the switzerland based group alma negra are offering a afro- and latininfluenced disco ep tailor made for lumberjacks in hell. with all the instruments played live, this ep sounds like and entire village celebrating the uplifting alma negra signature sound.

limitierte vinyl lp mit downloadcode.

the 4th edition in the acclaimed sterns edits series sees curator ben gomori open up the sterns music catalogue to other keen re-editors with brownswood / worldwide genius smbd (aka simbad) the first to step up to the plate. nigeria s segun adewale is sometimes referred to as the crown prince of jùjú music, but in the 1980s he developed a sound all of his own, which he called yo-pop. a mixture of jùjú, funk, reggae, afrobeat and jazz, its vibrant melange can be heard on his 1986 record ojo je , where both these originals are taken from. smbd delivers too superb flips of the title track a gritty funk-fuelled disco version with live bass, and a deliciously deep dub-house version. gomori, meanwhile, takes the haunting atewo-lara ka tepa mo se for an extended hypnotic, tribal trip. the stunning artwork comes from kofi ankobra, the son of radical white south africans who grew up in ghana and studied art at oshogbo, nigeria the place adewale himself was born. sterns edits is an official collaboration between african music stalwarts sterns music and londons ben gomori.

analog africa s neunte veröffentlichung ihrer limited edition serie ist ein fantastischer dancefloor sommercocktail aus highlife, funk und synths des ghanaischen bandleaders gyedu-blay ambolley, zusammengefasst in einer 4 track-lp. in den 1980er jahren begann der ghanaische bandleader gyedu-blay ambolley mit elektronischen instrumenten zu experimentieren, und das ergebnis war ein potenter cocktail aus highlife, funk, explorativen synthesizern und rechtschaffenem gesang, dem sound eines unruhigen genies, das die traditionellen sounds des highlife in eine mutige neue zukunft treiben wollte.

the 8th instalment of am records contains 4 percussive edits by afrobot, the grooves function as dj tools for various occasions.
-soca trance- will bring some extra heat on the dance floor, it s a heavily cut-up, rough electronic soca rhythm with fragments of looped steeldrum melody on top. -i m alive- is another latin banger, a piece of proto house with some lush vocals in the background and a synthesized tropical bird flying over. on the flip, kalao is an underground afro/french drum track with lots of flanged percussion, cheering black vocals and an elephant passing by. body & soul is the most discoish edit of all: a hypnotic groove with a killer baseline (and a flute sound) interrupted by an uplifting drumbreak.

acclaimed purveyors of magical (classic) world and soulful grooves, diephuis & jephte guillaume, release their colourful summer afro jam, baba m fa njika - featuring the electrifying voice of cameroon’s songbird, barbara gwanmesia. as you’d come to expect from this duo, baba m fa njika’ is a musical feast of earthy afro beats, hypnotic synths, infectious sax and rhythmic vocal chants, which, pirouetting around barbara’s magnetic croon, throbs with the love, hope and gratitude that the lyrics exude. there could be no better expression of positive power than that unleashed on this gem release from the prestigious shelter records.

in ghana to see a vulture means bad luck. and thats what happened to y-bayani. the long sought after remix by henrik schwarz will drop on vinyl, alongside a beatless version, exclusive to the 12inch

djeuhdjoah & lieutenant nicholson is a french composers and afro-soul singer s duo. t es qui ? is their first album, fruit of an intense collaboration during many years, on stage and in studio. they call their music as -afropean songs-, a collection of jazzy-pop melodies, afro-soul and funk arrangements. they ll be back in november with a tremendous afro-jazz and funky album titled aimez ces airs. until then, they present -el nino-, an afro-funk gem about climate change, and -fontaine-, an afro hit with a great combination of analog take and electronic dancefloor ingredients. after massive support from national radios and prestigious djs such as gilles peterson, it could be the funky summer hit 2018! limited press on a deluxe vinyl designed by the artist felix.

wiederveröffentlichung von aura’s “spiritual conection” album aus dem jahre 1976. die unsichtbaren kräfte, die um sich herum ausstrahlen, sind immer naturkräfte des schicksals. der glaube selbst ist gott. aura’s reise könnte man am besten als einen spirituellen aufruf beschreiben, mensch und musik zu verbinden. ein fester glaube an uns selbst hat diese gruppe an diesen punkt gebracht, aura macht eine astralreise. dies ist ein album, das eine aufrichtig süße frucht der entschlossenheit ist, gefühlvoll genug, um dich in wahre lebenserfahrungen guter musik zu verwandeln.

just in time for summer, rnt drops a 3-tracker of tropical heat from brazilian outfit balako. although relative newcomers, their production prowess has been known to their rio de janeiro musical community and beyond for some time, and is on full display here. the a-side showcases their knack for modernizing the canonical brazilian mpb sound, from the deceptively demonic build of batuque, to the acidic-leaning lilt of deixa acontecer. the flip side takes a hard turn left of field with honey honey honey, a 9 minute opus of afro-brazilian disco insanity, primed for those balmy summertime roof parties.

legalize lambada step up for their 4th outing with four delectable afro disco edits from sputnik. ‘superlove see s sputnik channel a south-african take on early garage house before melting feeling fine , the reggae tinged, afro boogie gem. on the flip side, groove me unearths some feel good cameroonian disco gold complete with killer guitar solo, whilst rick closes out the e.p. dropping the tempo for a synth soul, slow jam. with early support from hunee, lexx and the likes, leg004 is shaping up to be one of the summers standouts.

