A really unique record, one that seems to mix some of the spacey sounds of the electronic ambient world of the early 80s underground with more tuneful, song-based modes of the post-punk generation – all at a level that seems to move effortlessly between both sorts of styles! There's certainly plenty of 80s keyboards on the set, and plenty of drum machine percussion – but the mood shifts from upbeat and catchy to more laidback and spacey – sometimes with vocals, sometimes all instrumental with a very cosmic vibe! Titles include "I Wash My Hair With Limes", "Entrance Of The Deacon", "She Dreams Of Golden Gloves Dancing", "Big Buck Meets The Perpendicular Fish", and "The Surface Of The Water". 2LP reissue features a full album of bonus unreleased tracks! LP, Vinyl record album
2
Nenad Jelic & Laza Ristovski —
Opera ... LP RTB/Soundway (UK), 1985. New Copy (reissue)...
$16.9929.99
A really unique project from the Serbian underground of the 80s – a record that mixes together global elements, electronics, and some other live instrumentation – all in a way that's as tuneful as it is experimental, and which has a nice sort of post-punk sense of freedom throughout! The music reminds us a lot of some of our favorite work from farther up on the European scene – particularly records on the Crammed label, as this set shares a similar sense of wider sensibilities coming into play with new technologies of the time, yet handled in a way that's very personal and poetic. The duo bring a bit of vocals to the record, but most of the music comes from the interplay between acoustic and electronic elements – on titles that include "Gitanes", "Gajeiro", "Rhinoceros II, "Sometimes At Nine", "In The Sky", and "Rumba Balcana". LP, Vinyl record album
A set with a large date range in the title, but one that actually just features work from two different albums, each recorded seven years apart – one in Nigeria, the other cooked up in San Francisco – both working together here as the fantastic but too-small 80s legacy of Ayo Manuel Ajisebutu! There's plenty of 80s groove in the music, often a lean approach that's heavy on basslines and keyboards, but warmed up with elements that nod back to older Nigerian funk modes, with a more contemporary vibe – yet one that's also not trying for the thinner or more commercial styles that sometimes marked the growth of world music at the time. Side one features titles from the Love Candidate album – including the instrumental "Song Of Love", plus "Fun Time" and "Don't Stop" – and side two features work from the Party Zone album, including "Sojourn", "Gboro Mi Ro", and "Do Good". LP, Vinyl record album
4
Yoruba Singers —
Ojinga's Own ... LP Bluegrass/Soundway, 1974. New Copy (reissue)...
$27.9929.99
A really cool record by a very unique group – a set of singers from Guyana, working together in chorus formation – but with an approach that's nicely suited to the funkier modes of the instrumentation! The approach is a bit hard to describe – this isn't soul or jazz choral work, and the structure is often loose at points too – which means that there's almost a casual sense of collaboration as the vocals come together in all these really great ways – adding a heck of a lot of spirit to the percussion, guitar, and other elements that keep things nice and funky! Titles include "Ojinga's Own", "Stay Away", "Neighbor Jean", "Massacura Man", "Go Go", "Woman A Dead Ya Fuhn Man", "No Intention", "Ka Duma", and "I've Got To Be Somebody". LP, Vinyl record album
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7
Circling Sun —
Spirits ... LP Soundway (UK), 2023. New Copy ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
Sublime spiritual jazz from a really great contemporary group – a combo that features key players on the New Zealand scene, all working together in a set of modal jazz numbers with a very soulful vibe! Bassist Ben Turua may be the star of the set – as the tone and pacing of his instrument really guides the group on most numbers – and allows very free flights from other players, who include Cameron Allen on tenor and alto, Guy Harrison on piano and Fender Rhodes, Finn Scholes on trumpet and vibes, Julien Dyne on drums, and Jong Yun Lee on soprano, tenor, alto, and flute! There's a warm glow throughout, and a depth that's somewhere in the early 70s handling of this sort of material by labels like Impulse or Flying Dutchman – save for the fact that the tunes are all original too. Cory Champion adds some cool Buchla Modular synth on most tracks – and there's also a bit of harp on the record too – on titles that include "Spirits (part 2)", "Bliss", "Plume", "Veneer", "Kohan", and "Bones". LP, Vinyl record album
8
Pedro Ricardo —
