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The World Ends

duncan — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:10:15 +0000

The World Ends is the latest title from Soundway Records showcasing a wave of guitar driven and psychedelic groups that sprung up in Nigeria during the early 1970s. Featuring 32 electrifying and funk laden grooves, this is the sound of a generation attempting to pick up the pieces after the devastation of the Nigerian civil war.

Spread over 2 CDs and 2 triple gatefold LPs, this bumper collection is brimming with youthful exuberance, fuzzed out guitar and cosmic organ vibes and owes much to the psychedelic sounds of Jim Morrison, Santana, Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and James Brown.

As the summer of love was blossoming in London and San Francisco, Nigeria was imploding into civil war. Also known as the Biafran war of 1967, it was a grisly conflict taking over three million lives yet at the same time as the country was being pulled apart there was a new world beginning. The tracks featured represent a forgotten chapter in Nigeria’s musical history when the youth threw their varied morsels into the pot from hard rock to psychedelic soul when guitars were cherished instruments, symbolic of a new movement, when highlife and Afrobeat played second fiddle to ‘the beat’.

CD Double Digi Pack with 44 page booklet
Triple Gatefold Vinyl (Version 1 & 2) – BONUS TRACKS INCLUDED

CD Track Listing

CD1

Ify Jerry Krusade – Nwantinti / Die Die
The Hygrades – Rough Rider
The Hykkers – Deiyo Deiyo (Akpuwunlobi)
Wrinkar Experience – Soundway
The Funkees – Breakthrough
The Mebusas – Mr. Bull Dog (45 version)
Foundars 15 – Don’t Take Me For A Ride
Ceejebs – Eti Ufok
Tony Grey Super 7 – Yem Efe
The Identicals – Akwa Kayi Ji Bia Nuwa
P.R.O. – Blacky Joe
Cicada – Oli Nkwu
The Lijadu Sisters – Life’s Gone Down Low
Eppi Fanio – Ikoko Ti Yio Jata (On Perseverance)
Bongos Ikwue – All Night Long

CD2

The Thermometers – Babalawo
Colomach – Ottoto Shamoleda
The Black Mirrors – The World Ends
The Semi Colon – Isi Agboncha
Lawrence Amavi Group – Money That’s What I Want
The Hygrades – Somebody’s Gonna Lose Or Win
Ofege – In Concert
The Elcados – Chokoi & Oreje
Sonny Okosuns & Paperback Limited – Ohomi
Chuck Barrister & The Voices Of Darkness – Be Kind, Be Foolish, Be Happy Tony Grey & The Black 7 – Ugbo Ndoma
Reme Izabebo’s Music Research – (Ayamayama) The Same Man
Action 13 – Active Action
The Actions – Kpokposikposi
The Strangers – Onye Ije
The Comrades – Bullwalk
Ofo The Black Company – Egwu Aja

Palenque Palenque!

duncan — Fri, 07 May 2010 15:21:18 +0000

Boasting twenty one pulsating tracks drawn from the northern coasts of Colombia, ‘Palenque Palenque!’ reveals a unique and fascinating story of how Afro Colombian music developed from the 1970s onwards and how the local sound-systems in Cartagena and Barranquilla played such an important role in shaping the sound of the Colombian champeta.

Co-compiled by Lucas Silva (resident of Bogota and owner of Palenque Records) and Soundway Records’ Miles Cleret, the album highlights the long relationship that the Caribbean coast of Colombia has with Africa stretching back to the 17th century. Specifically, the rise of the percussion heavy champeta sound, born out of a wave of popularity for psychedelic Afro, Latin & Caribbean music inspired by the DJs of the time.

The influence of the sound-systems spread to local artists as well as re-energising traditional African folk songs and rhythms that had survived since the days of slavery. Record labels recognized the major change in direction from the days when cumbia and porro ruled the hearts of the ghettoes and began employing bands that began experimenting and tapping into these new cultural and musical movements. Disco Fuentes were one of the first labels to recognize this sudden swing and duly signed Wganda Kenya who went onto record some of the first Afrobeat records in Colombia. The trend in recording African music continued at pace with labels like Machuca, Discos Tropical, Orbe & Costeño quickly adapting to the newly adopted sound of the Palenques and bands like Son Palenque, Cumbia Siglo XX and La Cumbia Moderna de Soledad went onto readapt Afrobeat rhythms with a Caribbean slant.

The vinyl version comes as a triple LP with two extra bonus tracks.

Track List

1. Manuel Alvarez y Sus Dangers – Esclavo Moderno
2. Cassimbas Negras – Bumburumbumbum
3. Abelardo Carbonó y su Conjunto – Palenque
4. Son Palenque – Tungalala (El Sapo)
5. Cumbia Siglo XX – Naga Pedale
6. Wganda Kenya – Pim Pom
7. Banda Los Hijos de La Niña Luz – Dejala Corre
8. Pedro Beltran – Puyalo Ahi
9. Cumbia Moderna De Soledad– Tetero
10. Abelardo Carbonó y su Conjunto – Quiero a Mi Gente
11. Lisandro Meza y su Conjunto – Shacalao
12. Son Palenque – Palengue Palengue
13. Abelardo Carbanó – La Negra Kulengue
14. La Tromba – Calaba Calabao
15. Los Soneros de Gamero – Katunga
16. Rabel Y su Grupo – Manaye
17. La Nelda Pina – El Sucusu
18. Wganda Kenya – El Lobo
19. Son Palenque – Dame Un Trago
20. Grupo Palma Africana – La Botellita
21. Wganda Kenya – Yoro

Vinyl Bonus Tracks

Cumbia Siglo XX – Los Esquelitos
Los Aguilas Rojas – Yeye Yeye

Afro Tropical Soundz

duncan — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:01:55 +0000

Compiled by Soundway’s Miles Cleret, Afro Tropical Soundz Vol. 1 features eleven of his favourite tracks, all taken from various albums he’s compiled, co-compiled and released since the label began in 2002. A must for fans and new comers alike, it’s a superb overview of the label that has been dedicated to re-releasing lost and forgotten recordings from the world’s most vibrant musical cultures for nearly ten years now. Set for release in conjunction with Record Store Day, Afro Tropical Soundz Volume 1 is available on CD only.