strut presents the brand new album an angel fell from cosmic jazz travellers the pyramids, led by saxophonist idris ackamoor. produced by malcolm catto of the heliocentrics, the album was recorded during an intense week at quatermass studios in london. some of the many highlights include the poignant title track depicting a fallen angel in purgatory, outrage and grief on the powerful, hard hitting soliloquy for michael brown and the lilting, beautiful album closer, sunset. the pyramids originally came together in 1972 at antioch college, yellow springs, ohio where teachers included renowned pianist, cecil taylor. after forming in paris and embarking on a cultural odyssey across africa, the group recorded three independent albums,‘lalibela (1973), king of kings (1974) and birth/speed/merging (1976) and became renowned for their striking live shows, mixing percussive, spiritual and space-age jazz with performance theatre and dance.

finnitus 7-inch time! finnitus edits #3 is yet another serving of incredibly dodgy bargain bin tracks trimmed into submission and ready for the floor. side a s klabb & babb is a space disco heater, while side b s eroding in africa is your standard below-par bony m-esque afro flirt, made into something you can dance to.

over the course of the last decade, black pepper label boss jose manuel has proved to be one of electronic music s finest contemporary alchemists, conjuring percussive, intoxicating and otherworldly musical treats for such labels as tusk wax, kinfolk, kill the dj, optimo trax and music for dreams. the genius of manuel s productions lies in the italian s ability to conjure cracking cosmic compositions out of a diverse range of global rhythms, instruments and influences. rarely has this been more evident than on his debut release for nunorthernsoul, a four-track serving of dancefloor mysticism that puts mind-altering rhythms and saucer-eyed instrumentation front and centre. track, for example, the light and dreamy wrapped sumptuous balearic synthesizer chords and melodies around gentle hand percussion and drifting zambian vocals on the sublime journey in lusaka followed by the feverish, trance-inducing african rhythms, delay-laden chants, psychedelic acid lines and jangling jew s harp motifs of intense opener journey in lusanda , a ritualistic afro-cosmic onslaught ripe for peak-time plays. if the ep opener is all about being flat on your back and staring skywards, the follow up is all about druggy, heads down sweatiness! manuel s deep love of indian music is explored on journey in mumbai , where exotic sitar lines, fluttering clarinets and echoing, densely layered female vocals rise above a thick, tabla-fired groove. it s naturally hugely evocative and atmospheric - a fine dose of emotion-rich spirituality capable of inducing hallucinations in the straightest of listeners. to complete the ep, our hero travels even further east for journey in osaka , a fittingly percussive exploration of japanese music s past and present that also includes audible nods towards the poly-rhythmic drums of west africa. it s a superb combination of traditional instrumentation, 21st century electronics, heavyweight rhythms and mood-enhancing melodic flourishes. like the rest of the journeys in...ep, it s both hugely alluring and impeccably produced

in the era of the brand, kutiman is an anomaly. a musician who’s a video artist who’s a producer who’s an animator who’s also the unwilling star of one of israel’s most successful recent documentaries, his every record contrasts with whatever it was that came before. but that’s fundamental to his appeal: no one, not even him, really knows what to expect next. unsurprisingly, therefore, ‘don’t hold onto the clouds’ is no different, which means it’s like nothing he’s ever done. most artists would acknowledge this by working under pseudonyms, but kutiman is – yes, you’ve guessed it – different again. “if i changed my name every time i wanted to do something new,” he laughs, “i think i’d have too many names!”

it’s been a hot minute since the tropical sounds of mo kolours have graced the airwaves, so it’s with great pleasure that we see him return to 22a via a choice selection of cuts presented on a limited 7” vinyl, with original artwork designed by the man himself! this release is limited to 300 copies so don’t sleep!

limitierte vinyl-lp inklusive downloadcode.

limitiertes vinyl plus downloadcode.

limitiertes 180 gramm vinyl inklusive downloadcode.

fuji is the heavily percussive and improvisational style of nigerian popular music, at once modern and yet deeply rooted in the traditional islamic yoruba culture of nigeria.
here on this album nigeria fuji machine’s striking and powerful lead vocalist taofik yemi fagbenro soars above a wild and energetic backdrop of polyrhythms played on traditional talking drums, trap drums, electronic and street percussion to create a powerful wall of intense sound.
this album is released as a limited-edition heavyweight vinyl edition with free download code included.

the mabon dawud republic, hungary s first all-star progressive afrobeat ensemble started as the fela kuti tribute band for the very first felabration event in budapest, organised by the band itself and joined by fela s original egypt 80 band member, keyboard player and singer dele sosimi. given the member s love for afrobeat, the jamming soon evolved into a project of their own songs. their republic is a place filled with the soul-warming vibes of a 15 piece orchestra, a place for dancers, a place to escape from the outside world and enjoy the magic that is unfolding on stage. the mabon dawud feeling is delivered to you by professional musicians who are also members of other well known hungarian underground acts, such as: the qualitons, soulclap budapest, sena live band, etc. budabeats records is proud to release their first ever record on 7- vinyl single with two heavy afrobeat cuts.

antonio sanches provided the “out of space” lead track on the label’s seminal “space echo” compilation. impossible to find for many years, the sound of “buli povo!” is just as arresting and mesmerizing today as it was on the day it was released. it has just taken us thirty-five years to catch up with antónio’s vision.

