MINT

Deluxe gatefold LPWhen faced with the decision to take a different direction at the risk of getting lost in a synthetic sound or to further explore the same musical path, Vaudou Game didn’t need to consult the oracle for very long when putting together their new album. Since their first acclaimed album, Apiafo and its irresistible single "Pas Contente", these Lyon natives never turned down the heat on over 130 stages across Europe, Africa, America and Asia. Peter Solo has displayed his amulets, charisma and yellow pants around the globe When time came for them to harness their Afro-Funk sound for the second time, they turned their attention once again to their analog strengths. Vintage material, instruments produced in the 70's and cassette tapes were the "grigris" (or lucky charms) which proved most effective to ward off digital corruption of their music and return them to a tight-knit group with a solid groove. This unbeatable trance rhythm, inherited from James Brown and Fela, icons of Funk and Afrobeat, becomes trident when joined by Mawu, the creative voodoo divinity hidden in each of the group's notes. This inspiration transcends their spirit of communion, plunges them deeply into Mother Earth and results in the telepathic trance which is directly connected to Togo Peter's native Togo.Each song then becomes a celebration where the listener becomes the group's voodoo doll, embraced by the rhythm, submitting itself to the mercilessly metronomic cutting of guitars, struck by the copper-colored flashes of lightning forged by the African voodoo deity Hevioso, pierced by the psychedelic visions generated by the organs and a six-string guitar, cheerful songs, and hypnotic incantations.KIDAYU means "sharing" in Kabye, the language spoken in northern Togo. Sharing, is the philosophy of Vaudou Game – both in their recorded music and on stage.

It is late 1972. Six emigres from Congo, Benin and Cameroon find themselves in Pavia, near Milan in Italy. Sharing a passion for music and dance rooted in African culture they form a band called M'Bamina ("Lightning") they and stage their dance and music show in Le Rotonde di Garlasco. Two years of hard work and gigging follow before they make their first album "African Roll", released in 1975.Following a European tour in 1976 then find themselves performing in Cameroon for a landmark concert at the Stade de Yaounde with Claude Francois (French Pop star and the writer of the original version of Sinatras My Way) and African music legend Manu Dibango. As it often happened in the 70s when talented ambitious bands met Manu Dibango, a move to France and a record deal with Fiesta Records (Decca) soon followed.In Paris 1977 the band find themselves opening for a James Brown's concert Au Pavillon de Paris. By now the band is a well-oiled machine they have honed their live shows and sound by distilling a pure and fresh blend of R.& B, Rumba, Afro-Cuban, Funk and traditional African. M'Bamina then hook up with French producer Philippe Brejean to record their second album "Experimental" in Sysmo studios (a hot bed of album activity and French production music at the time). The results capture the band at the peak of their powers.The core of M'Bamina was made up of Samba Ngo (guitar and vocals), Antoine Nkouka Batenda (guitar and vocals), Bernard Bifuanibo (bass), Jean-Marie Bolangassa (percussion), Anselme Tambakassa (congas) et Ligali Ali Amidou (percussion and vocals). The band would go on to make 2 further albums before disbanding in 1985.

As co-founders of the label MoFunk Records, and the production team behind one of modern funk’s signature anthems, “Press Play” (featuring Zackey Force Funk), XL Middleton + Eddy Funkster’s album is truly an opus long overdue. In sound, it draws heavily from LA’s musical well over the last several generations, bringing forth hard electro funk styles on “Show Some Respect,” bouncy lowrider funk on cuts like “Solicitation,” and giving a progressive nod to 90’s g-funk on the LBC’d out “California Fly,” which features Domino of “Getto Jam” fame. Furthermore, XL + EF channel the more modern feel of ambient, pad-heavy funk on songs like “On Our Way To Funkmosphere.” In spirit, it’s more of a P-Funkesque party, as the entire MoFunk roster plus extended family join in variously on all of the album’s 7 songs, contributing everything from vocals to guitar and talkbox. This is kind of party you’ll want to join in - an ongoing celebration known as modern funk.Latest effort from XL Middleton, whose “Tap Water” album was well received critically and commerciallyFirst joint effort from founders of MoFunk RecordsFeatures from several modern funk artists including Zackey Force Funk, Brian Ellis, Moniquea, and Diamond OrtizFeature from 90’s g-funk artist Domino, known for hit singles “Getto Jam” & “Sweet Potatoe Pie”

Ghanaian Afro funk and Boogie from Sidiku Buari is the focus of the next Soundway 12".On the A side a classic Ghana style afro funk cut recorded at Ghana Film Studios has a characteristic Lo-Fi sound led by George Amissah's (Ebo Taylor, K. Frimpong, Uhuru Dance Band) trademark sax over a squelchy synth and drum groove.This is backed on the flip by a boogie funk cut (Music) recoded in NYC in the early 80s with Fanti chants and soulful vocals from the big man himself. 'Alhaji' Sidiku Buari gained fame in the 70s in Ghana and the USA after moving to New York and recording an album (which featured the soul-jazz legend Bernard Purdie) for RCA that was one of the first mainstream afro-funk LPs ever to hit the market in the USA.After two subsequent albums that produced some afro disco classics including the seminal "I'm Ready" he eventually returned to Ghana where he became the chairman of the Ghanaian Copyright Society (COSGA).The two tracks are taken from an obscure 12" release from 1983 that unfortunately had a pressing defect on "Anokwar", so with some twiddling and editing Hide & Smile have restored it ready for some overdue dance-floor use once again.