Afro

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

Voilaaa is one of the many projects led and produced by Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart, who’s proven over the past 15 years, his place amongst the finest producers of groove music in all genres.This time exploring the wide spectrum of the African and Tropical Disco scene, he received a massive international support for Voilaaa’s two first album, On te l’avait dit, and Des Promesses.Following to that success and pursuing the same direction combining of the festive, yet sometime futile nature of Disco, and the instinctive, deep, sometimes rough nature of African music, Voilaaa’s now presenting a new 4 tracks EP, which will be followed later this year by a new LP.Another killer package where Patchworks teams up again with longtime partner Pat Kalla, but also with newcomers to the project, like here Ramatou Traore and Ayuune Sule, both bringing great African languages vocals to “Tu mens devant moi” and “Woman Can Do”.

There have been ups and downs in the long career of Congolese musician Sammy Massamba, but nothing as gruesome as what happened a certain Friday night of the year 1992 at Sammy’s Parisian house.It all started with a mysterious phone call. At the other end of the line, a voice with a strong Japanese accent introduced herself as the nephew of Akio Morito, the renowned cofounder of Sony. His uncle was the man who invented the Walkman, the transistor television, and was running possibly the most powerful music corporation the world had to offer back then. The Japanese heir mentioned he was a fan of ‘Propriété Privée’, a record Sammy had produced himself, pressed in small quantity and barely distributed in 1987. He was in fact so keen on the record that he wanted to sign Sammy Massamba to Sony right away. He added that Prince himself had been influenced by the eponym track’s intro for one of his songs, and that there were potential judicial remedies that could help, amongst other things, to propulse Sammy Massamba to global stardom in no time. He was coming to Paris with his uncle this very monday, and wanted to meet straight away to sign a contract. Sammy Massamba had been a famous musician in Africa and the European diasporas for 2 decades at that time, however he had always kept a cold head towards the glitz and glamour of show business. His wife on the opposite started getting massively excited by the prospect. The week-end passed, and Monday came. Sammy showed up at the meeting point, and waited for hours. Nobody came. A few days went by, without any news. Sammy ended up calling the Sony French office, and after a few unsuccessful attempts, the truth emerged: Akio Morito’s nephew had died in a car accident in central Paris the day before the meeting was due. Sammy was stunned by the news, and spent the next three months on the verge of mental breakdown, unable to write music. He moved on, with a long-lasting feeling that his Propriété Privée album, which had been so painful to release, was cursed.The story continues. The record keeps circulating in France, Italy, Germany and Spain thanks to people making bootleg cassettes. A decade later, youtube arrives. Somebody uploads the album, cementing cult status amongst djs and African music lovers. In 2015, Fred Martin, manager of label / blog Les Mains Noires, meet Sammy Massamba at his home. Sammy has found a full box of mint Propriété Privée vinyl copies, and Fred offers to sell them to his network of buyers for a good price. They sell out in a few days and a new generation of DJs start spreading the gospel. Which brings me to the time I discovered this music. In 2016, invited by the Ethnographic Museum of Geneva, Switzerland to DJ at an exhibition opening, I decide to keep the party going and hit the Gravière club around 3am, where local DJ Jean Toussaint is hosting a vinyl party with the acclaimed German DJ Hans ‘Nomad’ as a guest. When I enter the club those 2 killer DJs are playing back to back a heavy selection of soukous and afro funk. Jean drops the Propriété Privée tune and the sky falls on me. I rush to the booth, asking him what the hell that was. He generously tells me, and I spend the rest of the night obsessing about it. Come back to the hotel at 6am, go online as soon as I hit my room. A copy of the record is for sale on Discogs, its expensive but a no brainer for a 6am inebriated vinyl junkie. When I receive the vinyl a few days after, the reward outlast my expectations: there’s not one but three killer tracks on this 4 songs EP. A deep soukous cut (Mizele Ngue, the second version Sammy has recorded of this great tune) and a slow electrofunk burner called Sala Keba. What a treasure to behold…Propriété Privée is the pinnacle of Sammy Massamba’s style, a successful fusion of African and American music heritage, halfway between Franco and Otis Redding, Fela and Wilson Picket, King Sunny Ade and Aretha Franklin. A one man band army, exploding with charisma and adventure. I am very grateful to present it today in a carefully restored and remastered format, and would like to thank Sammy for his trust, my team and the numerous friends who helped along the way. Let’s hope the curse on the record is ancient history, I have a meeting in Central Paris soon… Etienne ‘DJ’ Tron, Marseille, February 2019.