songs about the unity of sudan, peace between muslims and christians and the fate of war orphans, backed by grooves equally taking influence from arabic sounds, american funk as well as neighboring ethiopia. kamal keila was among the first artist we met in sudan during our two trips to khartoum and omdurman last year. he is one of the key figures of the sudanese jazz scene that was a vital part of the musical culture in sudan from the mid 1960s until the islamist revolution in the late 1980s. when we meet kamal he luckily presented us with two mold covered studio reels. each tape included five tracks. one with english lyrics and another with arabic ones. musically you can hear the influence of neighboring ethiopia much more than on other sudanese recordings of the time, as well as references to fela and american funk and soul. his lyrics, at least when he sings in english which gave him more freedom from censorship, are very political. a brave statement in the political climate of sudan of the last decades, preaching for the unity of sudan, peace between muslims and christians and singing the blues about the fate of war orphans called shmasha. a note inside one of the boxes specified the track titles, durations and the fact that the sessions were recorded on the 12th of august 1992. both sessions stand as a hearable testament how kamal keila stuck to a sound aesthetic from decades ago, while incorporating current events into his lyrics. kamal keilas album is the first in a series of releases covering the sudanese jazz scene on habibi funk. be on the lookout for albums by the scorpions and sharhabeel coming soon.

strut presents the definitive reissues of two all-time classic caribbean soul and funk albums, the beginning of the ends funky nassau (1971) and beginning of the end (1976).

1 copy per customer!! everybody s favourite parisian party fiends are back, polishing up another batch of patchy pound bin finds and not-on-discogs delights for your next summer soirée. putting their orange-eagle eyes to good use, the lyo crew have trawled the crates of europe and beyond for this sunkissed set, working the scalpel to the max to pack the dancefloor in arms aloft ecstasy. our party starts with the kwaito groove of -avidiyo--, a killer bit of late 80 s afro-action boasting synth marimba, alien bass blasts and life affirming vocal chants. not only is this cut moving in the ants-in-your-pants/dancing-like-a-madman sense, but its sting-on-safari emotion and clarinet solo could bring a tear to a glass eye. cartwheeling between aspirational jazz-funk and afro-cosmic, yanga mbiwaa makes its way to the heart of the party like a bewildered parisian at an ivorian wedding. as tumbling toms rumble like thunder on the serengeti, an oddball exotica chant encourages the nearby wildlife to shake a tail-feather to the club tropicana guitars and buzzing synthbass. at last you have something to keep quantum jump s lone ranger company! last but not least comes autoradio , a very well mannered monsieur living the french highlife by the sea and sun of the mediterranean coast. effervescent afrobeat guitars and swooning sax dance over a rolling rhythm section of buoyant bass and 80s percussion, while a spoken vocal drawls in your direction and the girls ask if you re ok. it s only when the pinging, ringing, madly modulated bass breakdown bounds through your surroundings that you ll wonder who slipped what in your drink...

after last year’s acclaimed bb boogie album “standing on the wall”, darren benjamin aka daz-i-kue returns with this incredible slice of latin jazz futurism. between 2012 and 2016 daz travelled to puerto rico to record with an array of talented musicians, laying down the framework percussion, bass and horns to be worked on when he returned to his studio in atlanta. “crash boat party” is his collaboration with ex fania all stars percussionist hector “tempo” alomar and features atlanta-based trumpeter dashill smith, (who’s worked with roy ayers, janell monet, and miguel atwood-fergurson to name but three), and accomplished bassist mamaniji azanyah. already licensed to feature in bobbito’s forthcoming documentary “rockrubber 45s”, this is timeless latin-jazz fire. the single is backed with “esto es candela con ritmo nene”, also from those sessions, taking things firmly into bruk-jazz territory.

ethiopian records aka endeguena mulu’s arcola 12 inch ye feqer edaye arrives in three tracks of fully frontal psychedelic electronic body music. make no mistake, this is club gear as you have never heard it before, a fever-dream rush of ethiopiyawi electronic that sits equally within the crucially current club sounds of gqom, nyege nyege, cargaa and principe as it does with the greatest sides from tribe of colin, zarate_fix, sex tags amfibia and 12th isle.

more cult edits from inigo vontier, pietnev, dreem lion, and alexi le fan. everyone loves these. no one has them. only edits in circulation requiring a vow of silence and a paid subscription. cannot be stolen, shared, or caned to death. rename the track titles in a random internet cafe for maximum secrecy/exclusivity/emotional well-being. culted002 - blood in, blood out.

mr bongo presents the first 12inch in a series of remix packages curated from ebo taylors brand new album yen ara. the 81-year-old composer, arranger, guitarist and vocalist has been a key figure in the evolving afro-funk sound since the seventies, working with the likes of apagya show band, ck mann and pat thomas. this 12inch combines three of the best remixers in the business - the legendary ron trent, west coast talent flako, and disco connoisseur nick the record. you will hear the high-energy afrobeat, sweet highlife, jazz and konkoma influences that ebo is famous for, and the remixes have contributed their disco pulse, house groove, and hard-hitting percussive edge to the tracks.

the shakedown is the debut album from tenderlonious and features a new band - the dream team of top talent he named the 22archestra, who he leads seamlessly throughout. listeners are exposed to the full breadth of tender s technical and compositional skills, ranging from subtly meandering jazz, to hip-hop, afrobeat, latin and exhilarating free form jazz.

for its third release, chuwanaga goes back in the past with the reissue of -(where is the) sunshine- by kalima, a rare 7- originally released in 1981 and produced in baltimore by afro-american pianist and producer derrick amin. part i on the a side and part ii on the b side form a real journey, a beauty in its own style fusing jazz, soul and spirituality as well as political values.

