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Product Description
Review
A resurgence of interest in Afrobeat, a 70s blend of traditional African music, jazz, highlife and American funk, has seen a very welcome string of reissues in recent times – not least the current airing of the entire 45-album run of the movement’s undisputed figurehead, Fela Kuti. Frankfurt label Analog Africa, however, are taking the path more seldom trod, focusing on some of the more obscure outfits and local scenes on compilations like 2009’s Legends of Benin and 2008’s rawer, psychedelic African Scream Contest.
That West African Shock Waves exists at all is testament to Analog Africa founder Samy Ben Redjeb’s diligent detective work. Finding himself in Accra, Ghana following a flight mix-up, he used the opportunity to meet up with producer Dick Essilfie-Bonzie, owner of the Ghanaian indie imprint Essiebons Records. Essilfie-Bonzie, it transpired, was in the process of blowing the dust off his back catalogue. So, the bulk of this compilation comes from a warehouse of reel-to-reel tapes recorded in the 70s in Ghana and Togo, supposedly owned by PolyGram West Africa but never claimed; the sort of blunder that, judged in these more enlightened times, is up there with the BBC recording over the master tapes of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.
Stylistically, we run the gamut from classic Afrobeat to deep funk jams, the music sometimes fairly indebted to the American sounds of the era but always with a local spin. K Frimpong & His Cubano Fiestas offer more classic, driving Afrobeat with mournful, melodies that contrast with the upbeat rhythms and some great, twitchily funky guitar towards the tail end. The Apagya Show Band, represented here by a couple of tracks, offer heavy, organ-fuelled funk with African percussion, ripe with instrumental breaks just begging to be sampled and looped into breakbeats. And Rob’s More, five minutes of brash horns, hoarse vocal exhortations and bizarre space-wibble guitar soloing keeps the energy up right to the closing minutes.
Consistent to the last, West African Shock Waves is another fine installment in a series that threatens to become as essential a glimpse into obscure and vintage African music as the Ethiopiques series – and that’s high praise indeed.
--Louis PattisonFind more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
CD Description
Organ-driven Afro-beat, cosmic Afro-funk and raw, psychedelic boogie … just some of the flavours to be found on this highly danceable compilation by Samy Ben Redjeb, founder of Analog Africa. No effort has been spared! To document these 15 irresistible tracks and the music scene from the’70s, Samy crisscrossed the lengths of Ghana and Togo in search of the producers and artists – or their relatives. In the process he recorded a dozen interviews, scanned 90 pictures and transferred 120 master tapes. All the evidence can be seen in the 44-page full colour booklet accompanying these 75 minutes of heavy West African sounds. Afro-Beat Airways showcases an amazing diversity of local rhythms spiced with Afro-American funk, soul and jazz. Tracks: Dankasa - Uppers International / Ma Nserew Me - Apagya Show Band / Me Yee Owu Den - K.Frimpong & His Cubano Fiestas / Break Through - Marijata / Ngyegye No So - African Brothers Band / Awula Bo Fee Ene - Orchestre Abass / Odofo Nyi Akyiri Biara - Ebo Taylor & The Sweet Beans / Okpe See - Pagadeja Custom Band / Afe Ato Yen Bio - De Frank Professionals / Mumunde - Apagya Show Band / More - Rob / Ne Noya - Cos-Ber-Zam / Neriba Lanchina - Uppers International / Come Along - Ebo Taylor & The Pelicans Also available: Deluxe gatefold 2LP vinyl AALP068 £11.49
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
When I read about a new Analog Africa compilation
my heart starts pounding a bit faster, as "African
Scream Contest", "Legends of Benin" and both volumes
with Poly-Rythmo are all essential albums for funk
and afrobeat headz.
Their latest release is another fine entry in the
series, this time they they deliver a bit more straight-
forward package of funk and afrobeat from Ghana and
Togo, and as always a lot of the songs are organ-driven,
slightly psychedelic groovers.
It varies from slowburning afrobeat numbers to the frenetic
funk of Marijata. There are some songs that doesn't do
that much for me, but even those songs contain moments
were they really lock in and hit a groove.
