A great update of older cumbia modes – served up here in a style that's extremely fresh, and very fitting for the fierce vocal approach of La Yegros! Yegros spends her time between Buenos Aires and Paris, and that global range definitely shows in the music – as she mixes a host of electronic elements with an older rootsy, rhythmic core – all handled by producer King Coya, who recorded the whole album with La Yegros in Argentina. The sounds here are way beyond both classic cumbia and pop cumbia – and the rhythms are too – and titles include "Carnabailito", "Hoy", "Suenitos", "Arde", "Fragil", "Dejate Llevar", and "Atormentada". CD

Massive music from Monomono – and a set of Afro Funk put together with a wonderful criss-crossing of sounds! The style here isn't just the familiar grooves you might expect – and instead, there's almost a post-colonial vibe going on – an ear towards London, and another towards Jamaica – bringing in basslines that give some tracks a great dubby energy, and which almost puts the record in the same territory as the best by Cymande! There's a blend of darkness and light on many tracks – some moody undercurrents that really draw us in, then redemptive vocal passages, often in English, which really tie the whole thing together beautifully. Monomono could have been huge at the time – and they did reach out pretty far with their few recordings – but it almost feels like their music has been waiting for the 21st Century to finally get the appreciation its due! Titles include "Find Out", "Lida Lou", "Kenimania", "Give The Beggar A Chance", "Ema Kowa Lasa Ile Wa", and "The World Might Fall Over". CD

A motherlode of music from the legendary Tunji Oyelana – a key figure in Nigerian music from the late 60s onward – with an influence that's almost as important as Fela's! Tunji's style is pretty darn funky, but different too – almost a pan-African sort of range that encompasses older styles from folklore, grooves from highlife, and the growing turn towards soul, funk, and rock that really sparked on the Nigerian scene once the 70s came around. This double-length package is a great illustration of this range – a wealth of wonderful songs, all graced by the rich vocals of Oyelana, and backed with hip grooves from The Benders – a very cool combo who really know how to change things up! Titles include "Ojo", "Which Way Africa", "To Whom It May Concern", "Jewele Jewele", "Ifa", "Fiya Jemi", "Osekere", "Aiye Nla", "Omonike", "Agba Lode (45 version)", "Aduke", and "Lenle". LP, Vinyl record album

The People Rock Outfit really knock it out of the park with this dark-edged classic from the 70s – one of the heaviest albums we've heard from the Nigerian scene at the time, and a record that's almost got more of a South African spirit overall! These guys effortlessly mix together funk and psych – the former in these stark, forward-moving rhythnm that are mighty nice – the latter in these long-spun guitar lines that have a nice fuzzy vibe, as the solos cascade effortlessly from the hands of the guitarist! Vocals are all in English – sometimes with a slow-stepping approach that's very moody, more often in a lively spirit to match the rhythms – and the record also features a bit of guest work on moog and Hammond, which really adds a lot to the sound. Titles include "Blacky Joe", "Mary Jane", "Faded Jeans", "Freedom", "Movement", "Tell Me", "Midnight Woman", and "Looking Round". 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 great set that moves towards the farther reaches of the Caribbean scene in the 80s – music that's much more underground than some of the bigger soca and tropical hits of the time! As you might expect from the Soundway label, the work here is a very unusual, very well-done presentation of a fresh slice of global music – Caribbean cuts that borrow bits from electro soul, house music, and other styles of the time – and weave the newer elements into island rhythms with a very forward-thinking feel! The tunes are heavy on keyboards and beats, yet still have a indie soul sort of charm – and as usual with Soundway, the whole thing comes with very detailed notes on the music. Most tunes are b-sides, dubs, or edits – and titles include "Last Days" by The Millers, "Wild Indian Band" by Andre Tanker, "Zion Gates (dub)" by Mohjah, "I Want Your Love" by Peter Britto, "Hotter & Hotter (dub edit)" by Juno D, "D'Jab Jab Dance (bad lad mix)" by Colin Jackman, "Fighting Soldier" by Cito Jarvis, "Stand Up & Rock Your Body (inst)" by Roger Bain, "Fire (ext dub edit)" by D Ivan, "Body Beat" by Bill Campbell, and "It's Alright" by Adonijah. LP, Vinyl record album

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, "On The Air (rap mix)" by Lexy Mella, "Groove I Like" by Veno, "Don't Stop That Music" by Sony Enang, "Where Is The Answer" by Burnis Moleme, and "Identify With Your Root" by Odion Iruoje. CD