incl. her in demand tune -tomorrow- . six-track anthology of south african singer ntombi ndaba, featuring 2 songs from 3 of her solo albums, mina ngiljaji (1988), mama nature (1989) and why me (1991). . ntombi ndaba first rose to fame in 1985 with ntombi & survival, becoming one of the most popular singers of the bubblegum era. after setting up the independent label anneko with her producer a.t. ‘rubber’ khoza in 1988, she went solo. following khoza’s death in the early 1990s, ndaba never recorded again. mastered by: wouter brandenberg

hello sailor recordings 5th release features two edits by tom noble and label s captain renata do valle. on this collaboration we navigate through west africa, exploring sounds from cameroonian singer marthe zambo - alu and nigerian musician sonny okosuns - my ancestors . these edits are subtle works and an homage to these artists, keeping the music true to its originals. do valle often likes to explore african sounds on her hs releases which are a big influence on brazilian music, it s origins and roots. tom noble is an avid collector, selector, producer and the man behind the great superior elevation records in ny

the world of b. is like a giant disco ball, where she likes to dance all around and meet some friends to share some music: roger thornhill gave classic disco perfection, hysteric sent a letter from the far east, or maybe from italy, turbo boom-boom chewed a funky bubblegum song to make a housy rolling track and baerlz reworked a boogie track, just what it needed to have the righteous construction for the dancefloor.

alma negra records are proud to present james stewart, resident dj and co-promoter of monthly night black atlantic club at le sucre in lyon, with his cotonou ep! james stewart is the host, resident dj and co-promoter of monthly night black atlantic club at le sucre in lyon. borrowing the term black atlantic from renowned scholar paul gilroys 1993 book, stewart presents black music as a transnational, incredibly diverse cultural exchange. an avid lecturer on the subject and founder of the blog afrosouldescarga, he merges an intellectual approach with the musical and creative side of things: as an active conga player and percussionist, member of voilaaa sound system and showhost at radio nova. this ep is the work of of a mature and thoughtful musician, combining different musical influences at a high level of production. alma negra records are proud to present james stewart with his cotonou ep!

nubian quadrant ep sees dutch producer philou reaching for that sweet spot between afro and electro to produce three pulsing new tracks for byrd out. as philou says, -all good music ultimately comes from africa-, and true to his african roots, the ep was part recorded in malawi. with his tracks being picked up by the likes of erol alkan and eats everything, this ep is sure to provide the rhythmic backdrop to the summer. if you imagine the driving force of fela kuti matched with the acid sqwelch of phuture, you re part of the way there. it s dancefloor sunshine on vinyl. mastered by the legendary noel summerville, artwork by g.s-l studio.

giovanni damico keeps amazing things coming and takes it with this release on the mighty label kalakuta soul records to the next level. joining forces with the mighty gabriele spagnuolo and francesco di domenico on guitars and saxophone, the italian boogie doctor brings to life three filthy stompers inspired by amazing artists from the african continent who have shaped what we now call (dance) music. to felas people is one of three stompers delivered for this joint teaming up with mr. villy odili - lead singer of the amazing nigerian band villy and the extreme volumes - whos precise lyrics and drifty voice joins forces with a charging afrobeat rhythm hailing from giovanni damicos bad ass laboratory. afro stomp and baba on the other side come with the most furious drums and bassline one could ever imagine accompanied by a celestial instrumentation that hits the mind, the soul and the hips.

efficient space is honoured to share the little-heard recordings of three yolngu songmen from northeast arnhem land - bobby bunnungurr, jimmy djamunba and peter milaynga (d. 2007) - working in collaboration with victorian musician peter mumme. yolngu are the indigenous peoples of arnhem land in northern territory, australia, their clans are the marangu and malabirr, the languages djinang and gannalbingu. their songs are of instruction, story and ceremony.

first official reissue of the extremely rare full-length album by lagos-based bandleader shina williams. clean copies of the original currently sell for up to £500. the record was born in 1979 when shina put biddy wright, fred fisher, saliu alabi, prince bola, tutu shoronmu, tunde willimas and several other decorated nigerian musicians – who played with the likes of fela kuti, sjob movement, sonny okoson, king bucknor amongst others – together to record. the result is ‘african dances’, a timeless fusion of afrobeat, electronics, boogie and disco. includes his most well-known song, ‘agboju logun’ that williams knew was ground breaking – “i want to show the whole wide world that africa is alive with modern musicians to reckon with anywhere,”. this album version is a different mix to the two-track 12” that came out under on earthworks, rough trade in 1984. official mr bongo reissue. replica original artwork. licensed direct from shina williams.

soul jazz records’ latest album ‘yoruba! songs and rhythms for the yoruba gods in nigeria’ is newly recorded in lagos, nigeria. the album is co-produced by laolu akins, founding member of the legendary 1970s nigerian afro-funk/rock group blo, and soul jazz records label head stuart baker. the heavyweight double vinyl comes in a gatefold sleeve with download code included.

for its seventh offering, sol power sound taps into the pulse of the french antilles for tambours de martinique, a blistering ep of original and remixed versions of rare, drum-centric dance floor workouts. licensed directly from the legendary martiniquan label hibiscus records, the ep features cuts by eugène mona and max ransay, two of martinique s most storied musicians. with reworks by spanish dj and producer kiko navarro and the sol power all-stars, this one will be in the record bags of discerning djs all summer long.

