Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Album Review: Analog Africa No. 9-Angola Soundtrack

Analog Africa has unearthed yet another treasure chest of African funky goodness. This time around they draw from Angola, the Southwestern African nation, with Angola Soundtrack. Featuring several hypnotic styles such as Semba, Merengue, Kazukuta, and Rebita, these are songs you most likely have never heard, although due to the styles they amalgamate, they have a familiar feel. The percussion backdrop, the entrancing guitars, the call and response vocals, will all be familiar to any listener with an interest in post-colonial African musical styles. Highlife, afro-funk, and Mande swing all take elements from the musical styles of the Americas and combine them with homegrown percussion and vocal styles. The popular music of 1970's Angola is no different, but these songs definitely have their own style unique to the cultural factors present in Angola as opposed to Nigeria, Ghana, or Mali.

Analog Africa has an amazing track record of hunting down original music on the African continent, re-packaging it, and introducing it to a new audience. The world is a better place for it, and they have helped contribute to the budding revival African music is currently enjoying. Angola Soundtrack is the most recent release in the line of compilation albums that continue to push that revival forward. If you've enjoyed any of their other compilations thus far, definitely check this one out as well. You will not be disappointed.


Zé Da Lua - Ulungu Wami by afrobeatblog

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