The first-ever full length global collection of material by one of the funkiest cats working the Ethiopian scene in the early 70s – an artist who works here in a mode that's even more hard-hitting and funk based than contemporaries like Mulatu or Mahmoud Ahmed! The band on most tracks is the Black Lion Band, who've clearly learned the best modes of the James Brown Band of the late 60s – with riffing guitars and horn blasts that are right on the rhythms – moving, grooving, doing it to the max – while Ayalew Mesfin sings in these wonderfully-inflected vocals that are pure Ethio soul all the way through, and also provides some great lines on organs and keyboards! The set brings together cuts from a host of rare funky 45s – most lost to the sands of time after Ayalew had to go underground after the Ethiopian governmental change in 1974. Titles include "Hasabe", "Wubeet", "Yewefe Ber Abeba", "Sak Sak Beyelegni", "Gubeleye", "Endet Liyesh", "Tezetash Rekik", and "Ewedish Neber". LP, Vinyl record album

Really cool cuts from the contemporary scene in northeast Ghana – music that effortlessly mixes classic sounds and styles with more modern innovations – but all with a raw, crisp energy that's very far from commercial! This isn't the world music of public radio – and instead, the tracks here are the sorts you might hear blasting out of car radios or bluetooth speakers late into the night – lean, percussion heavy, and done with a mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation, live vocals and samples – borrowing some key elements from hip hop production at times, yet serving up a sound that's uniquely homegrown! The collection is great – one of those ear-opening gems that comes along once in awhile – and titles include "Tu Daana" by Sammy, "Zoom Koom" by FCL, "Mam Dola Yine" by Joseph, "Guys Boys" by Designer, "Agana Sela Tufu Malla" by Ramond, "Life Is A Mission" by Prince Buju, "Guru Anowuu" by Fadester, and "9090" by Awudu. CD

Really cool cuts from the contemporary scene in northeast Ghana – music that effortlessly mixes classic sounds and styles with more modern innovations – but all with a raw, crisp energy that's very far from commercial! This isn't the world music of public radio – and instead, the tracks here are the sorts you might hear blasting out of car radios or bluetooth speakers late into the night – lean, percussion heavy, and done with a mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation, live vocals and samples – borrowing some key elements from hip hop production at times, yet serving up a sound that's uniquely homegrown! The collection is great – one of those ear-opening gems that comes along once in awhile – and titles include "Tu Daana" by Sammy, "Zoom Koom" by FCL, "Mam Dola Yine" by Joseph, "Guys Boys" by Designer, "Agana Sela Tufu Malla" by Ramond, "Life Is A Mission" by Prince Buju, "Guru Anowuu" by Fadester, and "9090" by Awudu. LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work from one of the greatest new groups we've heard in years – Michigan's mighty Nomo, easily one of the greatest Afro Funk combos going! Nomo's got a tightness that surpasses most other heirs to Fela's throne – an intensely focused energy that's really tremendous – and which soars out with some jazzy touches on the horns that move the group into deeply soulful territory! There's way more going on here than just guitar riffing, percussion, and blasting horns – as Nomo's musical vision is really expansive, and often echoes with cosmic touches you never would have heard back in 70s Ethiopia! Electric instruments are used subtly, but really effectively – so that keyboards are matched with weird guitar parts and some especially great electrified gamelan and kalimba lines, the last of which are almost worth the price of the record alone. The whole thing's great – classic in its roots, but creative enough to have a boldly strong voice of its own – and our hats are off to Nomo for blowing us away even more here than with their already-great debut! Titles include "We Do We Go", "Nutones", "Hand & Mouth", "Fourth Ward", "Reasons", "New Song", "Divisions", "Sarvodaya", and "Book Of Right On". CD

A lost chapter from the late 60s/early 70s Ghana scene – a great mix of African rhythms & melodies with the raw grit of garage rock, the heavy groove of funk and soul, the swirling and fuzzed out guitars and organ of psychedelia – the Psycho African Beat of The Psychedelic Aliens! The group released one 4 song EP and a pair of 7-inches in it's 3 year existence. Academy compiles and beautifully packages all of those songs here and they are completely incredible – it's an almost painfully brief blast of pure genius, but important and vital work that needs to be heard! Psychedelic funk from Ghana with a raw edge and soulful groove. Includes "Blofonyobi Wo Atale", "Hijacking", "We're Laughing", "Extraordinary Woman", "Gbekeke Wo Taoc", "Gbomei Adesai", "Homowo", "Okponmo Ni Tisitsi Emo Le". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Ghanaian funk singer, composer and arranger Rob – issued for the first time ever outside of Ghana, thanks to the deep diggers at Soundway! Rob sings in English throughout – and there's a slinky, slow-cooking, kinda strange groove on most of the numbers – a mix of funk with lots of offbeat, oddball touches – of the sort that some folks these days might dub Afro Psych – but which was just pretty darn experimental back in the day! Rhythms are heavy on guitar, bass, and drums – and plenty of offbeat percussion – all topped with some great heavy horns too. The memorable title track is one of the most unique Afro Funk songs you could ever hope to hear – , with dexterous opening horn blasts, clattering bell-like percussion, and undeniably carnal English vocals – and the rest of the album's pretty darn amazing too! Other titles include "Loose Up Yourself" "Not The End", "I've Got To See You Again Lord", "He Shall Live In You", "But You", "Bargain" and "Back On You". LP, Vinyl record album

A second mighty batch of rare work from points south – the kind of tunes we'd never have tracked down on our own, making us even more grateful for a set like this! As before, the music's a blend of obscure African tunes and other bits picked from the Caribbean – the latter of which represents a strongly untapped source of funk from the 70s, finally getting its due in recent years! There's a strong influence on most numbers from American funky 45s – heavy drums, riffing guitars, and blasting horns – but all put together with a slightly different approach, especially on the bottom – which makes for more than enough interesting grooves throughout the set. Titles include "Dig It Babe" by Jojo L'Explosif, "Rising" by WJC & Roots Trunks & Branches, "Dou Dagbe We" by Black Santiago, "Almamy" by Super Tentemba Jazz, "Rhythm On Rhythm" by Sookie, "Joe" by Marius, "Play Up Play Up" by Roland Louis Orchestra, "Let's Stay Up Vickings" by Les Vickings, and "Wish Upon Love" by Cool Creation. LP, Vinyl record album