selva discos kick off a new series of singles with a rare native brazilian chant adapted by marlui miranda backed with a dancefloor friendly joutro mundo mix the indigenous cause is an urgent one not only in terms of territory but also when it comes to the preservation of the vast native brazilian culture and brazilian singer-songwriter marlui miranda has been dedicating herself for almost four decades to keep their music alive (she s a doctorate on native brazilian music, so you know).

south africa. cult favorite among collectors. follows the successful reissue of “bafana bafana” last year. professor rhythm’s 1991 recording professor 3 is a vivid reflection of urban south africa as apartheid was ending

off the back of the recent gumba fire compilation, soundway selects more sure-fire disco burners: a 4-track, dancefloor-orientated ep drawing from the heads label out of south africa.

excellent remix vinyl (... st germain rmx, natureboy rmx....) , don t sleep

release #17 in mr bongo’s africa 45 series.

killer album by the amazing christy essien. check out take life easy and the hit you cant change a man. must have nigerian lp!

first pressing of 750 individually numbered copies on orange marbled audiophile 180 gram vinyl.
the ghanaian afrobeat band osibisa released their sixth studio album welcome home in 1975. since their formation in 1969 they played an important role in bringing the world music to a bigger audience.

double vinyl in gatefold sleeve with 24 page lp-size booklet and download code for high quality wav / mp3 files.
a great compilation can open the gate to another world. who knew that some of the most exciting afro-funk records of all time were actually made in the small west african country of benin? once analog africa released the first african scream contest in 2008, the proof was there for all to hear, gut-busting yelps, lethally welldrilled horn sections and irresistibly insistent rhythms added up to a record that took you into its own space with the same electrifying sureness as any favourite blues or soul or funk or punk sampler you might care to mention.
ten years on, intrepid crate-digger samy ben redjeb unveils a new treasuretrove of vodoun-inspired afrobeat heavy funk crossover greatness. right from the laceratingly raw guitar fanfare which kicks off les sympathics’ pile-driving opener, it’s clear that african scream contest ii is going to be every bit as joyous a voyage of discovery as its predecessor. and just as you’re trying to get off the canvas after this one-punch knock out, an irresistible afro-ska romp with a more than subliminal echo of the batman theme puts you right back there. ignace de souza and the melody aces’ “asaw fofor- would’ve been a killer instrumental but once you’ve factored in the improbably-rich-to-the-point-of-being-nat-king-cole-influenced lead vocal, it’s a total revelation.

kojak giant sounds return to the fold for 2018!! you know the drill

nobody less than adriano celentano producer detto mariano plus his drummer gianni dall aglio recorded this previously unreleased italian psychedelic, erotic, horror movie soundtrack in 1976! all in all 46 mega dope tracks on 2 lp s. ranging between deep, dreamy and funky psych tunes. 1.5 million hits on the movie on youtube! classic in italy. be sure this 500 copies limited edition will be sold out soon. hq collector edition. side a & b are the original songs as used in the movie. side c & d are the uncut long versions of the best tracks as produced in the studio in 1976.

the 3rd release on alma negra records is dedicated to the music of eritrea, a small (in african terms, that is) country nestled in between sudan and ethopia on the south end of the red sea. drawing from its native spiritual roots as well as the christian and islamic influences of conquering factions, this multiethnical country is home to an amazingly diverse plethora of cultures and musical styles. on this ep, we are happy to showcase the music of the saho people from the region of zula, which is located in between the coastal lowlands close to the dahlak archipelago. the word saho roughly translates (translated?) as nomad, pointing towards a lifestyle where tradition and culture is being passed on orally over generations. the exact source for these edits of the saho sound are thus lost to the murky depths of history, as they are based on traditional folksongs

a native of the caribbean coast of colombia, abelardo carbono achieved legendary status in his country’s storied ranks of musical icons by combining the homegrown sounds of cumbia with the chiming guitars of west african soukous, enormously popular with the local tropical sound systems, and drenching the whole thing in his off-kilter, surreal and slightly psychedelic sensibility.
with the exception of a well-received compilation of songs from his 1980s heyday, carbono has been rarely heard from outside the sweaty dancehalls he still commands in his hometown of barranquilla. now, names you can trust has welcomed the reclusive guitarist and singer back to the vinyl format with a simmering afro-carib beast of a cut, recorded with the assistance of will -quantic- holland on rhythm guitar and mario galeano frente cumbiero, ondatropica on keys and in conjunction with lucas silva of palenque records & polen records. it’s a true cross-generational and international collaboration that is uniquely possible via colombia. the first release of this expansive & power packed studio session is a cover of vallenato pioneer guillermo buitrago’s la piña madura. this updated take veers heavily towards africa on a rock solid foundation of bass and drums, with abelardo’s trademark guitar and quirky vocals leading the way.

following her 1959 appearance in the anti-apartheid film come back, africa south african native miriam makeba vaulted into the international spotlight, fell under the tutelage of harry belafonte, and moved to new york city in 1960 where she immediately became a massive recording sensation. this lp collects some of that brilliant early material that launched her career and made her one of the most beloved voices of the 20th century. all tracks recorded 1957 - 1962.

