomenally upbeat and feel good sounds with plenty of highlife melodies, lush synthesizers, disco and boogie beats finished in a truly authentic Ghanian style.
Review: South African funk outfit Stimela, named after the Zulu word for locomotive, formed out of the ashes of bandleader Ray Phri's previous band, The Cannibals, and soon became an institution in their homeland. Five albums deep in 1986, they also released the astounding Rewind EP, which now gets faithfully reissued by Mr Bongo for a fresh audience. Every track on here is a winner, from the epic, proggy groove of 'I Love You' to the low slung, synth-rich funky angles of 'Shaka Doo Ba'. You won't regret copping this slab of wax, trust us.
Review: Hot Piroski Records have been on something of a hiatus for the last year or so but now make a welcome return with a new EP series. This collaborative affair is the result of an epic journey in an old Mercedes from London to Gunjur and finds label head Robin 12Tree working with The Gambia and Bongo Koi as Gambian Disco Express. 'Enlightenment is Now' marks their first release on Hot Piroski Records and it comes with vocals from Gambian mystic Rev. Joseph N'Gole, recorded on the banks of the River Gambia. This one has already been hammered by Psychemagik, Pete Herbert, and Severino from Horse Meat Disco so it comes quality assured.
Review: A strong, strong showing from Duca Bianco after a period of relative dormancy, teaming up with Manchester's Talking Drums for a musical culture clash with maximum impact. The four tracks see a wide palate of influences being mixed up, from the cheeky Afrobeat shuffle of 'Monkey Key' to the 80s electropop of 'Voice Of Omicron' and the Nico-esque vocal delivery on Balearic groover 'Dolce Julia'. This is an EP with lots of surprises, tons of originality and musical confidence brimming over its edges.
Review: Sol Power Sound is back in a big way with a reissue and remix EP from the legendary Nigerian Ju-Ju king, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey. The double A-side EP features 'Eyi Yato', a tune from 1981, that captures Chief Commander and his band at their absolute funkiest. It's as if there's something in the name itself - 'Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey' - that commands an almost godlike, daresay tyrannical command over each conjunctive performance here; every one of the All-Stars' parts play back as though they've puppeteered to an autocratic degree, resulting in a funky tightness that only obedience to the most just of authorities can muster. The original, with its boinging jews' harps and wahhing guitars, is the patent highlight; but we're sure you'll be no less pleased to learn of the (double-time! dub disco!) Mad Professor flip (...!) that's on there too (winky face).
Leo Basel - "Quelle Drole De Vie" (Nick The Record & Dan Tyler rework) (7:31)
Love Isaacs - "Surprise Surprise" (Joao Gomes & Dan Tyler Are Predictably Delayed rework) (5:43)
Rick Asikpo & Afro Fusion - "Let's Get High" (Nick The Record re-edit) (12:36)
Review: As Tangent, one of London's cherished underground institutions, marks a decade of unforgettable nights, it does so with a meticulously curated compilation on Mr Bongo. The new release is more than a celebratory gesture; it's a sonic anthology reflecting the essence of a decade spent at the heart of the city's underground scene. Curated by Tangent's own John Gomez and Nick the Record, the compilation presents a blend of rare and dancefloor-ready tracks that have defined their parties over the years. This isn't merely a collection of past hits; it's a celebration of the edits that transformed these tracks into Tangent anthems. Alongside remastered reissues, the CD edition includes three exceptional edits by Nick, John, and Dan Tyler of the Idjut Boys, each crafted with the kind of attention to detail that only years of club experience can bring. Nick's collaboration with Dan Tyler on Leo Basel's 'Quelle Drole De Vie' breathes new life into a 1987 remix, honing in on the standout elements of the original. The result is a vibrant, French boogie-infused track that promises to elevate any dancefloor. John and Dan's rework of Love Isaacs' 'Surprise Surprise' offers a cosmic twist on 80s electro-funk, extending the grooves and adding a highlife touch that enhances the track's dancefloor potential. The compilation's crowning piece is Nick's edit of Rick Asikpo and Afro Fusion's 'Let's Get High'. This 12-minute reimagining takes the energetic climax of the original and expands it into a frenetic, cosmic journey, showcasing synthesised jazz-funk in its most exhilarating form. This release is not just about revisiting old favourites; it's about acknowledging the transformative power of edits and the unique role Tangent has played in shaping London's underground music scene over the past decade.