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. LP, Vinyl record album

Massive funk from the Nigerian scene of the 70s – and miles away from US disco of the time! These cuts represent a tighter, more uptempo side of African funk – but they're never as polished or professional as American club or disco – no soaring strings, female chorus vocals, or other sweetening touches that played big at Studio 54. Instead, these grooves are all still gritty – the kind of upbeat jamming funk performed in Lagos clubs and bars at the time – kind of a distillation of the longer grooves of Fela, pushed a bit towards an American funk sound too. Drums and guitars dominate most of the tracks – making for a well-played, edgey sound throughout – and although there's a fair bit of vocals on the set, the instrumental jamming is the main focus of most of these tunes. Another essential collection from Soundway Records – with tracks that include "Take Your Soul" by Sahara All Stars, "Will Of The People" by T-Fire, "Some More" by Jay-U Experience, "Love Affair" by S-Job Movement, "Ijere" by Dr Adolf Ahanotu, "Greetings" by Johnny Haastrup, "Lagos City" by Asiko Rock Group, and "Mota Giny" by Voices Of Darkness. CD

Forget the "rock" in the title, and just focus on the "funk" – because this set of tracks is a massively heavy batch of Nigerian numbers from the 70s – all with the same solidly soulful feel as more familiar Afro Funk work of the time! There's a definite emphasis on guitars – which are often used in freaky and fuzzy ways, to offer up a more tripped-out take on the music than you might expect – but they never go too far into mainstream rock territory, certainly not in an Anglo sort of way. Most of the rhythms are still very much in an Afro Funk mode – but again a bit more tripped-out than usual – sometimes with a nice sense of space and laidback timing, which is often augmented by production techniques that pull out some of the cooler aspects of the music. There's a fair bit of keyboards too, often used in ways that are similar to the guitars – and in a way, the vibe here is often in the mode of British cross-cultural groups of the post-colonial years – like Cymande or Demon Fuzz, both of whom would sound right at home here. As usual with Soundway, the whole package is put together with a great deal of love and care – and full notes on all the wonderful music within! 15 tracks in all – including "Finger Toe" by Tabukah X, "Odenigbo" by The Wings, "Adieu" by Ofege, "In The Jungle (inst)" by The Hygrades, "Freaking Out" by Question Mark, "Omoboa D'Eru Ri" by Tunji Oyelana, "Another Man's Thing" by Joe King Kologbo & His Black Sound, "Acid Rock" by The Funkees, "Kenimania" by Mono Mono, "Ku Mi Da Hankan" by The Elcados, and "Eniaro" by Ofo The Black Company. CD

Colombian music, both classic and contemporary – as a group of older all-star players comes into contact with Will "Quantic" Holland! The set's easily one of the most smoking Latin-styled projects we've heard from Quantic so far – recorded in Colombia with work from Fruko, Anibal Velasquez, Alfredito Linares, and Michi Sarmiento – alongside Quantic's Combo Babaro, and the Frente Combeiro group of Mario Galeano! The sound is all classic throughout – no tricks or gimmicks, or modern remix modes at all – just old school instrumentation, filtered through a new school approach to funk – one that's come from years of digging older Colombian numbers, and finding a way to make new music that packs an equal punch. Every bit as smoking as older Central American grooves compiled by Soundway – with tracks that include "Bomba Tropica", "La Tranca", "Cien Anos", "Papi Shingaling", "Mi Negra", "Dos Lucecitas", "Libya", "Punkero Sonidero", "I Ron Man", "Suena", and "Swing De Gillian". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing set on Soundway that not only captures Highlife On The Move from the early 50s to mid 60s, it's essentially the roots of the music and dancefloor culture of some of greatest Ghanaian and Nigerian grooves to come! The historical relevance of the material is monumental to say the least – not only showing the diverse impact of calypso, mambo and jazz music that was being combined in the nascent-to-prime years of highlife, from Lagos to London – but it also includes what's thought to be the first ever recordings by Fela Kuti, with his Highlife Rakers combo. It's compiled by Markus Coester, who also penned the thick, insightful booklet, and true to Soundway tradition, it's impeccably packaged, and the sound quality is pristine as can be. 38 tracks in all, with "Highlife No 5" by Ginger Folorunso Johnson & His Afro-Cuban Band, "Son Of Africa" by Kwamalah Quaye Sextetto Africana, "Niger Mambo" by Bobby Benson & His Combo, "Afro Mood" by Chris Ajilo & His Cubanos, "Obaa Amponsa Pandogo" by Black Star Band, "Donaldo's Samba" by Afro Rhythm Kings, "Marabi Dance" by Afro Rhythm Kings, "Maggie" by Jhn Santos Martins & Zeal Onya & His Band, "Ghana, Forward Forever" by Lord Ganda & Rupert Nurse's Calypso Band, "Highlife Comes To Europe" by Rans Boi's African Highlife Band, "Uwa D' Arejere" by West African Rhythm Brothers, "Eyo Mano Mi" by T Odueso's Akesan Highlifers, "Wa Sise" by Willie Payne & The Starlite Tempos, "Anyin Gan Na" by Victor Ola-Iya & His Cool Cats and more – plus "Fela's Special" and "Aigana" by Fela Ransome-Kuti & His Highlife Rakers. CD