following afrobeat makers vol.1 (sold out), comet is pleased to announce the second volume of the afrobeat makers collection, due for release in june this year: the tony allen’ original afrobeat patterns revisited by few of the best international dj/producers, with among them: doctor l (paris), thiago franca (sao paulo), mps pilot (amsterdam), or gnowee (paris) tony allen has spread afrobeat to the corners of the globe, a perfect synthesis of tradition and sophistication – his various collaborations with great artists from all genres and styles are a truly proof of his openness. doctor l, paris based music producer, is a sound activist going through the musical galaxies, fusioning from 80’s punk rock, to hip-hop, electronica and afrobeat ... in 2000, already on comet records, he brought lagos afrobeat towards the third millennium with the album black voices by tony allen, and even send it to the moon, with his other project, psyco on da bus. since 2002, dj/producer mps pilot (nl) has immersed himself in the cutting-edge tropical bass scene. in every possible direction and slippage between all different genres, mps pilot maps the crosspollination and divergence of contemporary music. he performed on 3 continents, both in remote desert or major festivals. thiago franca is a producer, musician and saxophonist from são paulo arts scene, this year with his power afro-punk trio meta meta, they released for the first time in europe (mais um discos -uk), their debut album metal metal. thiago is meanwhile developping his african rooted solo outfit, sambanzo, and was also in criolo’s touring band for two years, where he met tony allen, which led to two collaborations on the the afrobeat makers and meta meta’ albums.

the chisa years: 1965–1975 (rare and unreleased) is a compilation album by south african jazz trumpeter hugh masekela. the album consists of 14 rare or forgotten tracks recorded by stewart levine and hugh masekela from 1965 to 1975 when they ran their own chisa records label. thom jurek of allmusic wrote “in sum, there isn’t a weak moment on this entire collection. it’s appeal is wide and deep and one can only hope this is the first of many volumes of this material to appear. bbe records has done a stellar job in making this slab available.” dan nishimoto of the prefix magazine stated “the compilation focuses on masekela’s original idea of “african american music.” from the early experiments of the zulus (a group featuring m’bulu) in mixing doo-wop, rhythm & blues and south african gospel and the mbaqanga/”grazing in the grass”-style work of the generically named johannesburg street band to the clearly fela-influenced ojah (masekela’s band in the mid-’70s, consisting of players from ghana and nigeria) and the readyfor-primetime belting of m’bulu, each track reveals a multi-pronged effort to find and challenge the notion(s) of how african and american cultural forms could interact.”

drum union is a new series documenting the different shades of leftfield house. london based tony nwachukwu (aka attica blues aka wah-chu-ku) provides a deep broken dub techno monster. manuel fischer presents a beat-driven disco-influenced track to make any dance-floor burn and mitsubishi galaxy, who are also known as jack pattern take us into a wavy trip to another dimension. look like rounds it up and is merging afro-cuban rhythms with modern electronica soundshapes. a journey wider and deeper than most of the average 4/4 business!

ayuune sule brings the soul into kologo power. in kumasi, the second city of ghana and capitol of the ashanti region, ayuune sule is the main kologo star. the most famous kologo player these days in the whole of ghana and abroad is king ayisoba. together with king ayisoba, guy one, atongo zimba and sambo, he represents the generation that broke kologo music outside of the north east region of ghana. in europe we know ayuune sule as a member of king ayisoba’s band and as a solo artist who often opens up for his shows.

named after the tenor saxophone, actually, jimi tenor is not just jimi tenor - he s as well jimi keys, jimi flute, jimi vox and jimi composer. yeah, he is, as a multi-instrumentalist and music master in general, all of this! but wait: active since the mid-80 s he s also jimi legend. and if you overlook his whole oeuvre then finally you will find out that on top of all of this he s jimi genius.

das debütalbum des multitalentierten keyboarders, komponisten und produzenten joe armon-jones, mitbegründer des ezra collective, zeichnet sich durch unverwechselbare tiefe, wärme, freude und virtuosität aus. mit jazz als ursprung, verarbeitet er vielfältige inspirationen aus dub, hiphop bis soul. an den aufnahmen beteiligt waren weitere mitglieder der jungen londoner jazz-szene wie moses boyd, nubya garcia und oscar jerome, auf tour geht er mit künstlern wie ata kak und pharoahe monch.

for the past two years, flee has been working on its first issue entitled benga music – a signature genre from kenya. conceived as an attempt to document a kenyan timeless music genre – benga – this issue is also a visual and audial tribute to the heritage of east african music. approaching this musical genre with a new and innovative perspective, the first release of flee features a vinyl compilation and a printed journal. faithful to the local essence of the genre while transcending unproductive nostalgia, the two objects ensure that the vibrant traditional roots of the benga movement interact with a contemporary approach. to make this initiative possible, we joined forces with celebrated kenyan journalists, ondiso madete and emmanuel mwendwa, and collaborated with renowned international specialists such as douglas paterson. this great team work translated into a well-documented manuscript, with exciting articles, exclusive authentic photos of the era and creative present-day illustrations celebrating the genre. accompanying the journal, the record tells a surprising story, starting with the pioneers of benga (daniel owino misiani, george ramogi and the migori superstars) and concluding with the modern respectful re-interpretations of nik weston, jaakko eino kalevi, and africaine 808, blowing the dust of the original scores.

note: import release - limited repress - comes with digital download code and a 16 pages silkscreen printed journal with articles in english and french.

lumberjacks in hell welcomes deep house vet andy compton and shamrock for a trip into plush disco, laid back funk and more besides. bunny chow was reportedly recorded in south africa, and features the vocal talents of asli on a number of the tracks. you can certainly hear the afro influence creeping into the simmering groove of the title track, while aslis vocals shine through the clearest on the downtempo tones of everything is gravy. nifanyeje is another warm trip through afro disco replete with noodling guitar lines and a crisp drum machine beat, while roga mziki ends the record on a high note with a final blast of that infectious, sunkissed sound the pair have clearly mastered on their musical adventure

very nice compilation on this burkina faso artists work on the ever excellent born bad imprint! tip!

