Hip-Hop News

Here comes Experiment, new album by French quartet band,
TRIBEQA, affirming their special sound mixing elements of Afro,
Jazz and Hip-Hop together.

An exchange between several voices of African artists (the Congolese Flamme on guitar, the late Cameroonian Hilaire Penda on bass, the Beninese Angélique Kidjo on vocals, and the dj singer producer
from South Africa Mo Laudi on the mike) gathered for the dance and celebration of this World Heritage work. The most popular anthem of classical music revisited in Afro Pop mode for crowds around the world. About this project, the producer Philippe Cohen Solal (ex-Gotan Project) tells: « When Mo Laudi, a Paris-based South African DJ, joined me in the studio, he delivered a great rap full of positive energy and geopolitical rhymes, from Patrice Lumumba to Biko and from Congo to São Paolo. Then Queen Angelique Kidjo, like a divine diva, fervently sang her hymn "Lonlon" in the Mina language, where the Afro literally meets the Bolero. We will not forget the fine team that allowed me to concoct this sacred cocktail: Flamme Kapaya,
outstanding Congolese guitarist, the Parisian DJ-beatmaker Lazy Flow and the late Hilaire Penda, Cameroonian bass player who unfortunately left us since. Benin, South Africa, Congo and Cameroon meet in Paname, the capital of World Sound, but the musical adventure did not stop there. The remixes take us straight to London with Poté, to Berlin with Daniel Haaksman and to Johannesburg with the super-group Batuk formed by the godfather of the African electro Spoek Mathambo, the kwaito maestro Aero Manyelo and the Mozambican singer Manteiga. At a time when travel is prohibited or
not recommended, let us be glad that music does not need certificates or passports and knows no borders ».

Beautiful contemporary African music. Deep percussion with great guitar playing and vocal chants on top. Driving basslines all over the album. Spiritual feel! Tip
.
Son of the legendary Dr Philip Nchipi Tabane and heir to the malombo sound that he originated and pioneered in the early 1960s, Thabang Tabane has been touring the world playing with his father's band and other South African luminaries (such as Thandiswa Mazwai, Madala Kunene and Mabi Thobejane) since he was 8 years old.

Emerging into his own with his debut solo album, Matjale, this energetic percussionist carves a driving, joyous and worldly version of the malombo genre that takes in his continental travels. The album brims with ambition and an appetite for life. Employing brisk tempos, nimble basslines and intersecting polyrhythms, Thabang crafts songs cognisant of the hardships of life, but chooses to deliver them with an irrepressible optimism.

Expanding parameters of what is essentially an artform patented by his father, Thabang and his cohorts seem unburdened by pedigree, infusing the sound with a modern sensibility. His reverence for the vibrational resonance and drive of the bass guitar, not to mention his explosive bursts of hand drumming, gives the album an undeniable, cathartic exuberance.

We're delighted to kick off our 10th anniversary celebrations with a release from an artist we've long admired, Dusseldorf's Harmonious Thelonious. His explorations into minimalism and polyrhythms have been staples in our sets since we were first connected via the Salon des Amateurs, and we couldn't be happier to welcome him into the Highlife fold with one of his brightest sounding records yet - documenting his musical adventures in Uganda.

Nkumba System, new project led by guitarist Guillo Cros (Romperayo) provides a vibrant fusion of catchy percussions, Afro-Colombian songs and Cameroonian guitar picking style linking Central Africa to the Caribbean! Nkumba System is about to fill the dancefloors with debut album ¡Bailalo Duro!, recorded between Bogotá and Paris.
On the imaginary highway of Guillo Cros, makossa crosses paths with cumbia, Zairean rumba combines with that of Cuba and last but not least, currulao melts into Malian desert blues. Cros' journeys led him to meet the Cameroonian singer Mama Ohandja, alongside whom he trained for several years. Thereafter, he resided in Bogotá from 2014 to 2019, collaborated with Pedro Ojeda in the band Romperayo and “Los Propios Bateros” (7” NYCT). His current project Nkumba System was born in 2018, inside Colombia's effervescent tropical music scene. The original line-up includes bassist Jhon Socha (Romperayo, la Makina del Karibe), singerpercussionist Leonel Merchan (La Phónoclórica) and Kike Narvaez on drums. Several singles were
released on local labels Tambora Records and Palenque Records, preceeding the arrival of Cameroonian guitarist Simba Daniel Evousa in the band. The drummer Pedro Ojeda, travelling companion in Romperayo, is invited on the track “Mujer hermana”, as well as the Malian singer Mamani Keita on “Paisano”. The album is mixed in
Amsterdam by sprawling musician Alex Figueira (Fumaça Preta, Conjunto Papa Upa, Music With Soul), in his studio Barracão Sound, and comes as a Limited Pressing.

