Analog Africa Germany Vinilo y CD

Review: Ary Lobo hails from the North of Brazil and has been considered something of a master of vocal indigenous styles like Baiao, Coco, Batuque and other related genres ever since he dropped his first album Forro con Ary Lobo in 1958. He suffered from prejudices against his northern musical styles throughout his career but still managed to eventually make his mark and become a real favourite and now Analog Africa has put together this vital and limited edition 180 gram gatefold album Ary Lobo 1958-1966 which collects his most standout works from all across a key eight-year period. A fine overview of an important figure in the evolution of Brazilian music.

Review: During the 1960s and '70s, there were few greater exponents of "Forro" - a North-Eastern Brazilian style with some similarities to traditional styles of Colombian dance music - than Camarao. The talented accordionist, composer and band-leader recorded a string of fine albums between 1964 and '74, and it's tracks from these that make up The Imaginary Soundtrack to a Brazilian Western Movie, Analog Africa's fine retrospective of the Camarao's work. Musically, it's a blast - a real melting pot of jaunty, grab-a-partner styles and sounds, rich in memorable horn lines, dazzling solos and fast-past accordion motifs - while the accompanying 12-page, LP-sized booklet tells the Accordionist's story in impressive detail.

Review: During the 1960s and '70s, there were few greater exponents of "Forro" - a North-Eastern Brazilian style with some similarities to traditional styles of Colombian dance music - than Camarao. The talented accordionist, composer and band-leader recorded a string of fine albums between 1964 and '74, and it's tracks from these that make up The Imaginary Soundtrack to a Brazilian Western Movie, Analog Africa's fine retrospective of the Camarao's work. Musically, it's a blast - a real melting pot of jaunty, grab-a-partner styles and sounds, rich in memorable horn lines, dazzling solos and fast-past accordion motifs - while the accompanying 28-page booklet tells the accordionist's story in impressive detail.

Review: Analog Africa is back with another of its eye-opening and mind-altering trips into musical wonderment here as the 20+ year-old label digs deep into the Andean city of Quito. It's the Ecuadorian capital and home to the music which makes up this vital collection and which owes so much to Polibio Mayorga. He spent much of his musical career trying to - and succeeding in - modernise the ancient rhythms of his region, namely Huaynito, Sanjuanito and Albazo. He did so with cutting-edge - at the time - electronic equipment and a trusty Moog and the result of his effort was that he is now regarded as a pioneer of tropical psychedelia. Dig in deep to hear how that happened across these superb 16 sounds.

Review: Initially discovered by the label via cassette tapes picked up in Jo'burg's Kohinoor store back in 1995, The Movers feature on the 35th in Germany's Analog Africa's series of band spotlights. As its title suggests, this captures the band's work across the lion's share of the 70s, and tracks like 'Hot Coffee' and '2nd Avenue' are irresistibly, instantly groovy, but also a fascinating sonic crossroads where African jit music meets the funk and soul of the US and the funkier end of the guitar music coming out of the UK and Europe at the same time. All executed In the most natural, free flowing, as well, which makes this package even harder to resist.

Review: Even by the consistently high standards of Analog Africa, this release is something special. It consists entirely of previously unheard music by Orchestre Abass, an obscure outfit from Togo who released a handful of singles on Polydor Ghana in the early 1970s. Remarkably, all bar one of the tracks on "De Bassari Togo" were found on a long forgotten reel of tape that had sat on a shelf in a Ghanaian warehouse for the best part of 35 years. That was ten years ago; it's taken that long to track down the remaining members of the band and license the material. In truth, the tracks have aged exceptionally well, with the band's infectious, organ-led sound adding distinct Arabic influences (a result of the band members' time spent studying in Islamic schools) to their heavy funk rhythms and riotous Afro-funk vibes.

Review: Analog Africa is back with a dedicated project celebrating Gnonnas Pedro, the king of Modern Agbadja, and they press it up on a marvellous double album that includes an eight-page booklet with a ton of extra info. This bumper pack features 16 of Pedro's best works, all of which captivated Africa at the time. His vibrant blend of Agbadja, Cuban fon, jerk, highlife and more unique styles, all of which come with vocals sung in Fon, Mina, Yoruba, French, English and Spanish, add up to one hell of a rich sound. A great testament to the artist's extraordinary legacy.

Review: Analog Africa has got their sights firmly set on Peru right now as they drop two vital new records on the same day. This one is the second volume of Sonic Expedition into the Peruvian Amazon with a specific focus on the years 1972 to 1986 across four sides of vinyl. It is a thrilling collection of high-energy Cumbia that indulges plenty of guitar-driven instrumentals that take you deep into the heart of the jungle. From the trilling acoustic riffs of Sonido Verde De Moyobamba's 'La Cervecita' to Los Invasores De Progreso's more slow and sun-kissed 'La Bola Buche,' this is a glorious listen.

Review: A unique political story told in 20 chapters, Angola 2 Soundtrack delves deep into the nine year history of recorded music culture that was born out of the live music oppression set in place by Portuguese rule. Between three labels over 800 recordings were released during this fertile period, each one reflecting Angolan folk and distinctive Latin influences. And these are 20 of the most creative highlights. From the frenetic guitar rhythms and harmonic chants of "Mabele" to the psychedelic highlife shimmers of "Avante Juventude" via the insistent, street-bound sermon of "Snipes", this collection is entrenched in a rich musical history. Complete with well researched booklet and powerful imagery, it's an immaculate lesson in modern music history.