Soprem Bons Ventos ... LP Soundway (UK), 2023. New Copy ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A beautiful debut from Pedro Ricardo – an artist with a name that sounds like a contemporary of the MPB scene in 70s Brazil – and one who works here with a rock-solid sound that might easily place him in that legacy! Pedro's music is definitely contemporary, and he's Portuguese, not Brazilian – but shares the same language, and the same sort of temporal spanning of some of our current favorites from the Brazilian underground – effortlessly blending elements of jazz and more rootsy expressions, sometimes with modern inflections, sometimes a lot more earthy overall! There's plenty of wonderfulness happening here – a truly individual statement from an artist we'll be keeping our ears on for years to come – on titles that include "Soprem Bons Ventos", "Entre O Vale E O Eco", "Tema 2", "Deheba", "Ode Ao Gato", "A Marcha Que O Monte Parou", and "Cantar Das Kandakinhas". LP, Vinyl record album
A Caribbean group, but one with a much heavier groove than most – much more of a West African vibe overall, with a very heady mix of percussion, bass, and other heady elements! There's a mixed-up, dubby approach to the music that almost recalls Cymande at times – core musical ideas taken nicely far from their roots – not in a way to make them more commercial, but just to shake things up, recombine then, and come up with a sound that's wonderfully unique! The whole thing is every bit as funky as you might expect, and really criss-crosses scenes and styles with a blend of percussion, guitars, flute, kalimba, keyboards, and Arp. The production is great – nice and moody, with just the right current of echo – and all titles were penned by lead singer Oluko Imo, with tracks that include "Ifetayo", "You People", "Saved Musician", "Kilimanjaro", "Aspire", and "Umbala". This edition also features the bonus track "Imo". LP, Vinyl record album
One of the coolest Afro Funk groups of the 70s – and an outfit who definitely earn the "poly rhythmic" in their name! TP Orchestre have a jagged, jaunty sound that's totally great – really playfully rhythmic, in a way that breaks from the mold of most of their 70s contemporaries on the African scene – in a mad mix of beats and guitars that changes up heavily – often in the same song! The work here has a very fluid quality – pulled together in the Soundway mode with a focus on tracks that will appeal to overall fans of 70s funk, but also done with a real thought for displaying the true range of the group's mighty talents. Titles include "Angelina II", "Aihe Ni Kpe We", "Gbeto Vivi", "Agnon Djidjo", "Ne Te Faches Pas", "Kokoriko", "Hwe Towe Hun", "Gendamou Na Wili We Gnannin", "Mi Si Ba To", and "Medida". CD
A second volume from one of our favorite compilation series of 70s African music ever – Nigeria Special Volume 2 from the rare Afrobeat treasure diggers at Soundway Records! This deeper delve into the well of hard-to-find early to mid 70s material sticks is just as wonderful – chronicling rare singles, A-sides and B-sides, as well as lesser known album tracks that wonderful fuse styles of African funk, soul & jazz, highlife and more. Heavy rhythms and passionate sounds galore, from the first half dozen years of the decade in this second, and purportedly final installment of the flagship Nigerian Special series! It's very exciting that researcher and compiler Miles Cleret puts together compilations of such top caliber material, on a level that it's mindboggling that so much has languished largely unheard for so many years! 19 tracks : "Psychedelic Baby" by Fubura Sekibo, "Shango Oba Onina" by Black's Zenith, "Omohupa" by The Otarus, "The Lord's Prayer"m by The Don Isaac Ezekiel Combination, "Jeka Subu" by Bola Johnson & His Easy Life Top Beats", "Motako" by Fidel Sax Bateke & The Voices Of Darkness and more. CD
A mindblowing look at a really stunning musical moment in Indonesia – a postwar period when older sounds from the nation were updated with more western-styled instrumentation – yet often at a level that still retained all of the charm of their roots! If you dig Indonesian gamelan or vocal performances, you'll find plenty to love here – as rhythmic and melodic elements from those worlds are mixed with jazz instrumentation, electric guitar, and plenty of percussion that often seems to draw a bit from Latin inspirations as much as it does from larger local ensembles and their musical legacy. The style is maybe a bit like musical shifts that were taking place in other Southeast Asian nations at the time – but the results are far less slavish to western pop, and still really retain all the cultural care of earlier years – sometimes in ways that are a lot more lean and personal, with extremely beautiful sounds throughout. Maybe one of the best collections the Soundway label has ever given us – with the usual detailed notes, and tracks by artists who include Orkes Kelana Ria, Mus DS, Zaenal Combo, Yanti Bersuadara, Band Nada Kentjana, Orkes Tropicana, Nada Kantjana, and Chris Byantoro. LP, Vinyl record album
(Initial pressing features a bonus 7" single – with tracks by Zaenal Combo and Ivo Nilakreshna.)