Pure heat is the result when Bosq gets his mitts on Kaleta & Super Yamba Band's track "Jibiti", transforming the mid-tempo original into a bonafide Afro-Disco dancefloor burner rife with psychedelic vibes and punchy horns.The band is currently riding high revelling in their short yet scene-stealing turn rocking the stage on Hulu's series remake of cult-classic film High Fidelity

Originally released in 1982, on Cobiana Records.

Limited deluxe version of 500 copies on 180 gram vinyl, with insert and tip-on cover.

Tustumnhos di Aonti can be defined as “a testimony of the weakness of yesterday.” The album is an African Groove made with European instruments, but with its heart and soul deeply grounded in Guinea-Bissau. The eight tracks represent Ze Manel’s (member of Super Mama Djombo) poetic yet frustrated account of what was happening around him. “Love is a social thing, when I see something I don’t like, I sing it in my way. About the people. The people are never wrong.”

'Legend' is lofty praise that is often used lightly, however, Mike D from the Beastie Boys certainly is one in the truest of spirits. We are delighted after over 30 years of being involved in music to finally release a project involving such a hip-hop pioneer and icon as Mike. In keeping with the maverick attitude of the Beastie Boys, you don't always get what you expect. For this release there isn't a hip-hop beat, instrumental-funk or hardcore-punk joint in sight, rather an electronic-African club banger.

Mike took it upon himself to rework Malian artists Idrissa Soumaoro and L'Eclipse De L'I.J.A. and their track ‎’Nissodia', which is taken from the 'Le Tioko-Tioko' album originally released in 1978 on the German Democratic Republic (GDR) label ETERNA. The song was also featured on 'The Original Sound Of Mali' compilation released on Mr Bongo back in 2017.

It was November 2019 and the day before a Mr Bongo 30 years celebration event in Paris at the Pedro party in the 'New Morning' club, when out of the blue the remix landed in Dave Mr Bongo's inbox. We loved it straight away and decided to road test it the next night in the club. Whether it be a remix/re-edit/rework, it doesn't matter, what does matter is that it works spectacularly in the club and had people jumping on the stage to dance at the party. A sensational track and one which leaves a beautiful memory of good-times from a night out in Paris (and one which is in retrospect is even more poignant as the late-great maestro Tony Allen was in the club that night), and we are sure it will light up many more dancefloors to come.

Originally released in 1982, on Cobiana Records.

Limited deluxe version of 500 copies on 180 gram vinyl, with insert and tip-on cover.

Tustumnhos di Aonti can be defined as “a testimony of the weakness of yesterday.” The album is an African Groove made with European instruments, but with its heart and soul deeply grounded in Guinea-Bissau. The eight tracks represent Ze Manel’s (member of Super Mama Djombo) poetic yet frustrated account of what was happening around him. “Love is a social thing, when I see something I don’t like, I sing it in my way. About the people. The people are never wrong.”

DJ/producer Don Pascal has long been an advocate of fusing London’s sound system aesthetic with more traditional music from around the globe.

Following on from his 2014 release The Cali Experiment, (fusing Latin influences with the sounds of London’s underground club scene) we are happy to announce his forthcoming album The Dakar Experiment.

Featuring musicians from Senegal’s legendary evolving band Xalam, The Dakar Experiment is a sonic exploration fusing Senegalese musicianship and London’s Broken Beat scene.

As the homogenised sound of western pop permeates traditional music the world over, The Dakar Experiment offers an alternate pallet of influence, retaining tradition yet suggesting other possible paths.

The foundations of the album were laid at Henri Guillabert’s studio in Dakar over most of 2016 with Moustapha - Taffa – Cisse, Yahael Camara Onono and of course Henri and Don, then completed in London with an array of musicians, pulling on the city’s vibrant and re-emergent Broken Beat scene.

Featuring vocals by Lyric L, Rich BLK and Niara Scarlett, and remixes by EVM128, Trev and Xtra Brux, The Dakar Experiment is an exercise in finding what connects us in an increasingly divisive world.

The Kenyan music scene is one of the most diverse and vibrant in Africa. However, ask any Kenyan which pop music style truly represents Kenya as a nation and there is only one possible answer: benga.

Benga is a pop style with its roots in traditional rhythms, instruments, and melodies. Luo musicians from western Kenya brought the style to prominence in the late 60s but other cultural/linguistic groups in other parts of Kenya quickly developed their own localized variants. With its pulsing beat, interlocking guitars, extended solos, and rapid-fire bass, benga music has dominated the Kenyan music scene over most of the post-colonial period.