Review: While Analog Africa always outdo themselves with their inconceivable form and approach to reissuing rare tropical music, this Record Store Day sees them providing us with some seriously special moves from the inimitable islands of Cape Verde. It was their Space Echo compilation, released a few years ago, that put the African archipelago back on the map, and we haven't stopped dancing since. Through a seductive blend of synths, drums, and unforgettable chanting, the style of Fukuna is on our hearts wherever we go. Antonio Sanchez, a leading figure in the golden era of the Cape Verde sound (70s-80s), release Buli Povo to limited international acclaim; the original is a rare find, and so it makes total sense to have it pressed up once again. But, act fast, because these WILL fly! Totally killer stuff.

Review: Famously, Shadow's Sweet Sweet Dreams album was panned by critics when it first appeared way back in 1984. In the years since, it has attained cult status, with collectors of Trinidadian music particularly enjoying its curious blend of bustling boogie electronics, Soca rhythms, traditional instrumentation and sassy disco-pop style. As this tasty reissue proves, the album has lost none of its lustre over the last 30 years. Put simply, it still sounds ahead of its time, with intergalactic dancefloor workouts such as "Let's Make It Up" (with its "we're gonna have a party" refrain) and "Way Way Out" resonating particularly loudly.

Review: Analog Africa have put together their 31st compilation here, and it's another essential, well curated overview of a fantastic funk sound, focussing on the genre's greatest originators, namely Osayomore Joseph, Akaba Man and Sir Victor Uwaifo. All of these artists' primary skill was to strip down funk down to its core essence and use it as a foundation to rebuild their own unique interpretations. Each one is imbued with the spirit of the Edo culture and all 12 cuts here pulse with driving rhythm and raw musicianship, bright keys and tripped-out guitars that bring the funk in utterly fresh and thrilling ways.

Review: A very special release, available for the first time internationally... Here Analog Africa explores the pollination of rural Brazilian music made by Amazon natives and the influence of escaped African slaves. Composed by Mestre Cupijo and recorded between 1975 and 1982, each track blasts and wheezes its own unique narrative. From the frenetic rhumba of "Tubarao Branco" to the spiralling horns and rich chants of "Siria Quente" via sad croons and concrete guitar strums of "Passarinho Siriri" there's a vibrant fusion of elements that will resonate with fans of music from both sides of the Atlantic.

Review: We are very happy to announce our 30th compilation from the Analog Africa regular serie, 'La Locura de Machuca 1975 - 1980', telling the story of Colombia's most atypical and peculiar record company: Discos Machuca. The seventeen tracks sound like little else recorded before or since. They exist outside of time or place, as vividly unhinged in 2020 as they were on the day they were first released. You have to hear it to believe it.

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: Analogue Africa's latest deep dive into the forgotten corners of global music culture shines a light on Mexico's 'pirata' (bootleg) compilations of the early 1980s - sets that contained edited, pitched down and distorted versions of genuine dancefloor hits from Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and other central and South American countries. The compilations themselves were, of course, highly illegal, came with very strange covers, and - because of the in-demand nature of the music on offer - sold well. It's a great collection of trippy tropical music all told, with the accompanying booklet - written by a local specialist in 'pirata' musical culture - doing a great job of providing background information and showcasing the movement's strong link with Mexico's soundsystem-powered 'dance-party' scene of the turn of the 80s.

Review: Analog Africa has repressed the highly valued and long since sold-out Congo Funk! Sound Madness From The Shores Of The Mighty Congo River: Kinshasa/Brazzaville 1969-1982. It is a compilation that superbly shows off the raw energy and funkiness of the Congolese rumba scene. This is the country that spawned such as legendary bands as African Jazz, OK Jazz and African Fiesta and it is said that the concert ahead of the legendary Rumble in the Jungle boxing match between Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman is what really set young hopefully musicians on their paths, after they saw James Brown play live. The story of those artists and the labels they released on in the ensuing years is what is told so well here across four sides of vital wax.

Review: Analog Africa doesn't do anything other than special releases really, but this one tracing the label's origins back to Zimbabwe over 20 years ago is a real standout. A carefully curated collection of 25 tracks with a fine booklet proving plenty of extra context, it captures the birth of the country's modern music scene and brims with the creative sound explosion of the 70s and 80s. Before genres were fully defined, artists blended rock, rumba, soul and traditional rhythms in bold, experimental ways that still stand up and get diggers and dancers excited in 2025. Included are never-before-released tracks from Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi and more and they all add up to rich and dynamic snapshot of Zimbabwe's peerless musical evolution during what was a transformative era.

Review: In 1976, seven Cabo Verdean musicians going by the name Voz Di Sanicolau gathered in a small recording studio in Rotterdam where they laid down an album of fearsome coladeira songs inspired by the music of their home island of Sao Nicolau.

The album took only a few days to record, which may explain the unexpected urgency that fires each track. Treble-soaked electric guitar lines snake back and forth through percussion-and-cavaquinho driven rhythms rooted in the sound of the islands established by the previous generation of Cabo Verdean emigres; subtle keyboards wash through the background, and the vocals, traded between Joana Do Rosario and To-Ze, alternately push the music forward and soar above it. The resulting album is both deeply felt and fiercely executed, and in its grooves one hears the sound of some of the finest Cabo Verdean musicians of their era locked in complete unity of purpose.

It should have been the beginning of something extraordinary; but the pressures of making ends meet forced the musicians back to their day jobs, and Voz Di Sanicolau vanished as quickly as they had appeared, leaving their lone album, Fundo de Mare Palinha, as sole proof of their existence. Forty-four years later the album sounds as fresh as it did the day it was recorded. It is unknown if dutch sound engineer Frans Rolland, who oversaw the recordings, knew he was helping to make history: during these sessions, Joana Do Rosario, whose majestic vocals were crucial to the sound of Voz Di Sanicolau, became the first Cabo Verdean woman ever to appear on a long playing record.