Click here to read a review of the album on Subba Cultcha

Download from the new Soundway Store or iTunes.

1. Ebo Taylor – Heaven (Ghana Soundz: Afro Beat, Funk and Fusion in 70s Ghana)
2. Fruko Y Sus Tesos – A la Memoria Del Meurto (Colombia! The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes: The Powerhouse of Colombian Music 1960-76)
3. Papi Brandao – Viva Panama (Panama! Latin Calypso and Funk on the Isthmus 1965-75)
4. Lito Barrientos – Cumbia En Do Menor (Colombia! The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes: The Powerhouse of Colombian Music 1960-76)
5. Oscar Sulley & The Uhuru Dance Band – Bukom Mashie (Ghana Soundz: Afro Beat, Funk and Fusion in 70s Ghana)
6. Les Loups Noirs de Haiti – Jet Biguine (Tumbélé! Biguine, afro & latin sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-74)
7. Sweet Talks –Akumpaye (Sweet Talks “The Kusum Beat” album)
8. The Action 13 – More Bread To The People (Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro Rock & Fuzz Funk in 1970s Nigeria Blues 1970-6)
9. Los Silvertones – Tamborito Swing (Panama! 2: Latin Sounds, Cumbia Tropical & Calypso Funk on the Isthmus 1970-6)
10. Celestine Ukwu – Okukwe Na Nchekwube (Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6)
11. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo – Gendamou Na Wili We Gnanni (T.P Orchestre Poly Rythmo: The Kings of Benin Urban Groove 1972-80)

Sweet Talks

duncan — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:47:08 +0000

Sweet Talks were amongst the top five most popular bands in Ghana during the 1970s having recorded a string of hit albums. ‘The Kusum Beat’ was originally released in 1974 and became a household favourite with heavy emphasis on the ‘Afro’ through its traditional rhythms and motifs, blended together into a modern mix that combined highlife, funk and Afrobeat.

Like a small handful of seminal Ghanaian albums, The Kusum Beat has stood the test of time and sounds as original and unique today as it did back in 1974. Original pressings are in high demand and can be found on record exchanges for significant prices. This was the second album from the band formerly known as ‘El Dorados’, later to change their name to ‘Medican Lantcis’ before settling on ‘Sweet Talks’ – they were live residents at the legendary ‘Talk of the Town’ nightclub in the port town of Tema near Accra. It is here they established a name for themselves as one of the most exciting young bands in the country.

Due to the popularity and commercial success of their first three albums – Adam & Eve, Kusum Beat and Spiritual Ghana – the band began touring on a regular basis and made it as far as Los Angeles. They went on to record what was to be their biggest selling record, the Hollywood Highlife Party LP, as well as some straight disco recordings aimed squarely at the burgeoning American market.

The Kusum Beat is far from typical of their trademark sound but shows just how versatile an outfit they were – able to turn their hands to any one of a number of styles. It’s a great reminder of how open-minded, experimental and curious the music scene in Ghana was in the first half of the 1970s.

THE VINYL WILL COME WITH A FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD OF THE ALBUM

TRACKLISTING CD & LP

1. Akampanye
2 .Mapam Sukuruwe
3. Eyi Su Ngaangaa
4. Oburumankoma
5. Sasa Abonsam
6. Kyekye Pe Aware

Hedzoleh Soundz

duncan — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:03:34 +0000

Hedzoleh Soundz were one of the first and most original ‘Afro’ bands from 1970s Ghana playing an unusual mix of traditional music from across the country tinged with western rock. They were residents at the notorious Napoleon nightclub where they met South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela in late 1973. The music for the ‘Hedzoleh’ album would later be used by Masekela as the backbone to his afo-jazz classic, “Masekela – Introducing Hedzoleh Soundz”.

Masekela met Hedzoleh Soundz through an introduction from Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti. In the early 70s, he had been thinking of recording with West African musicians as he was tiring of the American jazz scene and Hedzoleh fitted the bill perfectly. All but two of the compositions on Masekela’s album were written by Hedzoleh so it could be argued that Masekela’s classic was in fact Hedzoleh’s album with Masekela acting as the guest!

Managed and created by the enigmatic producer Faisal Helwani, Hedzoleh were originally formed in 1972 and consisted of musicians from rock and pop backgrounds plus individuals from the Ghanaian Arts Council’s traditional music troupe. By 1972, the group had recorded only two 45s on the tiny Bibini label in Ghana, and had a minor hit with the song Rekpete. The original leader of the band Lash Laryea (formerly of the afro-rock band The Aliens), had just quit so Stanley Todd, the bass player and vocalist from ‘El Pollos’ band, stepped in and it was at this point that they recorded their self titled LP at the EMI Nigeria studio.

The original trumpetless Hedzoleh sound hasn’t had a chance to be heard for nearly 40 years…until now.

THE VINYL WILL COME WITH A FREE DOWNLOAD OF THE ALBUM

TRACKLISTING CD & LP

1. Rekpete
2. Mee Bee (When)
3. Yei Baa Gbe Wo
4. Kaa Ye Oyai (Don’t be in a hurry)
5. Omusu Da Fe M’Musu
6. Hedzoleh!
7. Hearts Ne Kotoko
8. Mo Oso Obu Naa