Kakai Kilonzo is one of only a handful of benga artists to attract a broad following across Kenya. He opened up his music to others outside his Kamba language and background by singing in Swahili, which is widely understood throughout Kenya. At the same time, with catchy melodies and engaging lyrics, Kakai sang about subjects that all Kenyans can relate to: songs on all aspects of love and marriage, on social responsibility, societal ills (like drinking and witchcraft), moral guidelines, national unity, economic development, and more.

The songs on this compilation are taken from across Kakai's recording career, spanning from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, shortly before his illness and untimely death in early 1987, aged only 33. No Wahala Sounds are proud to present this selection of hard-to-find 45s from Les Kilimambogo Brothers, which are being released on vinyl here, for the first time outside Kenya.

The vinyl version includes a free CD copy of the album.

Due for release on 31 July 2020. Interest for airplay from Tom Ravenscroft and Gideon Coe from BBC 6 Music, DJ Ritu from Resonance FM/SOAS Radio, Roger Hill from BBC Merseyside and Steve Barker from BBC Lancashire.

The members of the Zonke Family from Nyamapanda, Zimbabwe, belong to the few remaining master musicians of the matepe, a type of lamellophone which belongs to the family of the mbira. This complex interlocking music is played on each instrument with four fingers, each employing independent rhythmic patterns which effects many psychoacoustic tricks on the listener's ear.

This is the first time ever a full matepe ensemble is captured on a studio album. We hope this album is a step towards bringing this music to new audiences – as well as a contribution to its preservation.

Following a successful EP in 2019, featuring remixes from Osunla
& Pocz, Olindo Records are proud to present “Wono”, the debut collaborative album from Koichi Sak& Afla Sackey.

The album is a deep exploration of Koichi's love of both electronic and West African music, in close collaboration with Ghana-born master percussionist, singer, band leader, teacher and songwriter, Afla Sackey.

Featuring 7 tracks ranging from the meditative “Yamb”, which features master kora player Kadialy Kouyate, to the acid infused, slow house workout of “Niege”. Passing through a contemporary highlife take on advance single “Suolo” and an album version of the previously released “Jingo”.

Koichi Sakai is a London-based producer and DJ, a well-known head in London music circles thanks to his role in co-founding the legendary Afrobeat Vibration nights alongside Dele Sosimi. He has previously recorded and released music with Kay Suzuki as Afrobuddha, and they recorded a set together for Boiler Room.

Afla Sackey is leader of 10-piece afro funk and highlife orchestra, Afrik Bawantu, and the man who the likes of Kokoroko call when they need some extra power on the percussion or a singer to lead their Church of Sound tribute to Ebo Taylor.

Koichi Sakai & Afla Sackey’s first collaborative project on Olindo Records, the “Wono” EP released late last year, received widespread support, particular from Gilles Peterson on BBC Radio 6 Music, Defected Radio, Mafalda, Hector Plimmer & Zakia (NTS), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM), Tim Garcia (Música Macondo/Jazz FM), Music is my Sanctuary, TwistedSoul, Mari* & Papaoul (Worldwide FM), Alan McKinnon and DJ Harv.

We still have copies of Koichi Sakai’s Wono ep OR004 and Betsayda Machado LP ORLP003 should you like more.

Omo Lewa is a delicious slice of Afrobeat blended with funk, jazz and Highlife in a style that has become synonymous with its creator Peter King, one of Nigeriaʼs most talented multi-instrumentalist.

Originally released on Sonny Robertsʼ Orbitone label in 1976, the album was one of Kingʼs two ʻAfrojazz' releases for the label.
It still sounds captivating more than 30 years later.

Omo Lewa is part of a series of Peter King reissues on Mr. Bongoʼs Classic African Recordings series.

The LP features fully reproduced original artwork. Produced on heavyweight, oldstyle packaging, the same as the original LP.

Original label art. Licensed from Clinton Roberts.

A collection of contemporary reggae, dub and electronica, which marks a broadening of musical horizons for the label beyond reissues of lost African guitar dance music. The LP covers a range of Jamaican inspired sounds, including roots reggae, dancehall, dub and jungle, which may act as a taster for potential future releases.

Due for release in July 2019. Interest for airplay from Tom Ravenscroft and Gideon Coe from BBC 6 Music. Steve Barker plans to review for The Wire magazine

- Standard CD im Gatefold mit 12-seitigen Booklet. Artwork von Lisolomzi Pikoli.
- Schwarzes Doppelvinyl (140g) im recycelten Gatefold mit bedruckten Innenhüllen & Downloadcode. Artwork von Lisolomzi Pikoli.