Review: New to Soundway Records comes this second edition of Ghana Special, a comprehensive compilation of '80s Ghanaian-diasporic highlife and its embrace of synthesiser and new wave elements. 20 years on from the first compilation in the series, which was released in 2009 and focused on modern and contemporary forms of highlife, this second volume focuses more on tracing the development of the sound as it took on increasingly synthetic forms. The scheme of things goes something like this: drum machines and synthesisers appeared alongside lilting guitar lines and punchy horns, and Ghanaian musicians began incorporating US disco and boogie, r&b, European new wave, and Caribbean zouk and soca into their music. A kind of socioeconomic history lesson conjoins this musicology: the eighties saw unrestricted migration policies in Western nations in the postcolonial era, which enabled new crossover industries to flourish. Thus the music you hear on this compilation was born, and thrived, and continues to thrive.
Review: A warm welcome back to Bruno Hovart's Voilaaa project, traditionally a revivalist Afro-disco vehicle best known for 2015 dancefloor smash 'Spies Are Watching Me'. 'Fache', featuring Pat Kalla, explores similar sonic territory, with punchy Afrobeat horns, woozy chords and crunchy clavinet licks rising above a low-slung, hypnotic, dub disco-meets-Afro-boogie groove. It comes accompanied by a fine, effects-laden instrumental dub and a trio of similarly tasty bonus cuts: the warming, early garage-house and deep house influenced 'Trouble Travel' (featuring Jai-Nah), the languid, soulful and Latin-influenced 'Too Young To Die (featuring Olivia)' and the Afro-speckled disco-goes-jazz-funk loveliness of 'Trop Jeune Pour Sa'.
Review: Former Whiskey Barons man Bosq has enjoyed a long working relationship with Nigeria-based, Benin-born guitarist and vocalist Kaleta. We make this the pair's eleventh collaborative single in the last decade and, as with their previous outings, it trumphantly blurs the boundaries between Afro-disco, Afro-beat and Afro-funk. On side A you'll find vocal and instrumental takes on 'Meji Meji, a pleasingly live-sounding affair full of rubbery bass guitar, righteous horns, infectious drums and Kaleta's evocative guitar licks. Over on the flip, they opt for even heavier, life-affirming horn motifs, Afro-disco grooves and more sun-splashed Afro-funk guitars on vocal and instrumental versions of the similarly inspired 'Sonayon'.
Review: Produced and sleeked out at Opal Studios in NYC, back in 1975, Buari's self-titled LP has been a cornerstone of international highlife music since it was first released. The original is now an arduous item to find at a decent price, so we thanks the Be With label for having repackaged an essential Afro LP that is a must have for anyone into anything outside a constant beat drum. "Karam Bani" opens with a forceful helping of funk, percussive to to the max, and this same hypnotic groove formula is present across the entirety of the A-side, making this a sampler's dream come true. On the flip, "Iro Le Pa" is the stand-out tune for us, a rhythm that makes Theo Parrish's Ugly Edits seems kinda tame! Recommended.
Review: The star-studded Sai Galaxy project returns, bringing together West African legends Steve Monite and Rob with multi-instrumentalist Simon Durrington, guitar maestro Alfred Bannerman, and Egypt 80 trumpet player Bade, for a second EP of vital Afro-disco and soul. Following up 2020's 'Get It As You Move' EP, the likes of 'Sometimes It Rains', the homonymous 'Okere', the truth-to-power 'Rich Man, Poor Man', and the live and swinging coda 'Hold Me Tonight' paint a multifaceted picture of a trio, equally as concerned with groove delivery as they are with narrative storytelling. Most emblematic of Sai Galaxy's approach is their inspiration by analog production techniques of similar Afro-soul albums from the 1970s and 80s, adding a modern touch informed by Simon Durrington's Digital Afrika project.
Review: Jonny 5 is known for his superlative edits as well as heading up the Bahnsteig 23 label and here he returns from time out becoming a father to kick off this new one from Duca Bianco. 'Joy riding' is loopy disco-post-punk for a peak-time trip. Multi Culti man Dreems then brings the Afro party vibes with his 'Bususua' which is packed with dub fx and steeped in fun. Miserymix then throws in their Italo-licked post-disco and punk sounds on 'Adjust Your Love' before a big finale by Black Bones. They offer a deep and dubby house that has been a secret edit for a while but finally gets unveiled here to great effect as it worms its way into your brain.
Review: After successfully showcasing his wares via EPs on GAMM, Razor N Tape and Barefoot Beats, fast-rising re-editor Elado pitches up on Bonfido Disques for the very first time. The resultant 12" contains some of his most interesting re-edits yet, with Elado cunningly opting for eccentric and oddball source material. 'Deepy Mango' sounds like a cross between proto-house, post-punk synth-pop and Kwaito - and that's a great thing in our book - while 'Space Lokum' is a throbbing revision of what sounds like a North African electro-disco obscurity (an Arab take on the Giorgio Moroder sound, basically). Over on the flip, 'Massi Tobi' is a boogie-era tropical disco gem from the Francosphere given a subtle makeover. In a word: excellent!
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