Afro

Initially Guts idea was ​​a return to his basics of beatmaker, a solo work with samplers and sequencing. But he finally put it back below his stack of ideas for an album radically different from the previous ones.Experimental, sunny, which would explore all these vibrations from the southern hemisphere that Guts has been collecting for years while practicing in his passion for diggin '. The ones with whom he builds his DJ sets, those he patiently collected on the five volumes of his compilations series Beach Diggin'. An Afro-tropical album.C’est d’abord l’idée d’un retour à ses fondamentaux de beatmaker qui s’était installée dans l’esprit de Guts. Un travail en solitaire, aux samplers et au séquençage. Guts l’a finalement remis en dessous de sa pile d’idées et en a fait remonter une autre, celle de faire un album radicalement différent des précédents.Expérimental, ensoleillé, qui explorerait toutes ces vibrations venues de l’hémisphère sud que Guts collecte depuis des années en s’adonnant à sa passion du diggin’. Celles avec lesquelles il embrase ses dj sets, celles qu'il a patiemment collectées sur les cinq volumes de ses compilations Beach Diggin’. Un album afro-tropical.

The career of Patience Africa Spanned over 40 years. After almost a decade of success on a major label with her Zulu Disco sound, and a few years in the early 80s experimenting with a more soulful sound, the funky synths of the 80's would force her to stay relevant in the quick changing times. It would be in 1987 that she would sign to the independent Ream Music which with the help of their tight knit in house production team had released hits for upcoming disco artists Makwerhu, Ntombi Ndaba, Sunset, Athena, Percy Kay and more. The label's success in the traditional market made Patience a perfect fit and could have been their first crossover artist.With the help of owner's Danny Antill and Clive Risko they would cut a 4 track EP that like many others of the time ended up being lost in to the hyper saturated market of the emerging Bubblegum demand. Two tracks would be written by Patience, including the title "Wozani La" Musically these were more aligned with her sound of the 70's accompanied by a purely digital production, but it's the two songs written by label boss Danny Antill that appear on this release. These two songs are unlike anything heard at the time. Embracing full commitment to the digital studio and some extensive and risky experimenting the trio managed to slide heavy house bordering electro pop and a haunting swing beat groove alongside the compositions of Patience to complete this EP for both markets. Although the album had great potential, poor promotion and low sales led Patience to feel cheated and after not earning a cent for the record left the label and took her first break from music since the early 70's. She would later return to her original sound recording up to til 2006 when she released what would be her final album before her death the following year. Still loved by her fans and those who knew her, she is remembered through the Patience Africa Foundation. Founded by her son Mangaliso in 2017 to help create a better South Africa in our lifetime.

BACK IN STOCK THE NEXT 12" RELEASE ON SOUNDWAY RECORDS IS THIS SLAB OF 1980's WEST AFRICAN DISCO CROSSOVER FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SOLEIL BAND FROM GUINEA, WEST AFRICA...Composed by Gnamakoron Sidi Diabaté it was featured originally on an album released in 1983 by French Warners offshoot WAM (West African Music) - a short lived label that recorded about 20 releases of West African music released in France.Also Featuring Mory Djely Kouyate this track was a staple of the 22 band's repertoire in the 1970s (in which many of the ISB played) - famous for their recordings on the legendary state-run Editions Syliphone label.This 12" features an extended Hide & Smile edit on the A side and the original album version on the flip.An extended intro of throbbing bass and keyboard interplay punctuated by classic Guinee guitar lines, metronomic drumming and 80s synth sweeps eventually drops into a more recognisable Guinean vocal outing.Hide & Smile are Sofrito's Frankie Francis and Soundway's Miles Cleret - this is their 5th released edit collaboration.

Terrestrial Funk's second release welcomes Ghanaian legends Pat Thomas & Ebo Taylor. This reissue of their self-titled 1984 album is pure ethereal African groove. As spiritual as it is danceable, the LP has been hidden in obscurity compared to the duos other records, yet houses some of their deepest cuts. Pat's voice and Ebo's guitar have earned them widely successful solo careers that continue to give. Here their instruments meet as the heart and soul of Ghana.

Soundway Records presents the debut LP from in-demand Amsterdam five piece The Mauskovic Dance Band – fusing no-wave dance punk, Afro-Caribbean rhythms and space disco in a “controlled explosion” (The Quietus). Entirely self-produced, the band has reiterated their favourite elements of the 70s and 80s legacy of the Afro-Latin psychedelic music of Colombia and Peru, interpreting it through the context of modern day Amsterdam. The output is a lo-fi No Wave groove all its own - rooted in a deep love of champeta, Palenque, psychedelic cumbia, chichi, classic afrobeat and picó soundsystem culture. Since the release of their “Down In The Basement” EP on Soundway Records in early 2018, the band have found themselves on a hectic European touring schedule – not to mention being involved in other side projects. Following stints with Turkish psychedelic folk rock group Altin Gün, and touring with the re-formed 70s Zamrock outfit W.I.T.C.H., Nic Mauskovic also teamed up with Dutch neo-psychedelic artist Jacco Gardner to form the “cinematic Balearic disco” duo of Bruxas (released by Dutch institution Dekmantel) – and together, they mixed The Mauskovic Dance Band debut album in Lisbon. Lead single Space Drum Machine encapsulates the band’s prototypical brand of busy rhythmic patterns interwoven with insistent synth stabs and vibrant disco toms, layered with an elastic guitar riff drawing inspiration from Kenyan kikuyu and benga styles. High-pitched vocals describe being on a flight together and inciting each other to press a button of unknown consequence with “push it, push it” - and push it they do, at breakneck pace. And of course, the undeniable influence of Amsterdam’s hotbed of underground dance producers shines through as it does on all tracks - with the vintage psychedelic swirl of synthesiser, lo-fi drum machines and tape recording.

Fantastic and rare album by Manu Dibango, the Afro Soul Maestro!These files were recorded in 1971 at Pathé-Marconi studio (Boulogne Billancourt) for professional sound illustration intended for the cinema, television and advertising. The jazzman experimenting with all genres was then beginning to convert solely to what soon to be called “Rare Groove” somewhere between Soul, Jazz and Afro-Funk, with a hint of Latin clave.In 2019, these tunes have not aged and the sound can be considered as “Huge” by many crate-diggers. These recordings were not supposed to reach the club or radio audience, it was more free sessions, a moment during they can open their imagination and test their “Afro something”, like Manu Dibango call it. Theses recording sessions included the best of the french soul scene at this time, Yvan Julien (Trumpet), Slim Pezin (Guitar), Jacques Bolognesi (Trombone), Lucien Dobat (Drums), Emile Boza (Percussions, Manfred (Bass) and the conductor himself at the vibraphone, marimba, saxophone, organ ...This album is a wonderful return to the future and should satisfy the need of the Afro-Soul aficionados! We're very happy to celebrate the 86th anniversary of the best French musician in history with one of his best recording reissue!Vinyl only / Limited press / Mastering by The Carvery / Interview by Jacques Denis