prepare your ears for sexy party vol. 1, a new four track ep forthcoming on nice recordings. curating the finest edits of funk, disco and afro, the boys at nice recordings are dedicated to bringing you the freshest cuts from all over the world. sexy party vol. 1 features stellar edits from the likes of will hofbauer, france’s kabaka and nice recordings’ very own soulcheeba and ddhg.

sterns edits returns after their well received and recently repressed amadou balake excursions, this time with ben gomori turning his hand to guinea for a third instalment in the series of re-works from the sterns music catalogue of african gems. balla et ses balladins were one of guinea s national orchestras formed as a result of the newly elected president, sekou toures authenticite policy of the early 1960s, which sought to promote guinea s cultural identity following independence from france in 1958. gomori takes the scalpel to two cuts recorded during their years on the state-run syliphone label, making good use of bandleader balla s lively trumpet playing. the gently haunting nyo is taken on a stomping slo-mo chug with a head-nodding bassline and stuttering fx creating a shimmering effect on the tropical guitars, while the rousing horns of wilikabo are laid over with rasping synth bass for a punchy juxtaposition. sterns edits is an official collaboration between african music stalwarts sterns music and london s ben gomori.

two tracks taken from rush hour surinam funk force compilation. indo-surinamese singer, cynthias jhoom le (1980) is wonderfully skewed synth disco gem! the track was previously only featured on the cd version of the comp. another fav, astarias jamasa roro (1979), a driving carribean style disco bomb, appears on the flip.

oddball space disco/fnk tracks, composed between 1970 and 1985. big tip! a master of the mixing board, from the late 60s until the 90s bernard estardy was the wizard of french musical recordings. as head of cbe studios, he shaped everything from gérard mansets concept albums to claude françois hit singles, françoise hardys delicate tear-jerkers and michel sardous soul-stirrers. this giant had his hand in the whole range of mainstream french music by making his studio a veritable playground for experimentation. his legendary album la formule du baron, released in 1969, and the eight lps of production music he made between 1974 and 1978 for tele music are vivid proof. in the cbe studio, which she runs today, his daughter julie estardy discussed his singular career.

genre busting south african jazz and kwaito meets cuba (chucho valdez), brazil (flora purim), cameroon (brice wassy) and drum n bass (bristol). first time on vinyl, remastered sound, new liner notes, exclusive track, gatefold with printed inners.

the finnish tropical troupe maajo is back with a two-track ep. in contrast to the afro-balearic sound of their 2016 debut tropic of tulli, the new defo / mansaba ep is a step in a deeper and sometimes darker direction. defo kicks off the ep with a driving 5/4 rhythm. reminiscent of mark ernestus’ ndagga sounds, it is a tribal tune with maajo’s signature ethereal disco elements. trevor deep jr.’s version straightens out the original’s unconventional time signature and focuses on a four-to-four beat and plenty of berliner dub. the remix is a solid dancefloor tool, traversing the original like a train making its way through a dark rainforest. the b-side is entirely covered by mansaba, a 14-minute long journey into inwards. this studio jam, recorded largely live, is a wild mixture of polyrhythmic sequences, krautrock guitar licks, equatorial forest percussion and violin synths. the trip starts slow and soothing, sneakily picks up pace and keeps grow and growing, eventually exploding into a full-on tribal dance.

founded in 2018 by dj and producer deni-shain the man behind acclaimed compilations space echo and pop makossa, atangana records is the logical follow-up to more than 20 years of travels, constantly on the lookout for new artists and music around the world. as a tropicalist globetrotter in this new project deni-shain, in partnership with thomas vicente, co-owner of the french restaurant le verre vole, aims to dig, reproduce & transmit cross-cultural music, usually unreachable and/or less known by the public. the goal is simple: share the love of music and to rediscover the pleasure of voicings, percussions and sadly forgotten harmonies, whether you find yourself in a jam packed club or the intimacy of your home. atangana’s first releases will be looking at the caribbeans islands, especially into haiti with the reissue highly expected by various diggers of the acclaimed single divizion by singer fedia laguerre. originally released in 1981, this first 12inch comes with a remix by voilaaa and an instrumental cut exclusively based on the additional work by the french afro-collective.

mestizo beat is a los angeles-based band blending the styles of afro-beat, afro-cuban, funk, and r&b. their debut release for colemine is a fiery cover of mongo santamaria’s “featherbed lane” and is sure to set dance floors on fire!

tim (aka jean marie tiam) and the sadly departed maurice foty who died in 2011. the musical cousins hails from bafoussam in cameroon. their signature vocal harmony sound may be the first thing you hear, however they also have produced a host of funkiest african funk around. they sing in their native language ngomâlah, as well as duala and english.

africa seven is taking its first trip to germany... well germany via cameroun. charlie kingue soppo is better known as charly kingson, cousin of manu dibango and a cameroonian emigrant in the 1970s. charly first headed to paris and then found his way to munich in 1978. he recorded two albums in his career, “born in africa” in munich in 1978 and “dance to the music” two years later in new york. for this outing we focus on his debut “born in africa”. it was recorded in union studios in munich with some of the city’s finest (and surprisingly funky) session musicians of the day.

big tunes by mac gregor.., nan ye li kan is a sought after and well known bomb.. a welcome release that brings the two nicest tunes from the lp to 12 format for that loud dj play. . originally from martinique, clem marise voltine aka mac gregor moved to abidjan in 1979 searching for, what she called, her “negritude quest”. she sang about her love for her adoptive city until her death in april 2004 at chu of abidjan, trechville hospital.

