Rocafort Spain レコード& CD

Review: Spanish reissue label Rocafort present this wonderful slice of highlife from Konkolo Orchestra, this time on nice blue wax as well as a plain black version. It's not exactly clear where, or indeed when, exactly the band came from, but their sound is all you need to worry about. 'Blue G' is a lilting, shuffling message of love and support for future generations, and from the message to the effervescent musicality, it's a no-brainer. On the flip, 'That Good Thing' is an instrumental that spirals outwards on the sweetest keys, joyous brass and dreamy guitar, driven by a pattering drum section to radiate good vibes wherever it's played.

Review: The love affair between Colombia and African music tracks back to the 17th Century and the establishment of San Basilio de Palenque, the first free town in colonial Latin America which offered refuge and commune for Black slaves. It was a place where African culture could thrive and joyously intermingle with local customs, and centuries later the Afro-Caribbean communities in Colombia established their own twist on Jamaican soundsystem culture in the 20th Century known as 'picos', where styles such as Kenyan Benga music were able to wow crowds on homemade rigs. This compilation takes a loving look at the unique guitar-picking style which developed its own distinct qualities that could only come from one time and place at the intersection of vibrant cultures.

Review: The popular Spanish ensemble Pyramid Blue come back, and do so in brilliantly fantastic fashion with this red-hot new 7" featuring a captivating mix of Afrofunk and Ethio Jazz. Oscar Martos is the composer and producer who heads up this group and is fresh off big collabs with Tito Ramirez. He manages to draw from modern sounds as well as classic genre tropes here and push both into all new ground with 'Lince Rojo' opening up with an enchanting lead and raw rhythms. On the B-side, 'Doctor One' brings a hint of hip hop edge to psyched-out guitars and cosmic synths.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


If you love modern updates of the Afrobeat sound, you need to check out Konkolo Orchestra. Hailing from Zurich and brought together by Alexis Malefakis, this project has been bubbling up for a hot minute since their debut single 'Blue G' snuck out on Rocafort back in 2022. Now their debut album is ready, and it's an effervescent celebration of all things Afrobeat with some incredible singers and players feeding into the mix. Nongoma Ndlovu makes frequent appearances on vocal duties, as well as the unmistakable lilt of Sir Frank Karikari on 'Yese Yese'. This edition of the album comes on yellow vinyl, so if you're swayed by wax as sunny as the music contained within, this is the pressing for you.

Review: Mampon unleash their latest Afrobeat enchantment on a new 7" release. 'Si Algun Dia Has De Caer' is a clean, bouncing neo-Afrobeat whirlwind, combining the infectious vocals of Spanish singer Hector Rodriguez with a dynamic backup production that is as irresistible as it is ineluctable. The B-side pares back the dance and pierces the political veil, with a Spanish-language plea to listeners to carve out their own paths in life, regardless of cost.

Review: Various cumbia compilations are jostling for the limelight at present, but perhaps one of the headsier ones to potentially divert your attention is this latest from Rocafort. This time diving into the Discos Tropical Records vaults, the label bring together a compelling six-track array of Latin fruits, with songs from Pacho Galan Y Su Orquesta, Cuarteto Del Monaco and Andres Landero Y Su Conjunto all in tow. The second of the Cumbia Sabrosa series, these are readymade, tailored soundsystem bangers, doing thorough justice to the woofers despite their now vintage rust n' dust.