Highlites include K. Frimpong, Ebo Taylor, Orchestre Abass,
Cos-Ber-Zam and Apagya Show Band.
my heart starts pounding a bit faster, as "African
Scream Contest", "Legends of Benin" and both volumes
with Poly-Rythmo are all essential albums for funk
and afrobeat headz.
Their latest release is another fine entry in the
series, this time they they deliver a bit more straight-
forward package of funk and afrobeat from Ghana and
Togo, and as always a lot of the songs are organ-driven,
slightly psychedelic groovers.
It varies from slowburning afrobeat numbers to the frenetic
funk of Marijata. There are some songs that doesn't do
that much for me, but even those songs contain moments
were they really lock in and hit a groove.
Highlites include K. Frimpong, Ebo Taylor, Orchestre Abass,
Cos-Ber-Zam and Apagya Show Band.
Format:Vinyl
This album offers a selection of a wide variety of mainstream African artists. I have to say it gives great insights to various different styles of Afro Beat.
I also need to add that the product quality of the vinyl itself is great. A must buy!
I also need to add that the product quality of the vinyl itself is great. A must buy!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Excellent compilation album, but...
3 Oct 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
'Afro-Beat' is a fantastic compilation, and I encourage everyone to give it a try. You've probably heard enough praise for this eclectic compilation, which was on a few best-of-year lists; my only word of caution is: Don't download it as MP3 format from Amazon.
The quality is horrible. (142kbps). The tracks sound distorted and garbled. While the price may be tempting, this album deserves to be heard in higher quality. Spend the extra dollars on the CD verision. Your ears will thank you for it.
The quality is horrible. (142kbps). The tracks sound distorted and garbled. While the price may be tempting, this album deserves to be heard in higher quality. Spend the extra dollars on the CD verision. Your ears will thank you for it.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Fantastic companion to Africa Scream Contest.
31 Aug 2010
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ghana and Togo nuggets from the 1970's diamond mine. Very danceble. A little more psychedelic than ASC, with lots of crazy keyboards. Analog Africa's usual high quality product but this is the finest since ASC. So, if you're into this kind of thing, and you'd have to be to shell out for it, this is another stellar entry in their growing catalog. When you think about it, the cost of these is nominal considering the gargantuan efforts that go into unearthing these gems, presenting them with such attentive documentation, great sound and then going the whole magilla by making sure the royalties are properly administered. The journey continues, Cheers !, Afrobeaters.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Movers And Groovers!
8 Sep 2010
Format:Audio CD
4 - 4.5 stars.
When I read about a new Analog Africa compilation
my heart starts pounding a bit faster, as "African
Scream Contest", "Legends of Benin" and both volumes
with Poly-Rythmo all are essential albums for funk
and afrobeat headz.
Their latest release is another fine entry in the
series, this time they they deliver a bit more straight-
forward package of funk and afrobeat from Ghana and
Togo, and as always a lot of the songs are organ-driven,
slightly psychedelic groovers.
It varies from slowburning afrobeat numbers to the frenetic
funk of Marijata. There are some songs that doesn't do
that much for me, but even those songs contain moments
were they really lock in and hit a groove.
Highlites include K. Frimpong, Ebo Taylor, Orchestre Abass,
Cos-Ber-Zam and Apagya Show Band.
When I read about a new Analog Africa compilation
my heart starts pounding a bit faster, as "African
Scream Contest", "Legends of Benin" and both volumes
with Poly-Rythmo all are essential albums for funk
and afrobeat headz.
Their latest release is another fine entry in the
series, this time they they deliver a bit more straight-
forward package of funk and afrobeat from Ghana and
Togo, and as always a lot of the songs are organ-driven,
slightly psychedelic groovers.
It varies from slowburning afrobeat numbers to the frenetic
funk of Marijata. There are some songs that doesn't do
that much for me, but even those songs contain moments
were they really lock in and hit a groove.
Highlites include K. Frimpong, Ebo Taylor, Orchestre Abass,
Cos-Ber-Zam and Apagya Show Band.
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