A captivating slice of work from Brazil – not the samba, bossa, or even Tropicalia sounds you might be used to – but instead a selection of tracks that owe plenty to the changes in soul, rock, and pop that took place in the Anglo world during the 80s! Much of this music has a fair bit of electronics, in both the rhythms and melodic instrumentation – but there's also this warmth that bubbles up right from the start, as in some of the best crossover cuts from the UK during the early part of the decade – particularly cuts that played well on both the rock and soul charts! No surprise, there's a great Sade cover on the album – alongside lots of other cuts that share a similar vibe – titles that include "Saramandaia" by Dado Brazzawilly, "Cheira (7" version)" by Batista Junior, "Break Da Rua (long version)" by Villa Box, "A Festa E Nossa" by Grupo Controle Digital, "Voce Vai Se Lembrar" by Ricardo Bomba, "Tabu" by Vania Bastos, "Africamerica" by Dodo Da Bahia, and "Love Is All" by Via Negromonte. Also includes a few new mixes – "Contos De Escola (Milos Kaiser edit)" by Os Abelhudos, and "Livre Pra Voar (Milos Kaiser edit)" by Nanda Rossi. LP, Vinyl record album

A second heavy dose of sounds from the Panamanian scene of the 60s and 70s – a long-overdue companion to the previous volume of the series on Soundway, filled with rare gems that are finally getting their first exposure to the world outside the isthmus! The sounds here are completely fresh – somewhat Latin-styled in the rhythms, but often put together in ways that are quite different than any more familiar music of the time – touches of tropical styles, funky grooves, and other odd elements that really keep things interesting – shifting our ears way past any easy expectations, and making us love the Soundway label all over again for their massive work in digging up the rare stuff! The package contains rich notes on the music put together by the label – a look at this oft-ignored musical culture, complete with vintage photos and record images too, so that the whole thing's almost as much of a visual treat as it is an audio one. Titles include "Descarga Superior" by Los Superiores, "Jazzy" by Los Papacitos, "Borambon" by Camilio Azuquita, "La Escoba" by Alfredo Y Su Salsa Montanera, "Love Letters" by Lord Cobra Y Los Hnos Duncan, "Piculina" by Chilo Pitty, "Ain't No Sunshine" by The Soul Fantastics, "Dreams" by The Duncan Brothers, "Tamborito Swing" by Los Silvertones, and "Ese Muerto No Lo Cargo Yo" by The Exciters. LP, Vinyl record album

The title certainly gets it right – as there's a strongly unified sense of spirit here from Family Atlantica – even more so than on their debut album! As before, there's a range of global elements moving through the mix – currents of South American and African styles, given a slightly more contemporary European presentation – but somehow these guys have really found a way to put everything together with an even tighter, more cohesive sound – one that expands through jazzy solo work on tenor, alto, trumpet, and trombone – and which really draws a lot from the wide range of percussion and other instrumentation used by co-leader Jack Yglesias. The lovely Luzmira Zerpa handles most of the vocals – and some percussion too – and the album also features guest appearances from 70s legends Orlando Julius on tenor and Marshal Allen on alto sax. Titles include "Baiao Infinito", "Near The Ocean", "Efik", "Cosmic Unity", "Canto De Pilon", "El Rio", "Cacao", "Okoroba", and "Neti Neti". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare Brazilian album from the early 80s, but one that's quite different than you might expect – as these guys have a clear love of keyboards that resonate with some of the bigger electro pop acts of the UK and European scene of the time! The group's really just a duo – Billy Jaguar and Gel Valiery, who play keyboards, guitar, drums, and also trade vocals – usually in a mode that's relatively spare, and which makes for these melodic numbers that are a few steps back from more produced work of the mainstream. That quality really gives the songs a lot of charm, even if you can't understand the Portuguese lyrics – and titles include "Panico Geral", "A Festa E Nossa", "Barra Pesada", "Primavera", "Noite Eterna", "Sentimentos", "O Gato E O Rato", and "Vital O Marginal". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that seems to show a whole new side of the Heliocentrics – music that's every bit as trippy and funky as before, but which also seems open to a lot more musical currents as well – possibly because the record marks the group's debut on the Soundway label! This time around, they've got a moody female singer in the lead – Barbora Patkova, whose voice has a way of tripping out in the same was as the drums of Malcolm Catto, vibes and bass of Jake Verguson, and organ and flutes of Jack Yglesias! We've loved Catto's work for years, and the sound of the group is very much in his best legacy – even stretching back to his early Mo Wax material – but also augmented strongly by the more far-out and creative exotic elements that come to play here. Titles include "Human Zoo", "A World Of Masks", "Capital Of Alone", "Dawn Chorus", "The Silverback", "Oh Brother", and "Made Of The Sun". CD

