Global Grooves — CDs  

Amazing sounds from one of the best funky combos anywhere – ever! Antibalas have certainly risen to fame in the years since we first heard their Afro-styled grooves – working famously in the Fela musical, and reaching generations of ears with their own brilliant records. Yet throughout it all, they've always stayed true to their sound – and, if anything, are even sharper, tighter, and funkier than before – all extremely adept not only at playing their instruments, but at hitting the right sort of sound to cut through all the BS that was holding back funky Afro grooves for years! Part of that sound comes from superb Daptone production by Gabriel Roth – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean and full of energy. But the core credit really goes to the group – who never cease to amaze us here – and continually come up with fresh sounds on their keyboards and horns – and inventive rhythms to match! Titles include "Dirty Money", "The Rat Catcher", "Ari Degbe", "Ibeji", "Sare Kon Kon", and "Him Belly No Go Sweet".

Not Afrobeat, but Astrobeat – a unique hybrid of older funk modes and contemporary cosmic touches – all served up beautifully by Ariya! The album definitely echoes older modes from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – particularly the chugging rhythms and tightly vamping instrumentation that you might know from the work of Fela or Tony Allen – but there's also some more 21st Century elements on the keyboards, which have a crackling bit of electricity that goes beyond the usual electric piano used back in the day – and which really helps give the record a different feel. Don't get us wrong – because nothing here is too slick, overproduced, or remix-heavy – the music is definitely Afro Funk at the core, just inflected in some really sweet ways – and served up mostly instrumental, on cuts that include "Blood In The Water", "Turncoat", "Future Ancestors", "New Frontiers", "Towards Other Worlds", and "Old Ground".

A record with a really timeless feel, and a great mix of classic and contemporary – rootsy Ghanaian instrumentation, modern production, and just a touch of electronics – all wrapped up in a mix that's mighty nice – and one that's a lot more earthy than you might expect! Bola's not exactly in Konono territory, but his approach isn't that far off, either – as there's a core element to the music that relies strongly on older traditions – and an execution that just makes slight use of contemporary electronics – often used very sparely, just to underscore the key aspects of the music – in ways that almost make the acoustic elements sound even more fragile and crisp! The set's hardly a remix-type project, and has a gritty appeal that goes way beyond any of the too-sweetly recorded sessions of recent years – almost more in an Analogue Africa mode overall. Titles include "Yine Mmema", "Abayetidu Ma", "Hoyenbesa Nini", "Makamiba", and "Burilbunbol Suma".