sam vicary a.k.a hunrosa (meaning “to dream”) is an electronic music producer capturing the wild organic senses of his childhood and anchoring it with a darker 2am undercurrent. based in manchester, he is principally a bassist and currently a member of the cinematic orchestra, paper tiger and the dominic j marshall trio, as well as performing with manu delago, imogen heap, matthew halsall, anil sebastian and stuart macallum. his latest offering “ransome” is a heavily rhythmic journey, full of textured hand percussion and soaring strings, accompanied by the beautifully melodic vocals of alice higgins drifting overhead. the clap clap remix sees the black acre mainstay exploring expansive territories, polyrhythmic hand percussion and textured electronica perfectly intertwine, drenched in dub ambience, heightened by scattered arpeggios and swirling synths. the music is inspired by a coastal upbringing, represented in the music via field recordings, as well as being aided by visual stimulus throughout the writing process.

banoffee pies drop their annual record store day release with bprsd003. the a side brings re decoration from bristol local lord leopard with an edit on kadidiatou samakes - eyaye. a head nodding afro jam as spring sets upon us. smell the flowers. the flip sees an 11 minute hansel! edit of the nuyorican soul classic its alright, i feel it! killer dance floor track with it’s well known sing along vocal. music in my life has kept me me through. all of the changes, the world has put me through. its alright i feel it. support the music, support local artists, buy from your record stores. think outside the box. try something else. check a new sound. try a new party. go a different direction. drifting into oblivion, what to believe, where to read. 2018 is moving

yoruba records is ecstatic to welcome back hallex m with our latest release, the oggun ep. kicking off with the title track, carlos mena lends his voice to give praise to oggun, the warrior-protector orisha, in this low end heavy and celebratory groove. slowing things down a bit,lhasa is a more subtle and relaxing cut, teasing you with a beautiful piano melody and funky bassline. nickodemus gets to work with his remix of the title track oggun. giving this a treatment with a thick and stubby bass, this mix takes things to a deeper territory appreciated by discerning dancefloors. we round out the ep with show you the world, a laid-back love song featuring the warm and inviting vocals of gabriele poso. once again hallex shows his prowess in crafting emotionally intelligent dancefloor tunes, we hope you enjoy these as much as we have enjoyed bringing them to you!

great return of the classic and pioneer band of the french funk scene! after a long absence, malka family reformed, burned some scenes and composed a new album without changing anything to its magic formula. recomposed with almost all original musicians, they come back today with a new album, le retour du kif. at the heart of a still popular and multicultural marais area in paris, young musicians gather to jam. this is where malka family is formed. their first self-produced album, malka on the beach, was released in 1991, and gigs were immediately chaining up all over france and europe, famous for their eccentric costumed performance and after-parties. in 1992, warner france signs them for a second album tous des oufs, a real p-funk space opera with guests such as sidney, dee nasty, marco prince (fff), or juan rozoff. they will then traveled france, switzerland, italy, holland, denmark, namibia, japan ... and in 1994, the band becomes independent again and records an ep for big cheese records, titled fricassee de funk. after a final tour for the third album, fotoukonkass (bmg) recorded with renaud létang the band finally broke up. at a time when daft punk is using funk artists to support their performance, when bruno mars & mark ronsons uptown funk continues to make the crowds dance, it s time for the original funkateers families to come back and teach a lesson to new generations. after the band reformed and started touring again since 2015, they quickly decided to record a new album and to leave on the roads again

in recent times alex pletnev has been making his mark on the musical stratosphere with an array of works from from cold wave edits, through gorgeous adaptations of african and world music to tribal techno originals. he joins us as pletnev for aztec code / daywalker, a 12inch combining his abundant influences to take us to bizarre, far-off places.

the colorful world of arp frique is the exotic and super funky debut album of niels nieuborg. after his surprising, very well received debut release on rush hour, arp frique continues collaborating with orlando julius, ed motta, americo brito, ronald snijders and more! tip! . pulsating nyc style live disco vibes, interwoven with both caribbean and cape verdean sounds, are themes throughout the record with danceability always guaranteed and a healthy finishing touch of weirdness present across most tracks. first single ‘nos magia’ was shortlisted for track of the year 2017 at gilles peterson’s worldwide awards and has been given airplay by bbc radio 6 music, bbc radio 1 and nts whilst club djs antal and hunee have all supported the track in their sets.

fires of quidel is the culmination of son swaggas first year as a band, a year spent refining their music, building connections as bandmembers and friends, and finally recording at greenfield studios with analog gear to bring their sound to life. with this album son swagga present themselves to the world and showcase the passion they bring to music as well as the individual talents of the bandmembers.

“she is my woman” is murphy william’s loose, funky and spontaneous call to the dance floor. it’s an infectious collection of good-time tunes that the band seem to be enjoying as much as the listener.

the brilliant second album from the legendary cymande. 180 gram vinyl, mastered from original tapes, replica original artwork, official mr bongo reissue. licensed from john schroeder enterprises.

a limited reissue of cheikh lô’s classic debut album né la thiass. produced by youssou n’dour in dakar in 1995. cheikh ranks the album as his favourite release. available for the first time on vinyl, with new artwork and mastered from the original cassette mixes. includes 2 bonus fully artworked postcards. 180g heavyweight. 16 page colour booklet. download code included. cheikh will be touring internationally throughout 2018.