The debut album from the Mauskovic Dance Band – a compelling combo who bring together rhythms from around the globe, then fuse them together in a dark and moody sort of way – often with the kind of early 80s elements you might expect to hear from ESG or Quando Quango! The production is great – with some spare but stunning use of analogue electronics, which almost makes us feel like Martin Hannett's on hand in the studio – while the group themselves work through rhythms in a range of acoustic and programmed modes, often with a nice degree of complexity, yet never in a way that fails to groove! You'll hear lots of different strands of influences going on here, but the group really makes the sound their own – with a unique quality that almost takes us back to Danceteria, circa 1983. Titles include "Percussione & Spazio Sounds", "Alto In Vacanca", "Late Night People", "Space Drum Machine", "Drinks By The Sea", "Dance Place Garage", and "It's The Wrong Goodie". LP, Vinyl record album

The Meridian Brothers have been making music for quite a few years now – and with each new release, they seem to open up another fresh corner of southern hemisphere sounds, and continue to find a way to weave them together into something quite fresh and unique! Few other folks could navigate a territory this rich, and not get lost in the forest – and The Meridians manage to change rhythms strongly with each new track, utilize both ancient elements and contemporary production, and even, this time around, occasionally reach for some larger arrangements that only seem to give their music an even loftier vibe than before! Most tracks have vocals in Spanish, and instrumentation that speaks in a lot more languages – and titles include "No Me Traciones", "Donde Estas Maria", "Entra El Ritmo Antillano", "El No Esta Muerto", "Cumbia Eres La Cumbia", "Como Estoy En Los Sesenta", and "Yo Soy Tu Padre Yo Te Fabrique". CD

The Meridian Brothers have been making music for quite a few years now – and with each new release, they seem to open up another fresh corner of southern hemisphere sounds, and continue to find a way to weave them together into something quite fresh and unique! Few other folks could navigate a territory this rich, and not get lost in the forest – and The Meridians manage to change rhythms strongly with each new track, utilize both ancient elements and contemporary production, and even, this time around, occasionally reach for some larger arrangements that only seem to give their music an even loftier vibe than before! Most tracks have vocals in Spanish, and instrumentation that speaks in a lot more languages – and titles include "No Me Traciones", "Donde Estas Maria", "Entra El Ritmo Antillano", "El No Esta Muerto", "Cumbia Eres La Cumbia", "Como Estoy En Los Sesenta", and "Yo Soy Tu Padre Yo Te Fabrique". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just a beginners guide to African Funk – as the set's filled with goodies that go way past the obvious! The package mostly features material from the 70s – and includes a heck of a lot of great music for a very low price – 35 tracks on 3CDs, with a selection that really shows the evolution in understanding of Afro Funk over the past decade or so – thanks to the excellent archival skills of labels like Soundway, Honest Jons, Sterns, and others. The groove stretches out nicely past familiar Fela modes – and titles include "Hot Tears" by The Immortals, "Dissan Na M'Bera" by Super Mama Djombo, "Sey" by Orchestra Baobab, "Ole" by The Funkees, "Odofo" by Et Mensah, "Lanseny" by Rail Band, "Nyo" by Balla Et Ses Balladins, "Afro Baby" by Stephen Osifa Amae Chi, "Lagos Sisi" by Bola Johnson, "Yegelle Tezeta" by Mulatu Astatke, "Taximen" by Amadou Balake, "So I Si Sa" by Super Boiro Band, and "Igede" by Celestine Ukwu. CD