A real lost legacy from GC Cameron – the stunning singer whose work graced The Spinners on some of their most famous recordings – heard here on some rare cuts done in the Fantasy Records studios in the second half of the 70s! The great Harvey Fuqua produced, and the grooves have this midtempo clubby vibe that's totally great – that special warmth that always set Fantasy tracks apart from some of the more driving disco hits of the time – a vibe that's perfect for Cameron's vocals, which are maybe even better here in the lead as a solo act than with a group! Only one track was issued at the time, on a UK single – "If I Love You", which is features here in both vocal and instrumental versions – next to two other tracks that see the light of day here for the first time – "Thank You Baby" and "Live For Love". 12-inch, Vinyl record
One of the heaviest grooves ever recorded in Tobago – an earthy number that's heavy on bass and percussion underneath Nelson's vocals – and peppered with this weird horn that feels like it was pulled from Sun Ra's Arkestra! The tune's got a really timeless feel – hardly what you'd expect from its 1978 recording date – very tribal and rhythmic – taken into some more contemporary house/global modes on the remix! 12-inch, Vinyl record
Damn great work from the early 80s Nigerian scene – music that's evolved strongly past the Afro Funk of the 70s, and often has the same electro soul sound as work from the US at the time! These cuts are unabashedly upbeat, and aimed at the dancefloor – full of the kind of basslines and keyboard lines that folks treasure in rare American boogie singles – and topped with English language lyrics that give these tunes a really universal appeal! There's a nicely offbeat vibe to the cuts at times – almost a P&P club sort of style – which makes the whole thing a real treasure for any fan of funky club music, not just Nigerian sounds. Titles include "Only You" by Steve Monite, "Don't You Know" by Peter Abdul, "Fellas Doing It In Lagos" by Hotline, "Too Hot" by Rick Asikpo & Afro Fusion, "Funk With Me" by Danny Offia & The Friks, "Don't Give Up" by Willy Roy, "Groove I Like" by Veno, "Don't Stop That Music" by Sony Enang, "Where Is The Answer" by Burnis Moleme, and "Enjoy Your Life" by Oby Onyioha. The LP version includes detailed booklet and bonus 45 with "On The Air (rap mix)" by Lexy Mella and "Burning Jungle" by Ofege! LP, Vinyl record album
Rare recordings from the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the French Caribbean – rare Afro Latin grooves from the mid 60s to the mid 70s – a fantastic compilation from the global groove compilation heroes at Soundway! The material generally has the thumping drum & percussion backdrop the seizes you pretty hard, but some of more of a lilting melodicism, and many manage both – and simply put, a wonderful primer on more than a decade of Caribbean sounds that we just haven't heard enough! Lighter melodies mix with heavier drums, and it's blend of Creole, Haitian, Congolese and Puerto Rican influences that's passionate and amazing! 20 tracks on the CD: "Jeunesse Vauclin" by Barel Coppet Et Mister Lof, "Jet Biguine" by Les Loups Noirs D'Haiti, "Henri Te Vle Maye" by Robert Mavounsy Quartet, "Oriza" by Les Kings, "D'Leau Coco" by Les Leopards, "Jojo" by Ensemble La Perfecta, "Fileo" by Francisco, "Jean Fouille, Pie Fouille" by Robert Loison and more. CD
17
Charles Amoah —
Sweet Vibration ... LP Milos/Soundway (UK), 1984. New Copy (reissue)...
Out Of Stock
Joyous 80s grooves from Charles Amoah of Ghana – a set that's maybe got all the same electro soul elements as indie sides from New York at the same time! Charles definitely has his ear to the streets with the beats – and the mix of those and the basslines is very much in the best old school hip hop and breakin modes – spare and focused use of drum machine lines, then warmed up by live basslines, keyboards, and guitars – plys Charles' own vocals in the lead! There's a really celebratory vibe to the whole thing – almost like some party on a block where the streets are shut down – and titles include two versions of "Shake Your Body To The Beat", plus "Sweet Vibration", "Our Love's On Fire", "Jungle Rock", "Scratch My Back", and "Fighting Spirit". LP, Vinyl record album
18
Clear Path Ensemble —
Solar Eclipse ... LP Soundway (UK), 2022. New Copy ...