Penya came through the door of 2018 with a bang. Their debut LP Super Liminal had been carefully guided by On the Corner having started the journey with a pair of conceptual cassette releases and remixes of a first single by Jose Marquez and DJ Khalab in 2016.

Super Liminal was tipped as one of the LPs of early 2018 not to miss. The album sold out and the band were soon taking their club ready percussive electronica to festivals around Europe. A prime slot at Worldwide Festival, Leysin led the band around Europe and the UK with highlight's including a support slot for Sons of Comet at the innovative Brainchild Festival. They are finishing the year with a slot at WorldwideFM's second birthday party before heading back into the studio.

Whilst the band hit the festival circuit, On the Corner friends and family got busy reworking the in demand 'Super Liminal'.

The remixes on this 12' pushes the Penya sound over the border of the club ready aesthetic and expands with a variety of energies from club culture across continents.

The A-side opens up with a stylish, uniquely individual and layered rework of Cham Bomb by Photay. Drama weaves elegantly with international flavours and a reference for future Afro-Cuban percussive electronica. This track ushers the listener into a private haven of adventure from the get go.

The pulsing, driven energy of Sarathy Korwar's fearsome drum rework is the closest of these reworks to the source material. The deviation is immediate however with a live feeling ripping, tripping and kicking through the foundation of 'Why So Angry'. This is a definite taste of what's to come with Sarathy a delicious addition to Penya's live work when they push later into the night.

Dengue Dengue Dengue cross more continents and bring their signature dreamy Amazonian-Berlin magic to cast spells over main stages and evoke dreamy emotive dynamics for adventurous floors with 'Search it Out'.

On the flip Indian producer, and Penya's label mate, Daisho straightens up 'Iyesa' and kick's it forward with a solid 4x4 for the tool box. Daisho is quickly becoming a safe pair of hands and is under the wing of On the Corner's A&R future vision.

The release is closed out by Al Zanders adding a UK House groove to the proceeding. The rework of Tribes swings into an electro bounce as the young producer stretches and loiters with a new adventure for the dancefloor.

Victoria Topping spices up On the Corner's disco sleeve's with a nod to the dark side and the joy of shaking up the early A.M.s

South African disco 12” originally released in 1983, the start of the country’s ‘bubblegum’ era. Adaye was a once-off studio project featuring members of Stimela, the SA supergroup formerly known as The Cannibals and at the time also recording under aliases like the Street Kids and Kumasi. As Adaye they roped in singer Al Etto and went into the studio with Heads Music boss Emil Zoghby, who shares songwriting credits with Ray Phiri on the only track they released: ‘Turn It Up’ - an eight-minute slice of guitar funk throbbing to a disco beat. Remastered from the original tapes and reissued on DJ Okapi’s Afrosynth Records.

Deep and wicked West African Disco ultra rarity (Recorded in Lagos, 1981) by the band of Cameroonian multi-instrumentalist, Francis Mbilong..
Don't sleep on this winner!

Born in 1952 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Francis Mbilong, would go on to lead an exciting and diverse career all across West-Africa. From a very young age at the behest of a family friend, Francis studied harmonium, clarinet, saxophone, and many other instruments. He would eventually funnel most of his talent into the guitar, on which he would write the majority of his body of work. After releasing several recordings under myriad band names during the 1970s, Francis went on to form his longest-standing outfit, Revelation; a name under which he has released recordings as recently as 2020.

At the time of the release of Love Affairs by Revelation in 1981, Mbilong would spend most of his time gigging in a club called Phoenicia in Lagos, Nigeria. He preferred the ambiance of a luxury night club to the regular clubs in Lagos, and gigging there afforded him the privilege of sitting in on jam sessions when acts like Kool & The Gang, or Bob Marley were in town. Altogether his career was storied and multitudinous, and was made possible by his immense talent as a musician.

Love Affairs contains within its seven tracks, a heady, deep, soulful approach to boogie that is seldom tapped by other recordings of its time. Mbilong's careful and disciplined approach to songwriting sets this album in a tier elevated from the usual four-on-the-floor disco routine. Each song is more engaging than the last, and each pocket respectively deeper. Revelation serves a familiar live-off-the-floor energy with the precision and soulfulness of a group of musicians who are as comfortable with each other as they are talented. The infectious rhythms on this album are the stuff of earworms and dancing is mandatory.