BCUC aka BANTU CONTINUA UHURU CONSCIOUSNESS

Official LP reissue of 'Peace & Harmony' by Nigerian funk royalty Harry Mosco, Originally released in 1979. Incl the big tracks ''Sexy Dancer'', ''Step On'' and ''Do It Together''Isle Of Jura digs deep going back 40 years for the reissue of Harry's 1979 album which is something of an undiscovered gem that touches upon Disco, Funk, Boogie, Soul and Dub. Harry passed away in 2012 and we’ve worked closely with his son on the reissue. Harry Mosco is best known as the founder of legendary 1970s Nigerian Afro-Funk band The Funkees. Originating as an Army band after the Nigerian Civil War they lead the wave of upbeat music produced by young artists in Nigeria in response to the darkness of the recently concluded civil conflict. Following a notable hit single ‘Akula Owu Onyeara’ the band split in 1977 and Harry pursued a solo career.‘Peace & Harmony’ was Harry’s third LP continuing the rich vein of form found in previous albums ‘Country Boy’ and ‘Funkees’ (For You Specially). He was a visionary who wrote, arranged and produced each song on the LP assisted by Mark Lusari on engineering duties (P.I.L, Jah Wobble & Prince I), whose Reggae and Dub influence can be felt on title track ‘Peace & Harmony’ and ‘Peaceful Dub’. The LP contains two certified floorfillers of Studio 54 era Disco Funk in the shape of ‘Sexy Dancer’ & ‘Step On’ and two slow jams, the soulful ballad ‘She’s Gone’ and horn lead album closer ‘Do It Together’. Mr Funkees was printed on the cover to help record buyers make the connection between Mosco and his former band

Formed in Brixton in 2006, afrobeat band Yaaba Funk have released two albums with Sterns Music and performed numerous acclaimed live shows — including support slots for Seun Kuti and Ebo Taylor.Rapidly rising star Danvers (also of Kassian) takes the infectious energy of 'Oman Foa' into a triumphant new direction, with one of his broken beat rhythms at its core — recalling his big summer track 'Aye Ata' which received heavy support from the likes of Gilles Peterson and Midland. With a succinct arrangement that lets the joyous brass and powerfully harmonised vocals shine potently, it's a feel-good party music that works wonders when deployed at the right place and time.'Hwe Hwe Mu Na Yi Wompena' is Yaaba Funk's cover of the Ghanian highlife singer K. Frimpong and his Cubano Fiestas' irresistible 1977 track, which Ben Gomori strips back into two instrumental-focused versions. His 'Message Of Love Edit' is a summery, housey flip with trumpets mutated into synths and the bass pumped up with chunky distortion, while his 'Message Of Love Live Dub' zones in on the live grooves with just a little extra embellishment.Sterns Edits is an official collaboration between African music stalwarts Sterns Music and London's Ben Gomori.

Following on from their standout debut release, Viaggio return with another collection of global grooves, formulated by co-captain of Viaggio Recordings, Musta. Nestled alongside Musta’s productions, Disco Halal affiliate and man of the moment, Kincaid takes to remixing the mind bending ‘Cantana’.The A side is an invite into the inner circle of the tribe, with melodic messenger Musta leading the dance. Rome born, Sardinia based, he channels the sounds, sights and feelings of his time spent living in South America into the tribalistic ‘Cantana’. Hypnotically rhythmic, drawing on local samples and entrancing, percussive loops, Musta weaves organic, analog synths and beating kicks to form its basis. The energy conjured is animalistic, moving bodies with a purpose drawn from deep within. Enter the spiritual vocal - as infectious as they get, it’ll have dancers imitating the chants without them even knowing what they’re doing.Who better to remix this far-flung treasure than rising star, Kincaid. Taking ‘Cantana’ and twisting it into a tripped out roller, that transplants Musta’s exotic soundscapes into a distant cosmos. Surging synthesis, tectonic echoes and wobbly, otherworldly tinges pop and crackle throughout. It’s a grittier, glitchier affair with a more electronic, distorted feel, yet it’s roots still remain in that warm, earthy aesthetic with its rich, tactile tones.Take to the flip side and Musta swaps the baked earth, for the sandy tropical disco sounds of ‘Mangiamo’ - further bringing that South American flavour to the fore. Strutting guitar riffs blend with fiery bongos, whilst a punchy bass strides over the top. It’s uplifting, alluring and drenched in the kind of zesty sax lines that will bring a smile to the face of any frown it comes up against.