Nico Gomez & His Afro Percussion Inc. – Baila Chibiquiban [MSR019]

May 23, 2020May 22, 2020 hipodromeafro percussion inc, caribbean, disco, funk, joseph van het groenewoud, matasuna records, mr. boom, nico gomez, outernational, tonton boomLeave a comment

”Joseph Van Het Groenewoud”, who would later become known as ”Nico Gomez”, was a musician & composer from the Netherlands. He spent his youth in the Antilles, Cuba and other islands of the Caribbean, which had an unmistakable influence on his music. As a passionate musician and skilled guitarist he was familiar with the typical rhythms and melodies of this region. Later he returned to the Netherlands, before fleeing from there to Belgium in 1946 to escape from serving in the Dutch army in Indonesia. From then on he called himself ”Nico Ooms”. It’s said that he was so obsessed with Cuban music that he changed his name to ”Nico Gomez” – in any case, the name fit better with the Latin American music he brought to the stage. ”Baila Chibiquiban” is a killer cut, which is now finally available again on 7” single. The original version is complemented by a great edit by Frenchman ”Tonton Boom” (aka ”Mr. Boom”).

Soft Rocks – Talking Jungle [ESP008A]

May 16, 2020May 15, 2020 hipodromedisco, esp institute, justin vandervolgen, outernational, soft rocks, tiagoLeave a comment

On this 12″ (the first of 4 surrounding The Revenge of Soft Rocks remix album) we’re treated with a serious disco belted version of Talking Jungle as reworked by Justin Vandervolgen and an insanely serene take on Obo by ESP favorite Tiago.

VA – Zeug! [SAMEHEADS003]

April 30, 2020April 30, 2020 hipodromeanatolian weapons, disco, kreng, mameen 3, outernational, rodion g.a., sameheads, shakey, sofaLeave a comment

Berlin club and party-starters Sameheads return to black wax with “ZEUG!”, a 4-track EP from various celebrated artists, who join forces in new and unheard ways for a stack of outernational and spaced-out dancefloor jams for creative dance floors worldwide and beyond. First up is Mameen 3 (a side-project from Brussels selector DJ Sofa) & Romanian pioneer Rodion G.A with ‘Planet Cluj’, a suitably off-world excursion through a fun-packed disco hall in some far-off colony where layered synths are stacked, elements seeping through one another to form a mesh of groove. Anatolian Weapons’ cosmic fireside ritual, ‘Chant 3’, heats up the A2 with vibrant and punchy percussion loops woven together with a worldwide chorus of chanters. Building continuously, the tough workout is dosed up with a bassline saturated in attitude for a high-energy finish. Picking up on the B side are KRENG, who slow the pace down with a latticed beatwork combining robust dance formulas and blasting syncopation. Letting the rhythm do the legwork for the first half of the track, the pair then pour out a sludged mess of grime-infused bass over the percussive chaos. Silvia Kastel and Wilted Woman close proceedings as SHAKEY with a dubwise workout that straddles b-side house obscurity and stoned live dub improvisation: steel drums patter at the windows of Paradise Garage as Larry Levan fights off the vampires alongside Scientist.

Nina Simmons – Madera Negra EP [MA003]

April 18, 2020April 15, 2020 hipodromedisco, musica altra, nina simmons, outernational, salgari recordsLeave a comment

Tribal journey into psychedelics grooves, voodoo incursions and exotic atmospheres.

Mowgan featuring Solo Sanou – Soya [MOW002]

April 5, 2020August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, afrobeat, album, mow records, mowgan, outernational, solo sanouLeave a comment

Mow Records unveils its second album. A further exploration of label head Mowgan’s penchant for house music and authentic African sounds, ‘Soya’ features percussion and vocals from Solo Sanou, an artist whose roots lie in Burkina Faso – though he’s based in Toulouse, where the album was recorded. Comprised seven Afro house cuts that utilise organic instrumentation and Solo’s raw, emotive voice, the album is the second installment in a series of five long-players recorded by Mowgan in the space of a year. This new LP goes deep into the heart of Africa’s rich musical culture, delivering contagious rhythms, rousing atmospherics and a pure, organic, unadulterated sound that has been cultivated through electrifying jam sessions at Mowgan’s studio.

