Seyoum Gebreyes & Wallias Band - "Muziqa Muziqa" (3:42)
Wallias Band - "Muziqawi Silt" (3:44)
Review: Destination Ethiopia: The Wallias Band are one of the country's longest standing troupes with over 20 years service to their name from the early 70s to early 90s and serious accomplishments such as being the first Ethiopian band to tour the USA. Here they're represented in all their full spread glory; "Muziqa Muziqa" has an almost northern soul dynamic with its speed and wily sax blasts from Seyoum while "Muziqawi Silt" is a much more measured, introspective affair. Beautiful.
Review: Afroterraneo Music founder Kiko Navarro steps up for his label next release, but not before enlisting the help of friends and fellow Balearic and house dons DJ Pippi and Willie Graff. Their classy Tempistica Mistica EP offers up a pair of richly percussive and Afro-Latin tinged house cuts that are primed and ready for deployment on the most cultured dance floors. 'N'Fumbei' is a warming shuffler that echoes the work of Fred P, 'Esanah' is more heavy and percussive with its weighty kicks making a lasting mark. 'N'Fumbeats' closes down with a fat, bouncy rhythm brought to life with loose and organic perc.
Review: It was the iconic Copacabana Records that put out this classic MPB back in 1964. That makes 'Um Balanco pra voce' by Os Rouxinois one of the oldest releases in Mr Bongo's Brazil45 series and it is also one of the best. Arnaud Rodrigues wrote the tune which is a superb mix of exotic funk, bossa nova rhythms and quirky melodies from a five-track 7" of tunes that the band originally used to play on TV. On the other side, 'O Viajante' is the sort of irresistibly sunny sound that quickly wins your heart and is sure to light up any dancefloor.
Review: The 62nd single in Mr Bongo's long-running Brazil 45s series is notable for containing Jose Prates' "Nana Imboro", a deep, hypnotic and intoxicating samba cut that was initially recorded and released way back in 1958. Relatively slow and steady by samba standards, its chanted refrain is thought to be the inspiration for Jorge Ben's much better known "Mas Que Nada". Wisely, Mr Bongo has backed Prates' sublime original with a 1960 cover by obscure Polish outfit Wroblewski Jazz Quintet. This dispenses with the chanting, instead increasing the number of intertwined horn parts. Given that original copies of the rare Polish EP it first appeared on will set you back serious money, it's great to see this fine cover included here.
Review: Waldir Calmon's 'Airport Love Theme' has that special appeal that makes it a true gem. Sampled by Madlib on the Madvillain album track 'Curls', this lounge classic from Calmon's 1970 Waldir Calmon E Seus Multisons LP on Copacabana exudes nostalgic charm. Despite its unassuming cover, 'Airport Love Theme' delivers a dreamy, feel-good vibe that could soundtrack a perfect world. Afro Son, from the same album, shifts towards a Brazilian-rooted, cinematic groove, reminiscent of Jean Jacques Perrey's E.V.A.. Calmon, a Brazilian music fixture from the 50s to the 80s, who collaborated with legends like Tom Jobim and Joao Gilberto and left a unique musical legacy that lives on in these timeless tracks.
Review: Columbian Afro-cumbia sensation Wganda Kenya drew acclaim for their group excursions in dance music, not least for the huge ensemble cast of nine-plus musicians that made them up. 'Shakalaode' came in 1976 as the infectiously slackened cover of Fela Kuti's 'Shakara', released five years earlier. Colombian Afrobeat leant more heavily on diasporic rhythmic elements, which differed from Nigerian Afrobeat in that these used regional cumbia, porro and mapale, descending from Afro populations who had settled along the Pacific and Caribbean coast. Less polyrhythmic and perhaps more tropical in feel, the A-side serves as a shining example, with rushy plucks and strident shouts intro'ing a flavoursome shakedown, and 'El Abanico' follows up as a surpriser Fatback Band cover.
