A really incredible compilation, and one that's a great reminder of why we love the Analog Africa record label so much! Sure, there's been collections of Congolese music before – but this one's got that special something extra that Analog Africa can bring to play – an ear for just the right tracks that have enough funk and soul to open the ears of listeners who might not normally be digging deep into African music – yet will also pack plenty of punch to listeners who do! You can dive right into the collection and listen – the music will take you on a mighty great journey, even if you know nothing about the scene. But, in the best tradition of the label, there's also plenty of notes inside, should you want to learn more – as you're digging fantastic tunes that include "Mfuur Ma" by Groupe Minzolo Ya Zaire, "Tembe Na Tembe Ya Nini" by Orchestre Celi Bitshou, "Nganga" by Les Freres Soki, "Ngantsie Soul" by Les Bantous De La Capitale, "Fiancee Laya" by GO Malebo, "Sungu Lubuka" by Petelo Vicka Et Son Nzazi, and "MBT's Sound" by MBTs. CD

The Movers were one of the all-time great groups on the South African scene at the start of the 70s – a tight little combo who originally began with an organ-heavy groove, then one who picked up some mighty soulful singers as the years went on! At the start, the group were maybe a South African take on territory of The Meters and Booker T & The MGs, but within a few short years they also hit more righteous territory that had them stepping out to be a voice of pride and power on the scene – a transition that's captured perfectly here in a really well-chosen array of cuts! Analog Africa really outdid themselves here – going to great lengths to tell the group's story, and provide some of their best cuts from the first years of their existence – in a smoking set list that includes "Soul Crazy", "Give Five Or More", "Gig Soul Party", "Hot Coffee", "Kudala Sithandana", "Oupa Is Back", "Ku Ku Chi", "2nd Avenue", "Six Mabone", "Plenty Time", and "Soweto Inn". CD

A really deep dive into the world of electrified Peruvian music – one that's put together not only with a killer collection of tracks, but also some really detailed notes that expand on this wonderfully unique hybrid of styles! Rhythms are often in the territory of cumbia from slightly farther north in the South American scene, but given all sorts of rootsier percussion touches – then mixed with electric guitar and thin keyboards, of the sort that you'd normally expect to hear on a 60s surf record – yet reworked here with a uniquely tropical vibe! The approach is often more instrumental than vocal, but you'll hear plenty of voices on the set too – sometimes just calling out to urge on the instrumentalists in the combos – on titles that include "La Hamaca" by Los Cisnes, "Humo En La Selva" by Los Invasores De Progreso, "Selva Virgen" by Los Zheros, "Descarga Royal" by Los Royals De Pucallpa, "Baila Bonito" by Ranil Y Su Conjunto Tropical, "El Pasito De Miriam" by Grupo Siglo XX De Rioja, "La Palmerita" by Fresa Juvenil De Tarapoto, and "Recordando Aguaytia" by Sonido Verde De Moybamba. CD

There's a host of cool keyboards on the cover, and that's what you'll hear on the record as well – used in all these really groovy space age styles over more conventional Latin rhythms – all of which made for a really incredible subgenre of sounds on the scene in Ecuador during the 70s! Most of the music here has the touch of Polibio Mayorga on the keys – sometimes as the lead artist, sometimes as a contributor to another's' work – and the cuts mix rootsier percussion and sometimes use Andean melodies, but all have these really weird and unusual electric parts too – an outer space organ line, or a moogy electronic flourish – all of which makes for some wonderfully trippy sounds throughout! As always with Analog Africa, the presentation is fantastic – and titles include "America India" by Junior Y Su Equipo, "Mi Paisa" by Olmedo Torres Y Poblibio Mayorga, "Haciendo Bomba" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "Llorona" by Los Locos Del Ritmo, "Muevase Vecina" by Eduardo Morales, "Bomba De Pobres" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "La Perra Vida" by Conjunto La Lorga, "Munequita Blanca" by Orti Mayorga Y Chiriboga, and "Cumbia Totorana", "Ferrocarril", and "Culebrita Dormida" by Polibio Mayorga. CD

They certainly got the "explosion" in the title right – as these tracks leap right out of the groove from the very first note – very heavy on percussion, and with a much starker, funkier sound than some other West African work from the early 80s! The tracks are all from the Edo region of Nigeria – a scene that was still hanging on to some of the leaner modes of the early 70s, while some of the work in Lagos was getting a bit more polished up – with a result that means that the drums are front and center in all these cuts, even when more modern instrumentation is being used – which makes for some highly rhythmic grooves that also earn the "funk" in the title too! As always with Analog Africa, the set list and notes are superb – and this package has a tighter scope than some of their others, as it focuses on the work of three main artists from Benin City – with titles that include "Africa Is My Root", "Who No Man", "Ororo No De Fade", and "My Name Is Money" by Osayomore Joseph; "Ta Gha Husimwen", "Popular Side", "Ta Ghi Rare", and "Ogbov Omwan" by Akaba Man; and "Aibalegbe", "Oviemama", "Skpaide No 2", and "Iranm Iran" by Sir Victor Owaifo. CD