You're probably still listening to the "24/7 Love Affair" album by Soulphiction so we'll keep this short and sweet.
What we have here is something special, a brand new track, Niederbeat Gospel Dub, plus a special version of Feelin' Good.

Two tracks that we felt needed a release of their own, something that can only be described as house music of the highest caliber done with the Soulphiction trademark twist.

Thatmanmonkz returns after his critically acclaimed and just damn good 2nd LP 'Non Zero Sum Game' with a heavyweight remix package !!

Favourite LP cut 'Them Thangs' anchors the EP, with Detroit superhero Waajeed laying down a typically high class interpretation, trademark Dirt Tech vibes abound, with equal parts motor city machine soul and tough rhythms taking the original straight to the floor.
Talking of which, the OG Dubstramental concentrates the irresistible groove into an effortlessly fierce afro-centric House jam.

After the PPF crew submitted their tearaway rewire of one of the LP's tougher moments 'Freaks 'N Prophets' its place on this 12 was assured.
A Chicago style slammer that extends and leans into the powerhouse groove with a nod to the forefathers.
Finally, a previous digital release highlight (which got a lot of love) finishes off the EP, a flute-laden romp for dancin' close.

Damily was born in 1968 in Tongobory, a village surrounded by the great Malagasy river Onilahy. His career as a professional Tsapiky musician began in 1986; he settled in France in 2003, and since then has been developing his international career with his Malagasy musicians. This album is a compilation of his cassettes recorded in Madagascar between 1995 and 2002.

"Nicolas Gaunin's surreal sound experiments lift you out of the everyday and transport you to an off-world Tiki lounge set high amongst the tree tops of a tropical rainforest, where you're surrounded by bizarre, colourful creatures and weird psychotropic plants. Noa Noa Noa is modern Dada, a neon soundtrack to your most outlandish fever dreams.
Nicolas Gaunin is the alter ego of Nicola Sanguin, part of the vibrant experimental music scene around Padua, Italy where he plays in outsider rock groups The Lay Llamas and Orange Car Crash. Nicolas Gaunin is his solo electronic project, a bright and playful cosmic mash-up that uses the rhythms of traditional African percussion groups and skews them slightly to create unsettling, off-kilter grooves. These drum machine experiments are laid over a teeming microscopic sound world of bird calls, insect chatter and weird jingles reminiscent of advertising earworms or video game soundtracks.
Noa Noa Noa takes its influences from music from around the world, and inspiration from high and low culture; from composer Gyorgy Ligeti to the cosmic sounds of Italian DJ Danielle Baldelli, from the experimental music of Moondog or Harry Partch to the playful sounds of Francis Bebey or the exotica of Martin Denny, from Iannis Xenakis to 8-bit video game music. Noa Noa Noa ends up sounding something like the imaginary soundtrack to the Nintendo Gameboy version of a lost William S. Burroughs novel.
Incredibly, most of the tracks on Noa Noa Noa were recorded live in one take with the express intention of creating music that is, in contrast to much of today's electronic music, bright, sunny, light-hearted and mischevious. The resulting album is both totally essential and also completely throwaway.
These tracks were originally released in 2018 by Artetetra Records (Italy) as Noa Noa (cassette & digital) and Danse de l'Oiseau (digital only). Hive Mind Records are proud to present Noa Noa Noa on vinyl for the first time."

The Afro-Latin connections of Venezuela's coastal region meet London based producers Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel, for the 3rd edition of their latest musical venture: Electropical.

Jorge travels to Bolivar Film Studios - Caracas / Venezuela for a 2 days musical experimentation & recordings, accompanied by some of the heaviest players in town, including no other than Mr Spiteri himself, J Pulia Liendo (Ex Pianist of Dimension Latina), and the emblematic Afro-Latin Drum ensemble: Grupo Madera, (between others) for the making of the tunes: "San Juan & Electropical".

As a perfect complement for the A side of this record, the studio work gets continued back in London at Imagenes Recordings batcave, for the making of the Afro-Funky-Jazz conveyor of: "Spacial Paradise" plus an updated mix of their classic rework of "Sexmachina".