Lovely Day (Studio Rio instrumental version) (3:59)
Review: The bossa nova remake of Bill Withers' classic 'Lovely Day' by Studio Rio is a masterful mood lifter. Reissued by Mr Bongo, this track was a game-changer at the Shapes festival, transforming a snowy Alpine setting into a feel-good dancefloor. Originating from Studio Rio's 2014 release The Brazil Connection, the Grammy-winning Berman Brothers collaborated with Brazilian legends like Marcos Valle and Roberto Menescal. They used original multitracks to seamlessly blend Withers' soulful vocals with bossa nova rhythms. Joyful horns, a bouncing double bass, and Pretinho da Serrinha's cavaquinho playing create an end-of-night anthem that radiates warmth and positivity.
Review: Waaju & Majid Bekkas's Alouane exemplifies the power of collaboration during challenging times. As bringing overseas artists to the UK grows increasingly difficult, this record bridges cultural and generational gaps while capturing the vibrant energy of live collaboration post-Covid-19. Conceived by Waaju bandleader Ben Brown, the album features his expansive arrangements of traditional Gnawa songs and blends Bekkas' musical prowess with Waaju's signature grooves and trippy delays. Bekkas, a key figure in Moroccan Gnawa music, had never collaborated with a UK band until this project. Alouane, meaning "colours" in Arabic, reflects the seven integral colours of Gnawa music, each invoking different spirits.
Toxic Tropic (feat Anthony Joseph/La Reyna) (3:18)
Light (4:02)
Di Yo (feat Flavia Coelho) (4:10)
Vanse Carnival (4:39)
La VI A Bel (2:51)
An Lot Soley (feat Ballake Sissoko/Vincent Segal) (4:38)
Soul Tropical (3:43)
Don't U (4:24)
Night In Madinina (3:05)
Kle (feat Ballake Sissoko/Vincent Segal) (4:19)
Review: David Walters's new album Soul Tropical on French label Heavenly Sweetness is perfectly titled. It is a lush collection of soul so tropical you feel as if you're dancing deep in a steamy jungle as the music uplifts and truly nourishes. It draws on his family heritage in the West Indies and finds David once again singing about this famous string of sun-kissed islands across 13 joyful cuts. These are tracks with rich arrangements and plenty of world instruments making a fusion of disco, zouk, Caribbean, Afrobeat and funk that make a lasting impression. An essential album as summer approaches.
Review: Following the massive success of his 2021 debut album Gratidao, French producer Wealstarcks returns with another standout record, this time called Valeu Obrigado.' Once again he skilfully blends house and electro sounds with the vibrant energy of Funk Carioca culture to make for a collection of tracks that are filled with soulful grooves and irresistible dancefloor anthems guaranteed to get any crowds moving. Most notably these sounds showcase Wealstarcks' knack for creating fresh, dynamic grooves that work on modern ears but also maintain a deep connection to authentic Brazilian funk influences. It comes as a limited edition release that will no doubt be a longtime favourite in any collection.
Review: Shina Williams' first album from 1979, African Dances, marked the moment where the Nigerian afrobeat artist would team up with 'His African Percussionists', to form one of the most sought-after sounds of the next decade. Taking inspiration from the Master Of Ceremonies, Fela Kuti, this album is just as loose and evocative as the legend's, and perhaps even a little more oriented towards the disco end of the spectrum. "Cunny Jam Wayo" is a classic afrobeat march, with its rolling drums popping off left, right and centre, while "Agboju Logun" offers a softer funk ride, and "Gboro Mi Ro" lifts the soul at the final moments with a truly memorable string of brass instruments and vocals. Cop this, not the L300+ original..!
Review: This timely reissue of Zamrock's Afro-prog-psychedelic masterpiece makes its debut on vibrant yellow vinyl. WITCH was a group influenced by James Brown, the Stones, and Deep Purple and they dominated 70s Zamrock stages in their heyday. Their musical journey spanned only five years and culminated in the fifth and final rock album, which predated a split and a new disco venture in Zimbabwe. The record fuses traditional Zambian rhythms and folk melodies with progressive rock and, somewhat echoing Lukombo Vibes, it embodies the Osibas' "afro-rock" style. This release encapsulates WITCH's evolution and influence and gives a vivid glimpse into the era's musical fusion and cultural resonance.
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