Out Of Stock
A jazz group at the core, but one with lots of nicely warm touches around the edges – a mix of percussion and vibes from group leader Cory Champion, who also brings in plenty of Fender Rhodes, guitar, and other keyboards as well! At times, there's a nicely cosmic vibe to the music – almost an evolution of the 70s sound of Lonnie Liston Smith – but there's also a lot more going on too, including cool use of bass clarinet, cello, harp, and other elements from other players to complicate the sound – plus occasional Buchla electronics from Champion, which creates a nicely spooky vibe – a bit like when Pat Gleeson might drop in a few sounds on a 70s jazz funk album. Titles include "Sunrise Motif", "Absolvo", "Revolutions", "Kihi", "Drumatix", "Plazma Plaza", and "Talking To Water". LP, Vinyl record album
19
Steve Monite —
Only You ... LP Soundway (UK), 1984. New Copy (reissue)...
Out Of Stock
Sweet Nigerian boogie from Steve Monite – a set that mixes together bass-heavy funk and more guitar-driven numbers – kind of criss-crossing styles of the Lagos scene at the time, while also making a nod to the New York dancefloors as well! The tracks are all long, and although Steve sings on the record, there's also a strong overall sense of groove – one that really takes over on the two "disco jam" titles on the set – which are both instrumental groovers with some really cool moogy moments! Titles include "Only You", "I Had A Dream", "Things Fall Apart", and "Welcome My Love". LP, Vinyl record album
A much-needed look at the massive amount of music recorded in Kenya during the 70s and 80s – an incredibly fertile time for local culture in the nation – and a time when it seemed like there was a great new groove coming out nearly every day! The work here really rivals the best of the classic Soundway compilations – especially their strong surveys of Ghana and Nigeria, with an ear for grooves that go way beyond the usual mainstream sounds of world music! There's more than enough grit and funk here to please any fan of American funk and soul – but the sounds also go way way deeper, too – and echo not only a long Kenyan cultural heritage, but also reflect the unique place the nation had at the crossroads of East Africa – a site that often made the scene especially vibrant in these years. The presentation is superb – with detailed notes and wonderful imagery that includes vintage label scans – and titles include "Mu Africa" by The Rift Valley Brothers, "Wendo Ti Mbia" by Gatanga Boys Band, "Ware Wa" by The Loi Toki Tok, "Sweet Sweet Mbombo" by Orchestre Baba National, "Cha Umheja" by Afro 70, "See Serere" by Sophia Ben & The Eagles Lupopo, "Mutumia Muriu" by The Lulus Band, "Nzaumi" by Ndalani 77 Brothers, "Teresia" by Huruma Boys Band, and "Week End" by Afro 70. CD
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
(180 gram Soundway reissue. Cover has a hype sticker.)
A definite eclectic groove here – music that has its roots in Mandingo and Dioula rhythms, but also features a fair bit of American funk and soul touches too – sometimes in the heavy grooves on the bottom, sometimes in the rumbling basslines and guitar parts too! The collection is a wonderful look at the early work of singer Amadou Balake – and it features material from the years before his international fame, when he was rooting around in a variety of wonderful styles. There's a gritty quality to most of the work here – and the collection is one that sits nicely next to some of the rougher-edged Nigeria Special sets on Soundway – offering up a similarly refreshing look at a slice of the African scene of the 70s that too often gets obscured by familiar world music cliches. Balake's vocals are pretty great too – but we'll be honest in saying that it's the rhythms, instrumentation, and production of these tunes that we're really digging the most! LP features 8 tracks that include "Aminata Du The", "Fanta", "Dounia Mokolou", "Djeli Fama", "Kambele-ba", "Ligda Remba", "Doro Magni", and "Super Bar Konon Mousso". LP, Vinyl record album
23
Sweet Talks —
Kusum Beat ... LP Philips (Nigeria), 1974. Sealed ...
Out Of Stock
A blend of traditional modes and 70s Afro Funk – the debut album from this hip combo from Ghana! Tracks are long, open, and jamming – and almost build with a groove that makes you feel like the group's working live in the studio to come up with their jams, yet with a tightness that's different than the longer modes of Fela Kuti! Riffing guitars really drive most of these cuts along – and although the set starts with some echoes of the sweetness of high life, that quickly drops out to make room for heavier 70s modes, especially on the percussion and organ bits. Titles include "Sasa Abonsam", "Oburumankoma", "Kyekye Pe Aware", "Akampanye", "Eyi Su Ngaangaa", and "Mampam Sukuruwe". LP, Vinyl record album
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