Musicians & collaborators of this project (without specific order):

Jorge Spiteri (Bass B1),
Grupo Madera (Drum Ensemble): Noel Marquez, Jose Urbina, Arnaldo Garcia, Remigio Piñate (B1, B2)
Matheus Nova (Bass & Chorus A1, A2)
Juan Pulia Liendo (Keys B1)
Marcelo Andrade (Sax A1)
Raphael Defilno (Drums & Chorus A1),
Paul Batik (Trumpet A2),
Emeris Solis (Percussion A1)
James Rod (Guitar A1)
Juan Laya (Drums & Percussion A2)
Jorge Montiel (Chorus & Programming)
Jose Urbina (Lead Vox B1)
James Stuart (Strings B1)
Elio Torres (Double Bass B1)
Sean Douglas (Clav A1)
JP Sancho (Synth B2).
Recording assistant (Venezuela): Leonardo Giron.
Artwork: "Cacao" by Pedro Centeno Vallenilla (Aragua / Venezuela -1961)

Produced, arranged & directed by Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel.

Second release from Royer Records. This very hard to find disco holy grail is finally back on the shelves for the first time since 1978.
"Super-Disco" is the first ever release from Cameroonese artist Pierre Tchana. A 2 tracker holding the dancefloor filler "Soul Disco" on face A while the flip hold a more afro-rock tune called "Get Up Dance" .

This comes pressed on an heavy 12" and in limited quantity.

Borneo’s eighth release brings a sweet little five track compilation of eccentric and exotic electronica. All music is lovingly composed and constructed by the label’s family and close friends.

Ultrastation is the lovechild project of Cosmic Force and Nuno Dos Santos. Their Eau De Voodoo kicks this EP off with a fire starter made out of driving afro rhythms combined with mesmerizing vocal samples.

Phones On Fail Jah by Fader sees a quirky digital take on digidub. Centered around filtered chords, a deftly curated selection of melody and percussion is put through its paces.

The enigmatic Fizzy Veins poured his hart out on the song Handbrake. Guitar play over a subtle synth line, all sprinkled with fragile vocals that are almost drowning in the sea of echoes that lies underneath.

Rotterdam’s Nous’Klaer mainstay Mattheis has contributed V21. A stealthy weapon with synth driven melodies and electronic rhythms that are slowly morphing in and out of each other. This will hypnotize any dance floor.

Samo DJ closes the excursion with a remix. He handpicked OVFiets from the Borneo vaults, an unreleased techno work out by party crew Marck. Samo’s version brings the original in a more airy, wholesome and percussive state of mind.

"SS060LP" Vinyl, dreamy Instrumental Acoustic, -folk guitar from Fouta Toro in Northern Senegal. Fingerpicked Acoustic Guitar with intricate syncopation, a technique inspired by the four-string hoddu, with melodies that go back centuries, from the Almoravid dynasty to the Mali Empire.

In Contrast to the familiar desert blues, Siftorde highlights a very distinct and underrepresented style of Sahelian guitar. Guitarist, photographer, visual artist and folklorist Tidiane Thiam hails from Podor, a small riverside town in the far North of Senegal. A self-taught musician who learned guitar from late-night radio broadcasts, Tidiane is a veritable encyclopedia of Sahel folklore.

Borrowing from this repertoire, he adapts his own technique of fingerstyle guitar, crafting serene pieces imbued with emotive reflection. Recorded at night on a single microphone at home in Podor, and set against the backdrop of crickets, the recordings on Siftorde are stripped down and informal, without any pretense of a studio recording.

The effect is deeply personal and intimate. The album's title, translated by Tidiane in four languages, means 'Remember' - a nostalgic ode to the temporality of the recording, and a plea for the songs themselves, whose survival demands they not be forgotten.

"SS060LP" Vinyl, dreamy Instrumental Acoustic, -folk guitar from Fouta Toro in Northern Senegal. Fingerpicked Acoustic Guitar with intricate syncopation, a technique inspired by the four-string hoddu, with melodies that go back centuries, from the Almoravid dynasty to the Mali Empire.

In Contrast to the familiar desert blues, Siftorde highlights a very distinct and underrepresented style of Sahelian guitar. Guitarist, photographer, visual artist and folklorist Tidiane Thiam hails from Podor, a small riverside town in the far North of Senegal. A self-taught musician who learned guitar from late-night radio broadcasts, Tidiane is a veritable encyclopedia of Sahel folklore.

Borrowing from this repertoire, he adapts his own technique of fingerstyle guitar, crafting serene pieces imbued with emotive reflection. Recorded at night on a single microphone at home in Podor, and set against the backdrop of crickets, the recordings on Siftorde are stripped down and informal, without any pretense of a studio recording.

The effect is deeply personal and intimate. The album's title, translated by Tidiane in four languages, means 'Remember' - a nostalgic ode to the temporality of the recording, and a plea for the songs themselves, whose survival demands they not be forgotten.

Tucked away in their cover, but never for long, Guts' musical eyebrow wands have once again panicked, this time aggressively marking Africa.

