Back catalogue: International

Review: An instantly recognisable voice in the funk sphere for over 60 years, you can't talk about Togolese music with mentioning the funkmaster and 'King of Gazo' himself Roger Damawuzan. Containing an unreleased single from his upcoming album 'Seda', this double single is funk so heavy it'll weigh you down. 'Fine Fine' is a slick and fast-paced track of contentment - leave the man alone he said he's fine! - and 'Red Light' is a squeaky clean showcase of what made Damawuzan so popular in Togo with his carefree and charismatic attitude. All you funk lovers out there have got to give this a spin.

Review: Over the last couple of years, Matasuna Records has developed a tried-and-tested formula. It revolves around finding and licensing killer cuts - think funk, Afrobeat, tropical flavours and Latin beats - and then pairing them with a fresh, floor-friendly re-edit. Their latest find is something of an overlooked gem: a gorgeously sunny 1983 number from Ghanaian musician Mawuli Decker that's piled high with infectious, EWE-language vocals, Highlife guitars, spacey Moog sounds and cute electric piano solos. The accompanying Renegades of Jazz re-edit is pleasingly faithful to its source material, deftly showcasing Decker's brilliant music while beefing up the bass, subtly tightening up the drums and layering on some complimentary hand percussion.

Review: Manu Dibango's grooves will never dull with time. The Cameroonian sax man made some of the most infectious, feel-good funk to ever transmit from the African continent, and here's one of his heavy-hitting high-watermarks, reissued by Soul Makossa. African Voodoo originally came out in 1972, a year that saw nearly all Dibango's most revered jams cut loose on an unsuspecting public. These sessions were recorded in France with Yvan Julien on trumpet, Slim Pezin on guitar, Jacques Bolgnesi on trombone and Lucien Dobat on drums to name but a part of the line-up, but of course it's Dibango holding court on the vibes, marimba, sax and organ who brings the unmistakable magic to the music.

Review: Sun Explosion is an album by Manu Dibango that is the latest reissue from Soul Makossa after it was first put out in 2016. Dibango is legendary musician from Cameron who was celebrated for his versatility - he could do it all from jazz to funk to soul, blues to electro to reggae. He was trained in classical piano and formed his own band in the mid 60s before moving to Paris in 1965, where he recorded several albums. The six tracks here are all lengthy pieces that take in various styles from Afro boogie jazz to Soukouss beats via catchy Afro soul and funk It's superb album from a notable talent.

Review: Manu Dibango knew how to work a crowd. By the time he hit the stage at Marseille's Theatre La Criee in December 1982, he had long mastered the art of turning a gig into a full-blown celebration. This was the man who took makossa global, who made 'Soul Makossa' an international sensation a decade prior and who could pivot between jazz, funk and African rhythms like it was nothing. The recording, unearthed from the INA archives, captures him in peak form, leading an eight-piece band through a set that refuses to sit still. 'Africa Boogie' is all clipped guitars, tight horns and a bassline that struts like it owns the place. 'Ashiko Oumba' turns the groove alluringly, locking into intricate polyrhythms before erupting into pure brass-fuelled joy. Then there's 'Waka Juju', sprawling across three parts, moving from simmering tension to full-throttle release with the kind of control only Dibango could pull off. He's conducting, shaping the music in real-time, every solo a conversation, every break a setup for the next explosion of sound. Four decades later, the set still feels alive. It's there in the call-and-response with the crowd, the sweat-soaked momentum of a band that knows it's on fire. Dibango, effortlessly cool at the centre of it all, proves once again why his music never ages.

Review: Dogo du Togo & The Alagaa Beat Band bring a unique sound to West African music that blends psychedelic rock, traditional Togolese rhythms, voodoo-inspired melodies and infectious dance grooves. Led by Dogo, who dubs their style 'Alagaa Trance,' the band's music weaves hypnotic layers and vibrant beats that are both captivating and energising. Their much-anticipated album, Avoude, captures this powerful fusion and is set for release in November on the We Are Busy Bodies label and promises to transport you into a new world with its mix of cultural depth and rhythmic intensity.