Letting his instrument guide him towards the one he felt was the next signature of his label Pura Vida Sounds, the beatmaker-producer found himself face to face with an old acquaintance: Pat Kalla aka the voice of the Voilaaa Sound System, aka the one with which he crossed the funk on his album Philantropiques and the title "Daddy Sweet".

Convinced to follow him in studio, Pat, accompanied by his Super Mojo celebrates this collaboration by decapsulating La "Canette". Long groove in the mouth, acidic notes of synths and attacks of precise guitars, despite the bitterness of his words, a drink that suits every hour of the day and that strengthens the legs most numb. Heckled by her journey to the bottom of Pat’s musical bag, shaken by the syncopes of the beat, she spreads her funk foam from the very beginning into the A-side furrow.

Bartering the beige trench coat of Commissioner Joss against a colorful toghu, Kalla and his Mojo revisit on the B side the "Requiem Pour Un Con" de Gainsbourg. The martial groove, dark and hypnotic leaves its place to a polyrhythmic afrodisco production, surrounded by a low velocity.
More than a recovery, they are making a real diversion.
A hijacking driven by Pat Kalla and his Super Mojo, with Serge Gainsbourg and Jean Gabin sitting in the back seat like two "Pachas".

Revolution (Live Disco Show In New York City) is the fourth and final BBE reissue of Sidiku Buari’s unique and sought-after body of African Disco albums. Side 1 is (possibly!) ‘live’ throughout, from a 1979 show at the (possibly mythical!) La Cheer Nightclub, NYC, but very well recorded for a ‘live’ album with clean, bright top notes, sharp percussion and heavy bass-lines. Keep The Rhythm Going segues into Ofey Karambani reminiscent of the Kongos’ massive Loft Club floorfiller Anikana-O, whilst This Is Music and Disco Soccer keep up the 120-140bpm pace to complete a side that rocks enough for the lazier DJ to play from start to finish without lifting the needle! Side 2 consists of four very varied tracks all recorded at Aire L.A.Studios, the two openers Revolution and Together We Can Rebuild It (Ghana Motherland) being polemics against government and army corruption, and a battle-cry for Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, who ruled the country for a brief period in 1979 when this recording was made, later serving as Ghana’s President from 1981 to 2001. Then there’s a perennial crowd-pleaser Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Side 2 rounding off with the super-heavy Afrobeat-Disco groover, Happy Birthday. Originally a national athlete, winning silver and gold medals in the Senegal All Africa Games and West African Games in 1963 and a bronze in the All African in Congo Brazzaville in 1965, Sidiku Buari then moved to America on a music scholarship at The York Institute, obtained as a result of his athletic achievements. When one of York’s music teachers, Irvin Mechanic, heard him singing in the Ga language- he suggested putting a rhythm section behind the songs, recording them, and seeing what the American record buying public thought of them. Four classic albums followed in quick succession, after which Buari’s solo output abruptly ceased. But it was an ending that held within it the seeds of greater musical achievements to come. In 1990 he was appointed to the board of the Musicians’ Union of Ghana, later becoming its President from 1999 until 2007. In 2019, he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Pan-African Republic Honorary Award Society for ‘meritorious contribution to the development of music and movie industries in Ghana’.
Rare 'live' album from Ghanaian Disco legend Sidiku Buari, never before reissued. In-demand from collectors across the world, this is a heavyweight Afro-Disco album. Full global press and radio campaigns.

Official, remastered reissue of this disco tinged, afro funk treasure and the first time the 'Karam Bani' single has been cut to 12' - maximising every ounce of highlife soul from Sidiku Buari's productions.

That undeniable US funk flavour coupled with Buari's Ghanaian rhythms bring a zest to these grooves even the tangiest of forbidden fruits couldn't draw out. Those fuzzed keys and dusty highlife guitar licks sprinkle the West African flavour, whilst drumming demi-god Bernard Purdie provides the wizardry behind the infectious, yet precision like beats that make the track so unique. Purdie's killer breaks combined with Buari's jubilant vocals give a spirituality to this cut that'll liven up any dancefloor - alongside being a gold mine for samples.

Flip it over and you're hit with the joy filled jam, 'Ye Koaba'. Tribal drums lead the way for a chorus of jubilant chants supplemented by glistening synth sounds and funk fuelled guitar riffs. It's a feel-good slice of Ghanaian sunshine, capturing that community spirit and good-hearted nature Ghana's famous for.

Two afro funk sensations sure to put a smile on your face, even when the skies are grey and you're 5000 miles away from the glorious West African coastline.

Third EP in a row for the new Conte-Petrella project, which further explores the themes and sounds found on their previous collaborations, "Sun Song/Nigeria" and "African Spirits/New World Shuffle", with it's heavily West African influenced rhythms and cosmic-leaning musicality, once again with the participation of Bridgette Amofah and her incredible voice. A work suspended between joyous straight-up pary jam and spiritual atmospheres, where it's easy to get equally as lost in the driving groove as the intergalactic sound-palette that floats on top of it.

Two raw Afro Dance-floor Bombs from Pat Thomas & Marijjata both taken from the Coming Home: Original Ghanaian Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1964-1981 issued on Strur Records in 2016- and now presented on one killer hand-numbered 45 on the Singles only
imprint Mukatsuku.
The A-Side ''I Can Say'' is issued for the very first time on a 45. Punchy brass- and the infectious Chorus drive it till the end in glorious afrocentric style.

On the Flip from 76 the powerful brass section of ''Lets Think It Over '' kicks off kicks off the tune with great impact before what essentially is simply an Afro-Soul Masterpiece! Pat Thomas shows us once again what a great song writer he is not only with his lyrics but also the dynamic arrangements of the funky groove.

Hand-numbered- Ltd. Edition, 500 Units!

Boogie Café continue their incredible form by offering up three tracks of deep house goodness from Aroop Roy.

The A side 'Good Times' sweeps in with a bumping house cut, laced with feverish vocal cutups whilst the B side hits first with a hazy, deep synth stab groover, and finishes on a blistering, afro-tinged slice of funk fuel.

Formed in Brixton in 2006, afrobeat band Yaaba Funk have released two albums with Sterns Music and performed numerous acclaimed live shows — including support slots for Seun Kuti and Ebo Taylor.

Rapidly rising star Danvers (also of Kassian) takes the infectious energy of 'Oman Foa' into a triumphant new direction, with one of his broken beat rhythms at its core — recalling his big summer track 'Aye Ata' which received heavy support from the likes of Gilles Peterson and Midland. With a succinct arrangement that lets the joyous brass and powerfully harmonised vocals shine potently, it's a feel-good party music that works wonders when deployed at the right place and time.

'Hwe Hwe Mu Na Yi Wompena' is Yaaba Funk's cover of the Ghanian highlife singer K. Frimpong and his Cubano Fiestas' irresistible 1977 track, which Ben Gomori strips back into two instrumental-focused versions. His 'Message Of Love Edit' is a summery, housey flip with trumpets mutated into synths and the bass pumped up with chunky distortion, while his 'Message Of Love Live Dub' zones in on the live grooves with just a little extra embellishment.

Sterns Edits is an official collaboration between African music stalwarts Sterns Music and London's Ben Gomori.

Following their first 7" in 2018 Budabeats Records is proud the release the debut LP of pioneering Hungarian Afrobeat supergroup, the Mabon Dawud Republic.

The band started out as the Fela Kuti tribute band for the very first Felabration event in Budapest.
In the past two years they created an impressive repertoire of their own tunes. The rawness you can hear on their early recordings transformed into a more mature and sophisticated sound, still deeply rooted in the traditions of West-African music.
They even toured in Ghana where they had the chance to record with highlife legend Pat Thomas, as you can hear on 'Gyae Abrabi'.
On 'Na Lie' they are joined by Fela's original Egypt 80 band member, keyboard player and singer Dele Sosimi.
Other guest performances include Ghanaian vocalist and kologo player Stevo Atambire (on 'Mawadioh' and 'Talk to Me') and vocalist Abate Berihun (on 'Nanu Nanu Neye').

... BubbleTease Communications and Running Back team up once again for Mim Suleiman’s fifth studio album on vinyl and compact disc. During the course of Si Bure you will find Mim at her very best.
It’s easy to imagine the Zanzibar-born-UK-based vocalist and percussionist dancing and prancing to the 14 songs featured here.

The tropes of house and disco are mixed here with wonderful rhythmic adventures, infectious futuristic pop and ultramodern African music, while the mesmerizing and addictive lyrics are sung in Swahili and deal with love and affection, freedom, oppression, unity and everyday life.
Enchanting, entrancing and entertaining all the way.
- Produced by Maurice Fulton.

For its first release, NUBIPHONE is very proud to present the first ever official compilation dealing with the Cameroonian Maestro EKO ROOSEVELT, through a selection of 8 essential tracks (Afro-Funk, Soul, Disco), recorded from 1975 to 1982. A very detailed biography with exclusive pictures and unreleased documents for a better comprehension of the work of the musician. Available in LP vinyl recording and HD downloading format! Approved by the artist himself!