VA – Uzelli Elektro Saz [13242/13243]

March 1, 2020February 28, 2020 hipodromeakbaba ikilisi, asik emrah, compilation, folk, funk, gulcan opel, handan yazgan, kina gecesi ensemble, outernational, sari zeki, turkish, uzelli kasetLeave a comment

Uzelli Kaset was established in 1971 by Muammer and Yavuz Uzelli in Frankfurt, Germany. Their music resonated not only with the longing that Gastarbeiter (guest workers) felt for the homelands and families they had left behind and the melancholy brought by their difficult living and working conditions in Germany, but also with the joy that welled up at village weddings on their days off, and the long car or train journeys home. Reaching the remotest corners of Germany as well as Turkey, Uzelli Kaset was soon more than just a music company; it became a companion to Turkish workers living far from home.

Kamazu – Korobela [AFS043]

January 18, 2020August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, afrosynth records, disco, funk, kamazu, outernationalLeave a comment

New anthology on Afrosynth Records brings together six songs by South African disco star Kamazu, spanning his career from 1986 to 1997: two of his biggest hits, ‘Korobela’ and ‘Indaba Kabani’, two more obscure songs from his catalogue, ‘Victim’ and ‘Why’, and two tracks from his kwaito comeback, ‘Mjukeit’ and ‘Atikatareni’.

VA – Radio Verde (Compiled by Americo Brito and Arp Frique) [CW003]

October 20, 2019October 18, 2019 hipodromeafrobeat, americo brito, arp frique, cabo verde band, cabo verde show, cape verde, colorful world, compilation, djarama, elisio vieira, funk, galaxia 2000, jose casimiro, niels nieuborg, outernational, rush hour, soulLeave a comment

Arp Frique returns with a brand new release on his imprint Colorful World Records in collaboration with Rush Hour. A compilation of 12 Cape Verdean gems assembled with the help and knowledge of Americo Brito, there is a very special story behind it. Americo Brito, who features on Arp Frique’s original Nos Magia, is a proud and important member of the Cape Verdean community in Rotterdam. His story reveals the historical connections between radio, vinyl, Cabo Verde and Rotterdam’s international music scene in the 70s and 80s. Cape Verdeans have migrated all over the world, mainly to cities with big harbours, like New York, Boston and Rotterdam (Holland). Rotterdam became one of the main destinations (next to Portugal) on the European mainland. When Americo, like many of his friends and relatives moved to Rotterdam, he quickly became infected with the music virus. Surrounded on a daily basis by Cape Verdean music in Portuguese pensions and small hotels, this was where sailors ingested a dose of “sodade” through the interpretations of their beloved music by the local Cape Verdean artists. Americo took to the stage with his band Djarama in the 70s and 80s. Here he works with Rotterdam local Arp Frique to serve up Cape Verdean music old and new with plenty of traditional Funana and Coladeira sounds next to jams influenced by wave, disco and funk, jazz, reggae and Latin pop.

Les Filles De Illighadad / Edmony Krater – African Acid Is The Future – Ambiance II [VF355D]

September 1, 2019August 30, 2019 hipodromeafrican, african acid is the future, dauwd, disco, dj oil, edmony krater, house, les filles de illighadad, maryisonacid, outernational, the vinyl factoryLeave a comment

Cult Berlin club night and label African Acid is the Future returns with the second release in their Ambiance trilogy. Taking listeners into the unique spirit of their club night. For their second release they offer a series of live recordings from the heat of the party itself. The release features two tracks from both Les Filles de Illighadad and Edmony Krater as well as remixes from Dauwd, Maryisonacid and DJ Oil. Les Filles de Illighadad come from a secluded commune in central Niger, far off in the scrubland deserts at the edge of the Sahara. Best known for their guitar performances, this recording from AAITF finds them at their percussive best on the simply titled “Tende I” and “Tende II”. Edmony Krater is an avant-garde percussionist, singer and trumpet player, as well as a native of Guadeloupe. For his performance, Krater performs a duo of tracks separated by three decades, but united by Caribbean rhythms. “Gwadloup” was originally released in 1988 as part of the album “Edmony Krater Et Zepiss – Tijan Pou Velo,” while “Lagé” is taken from 2018’s album “Edmony Krater– An ka sonjé”

Patience Africa – Wozani [LCT003]

July 4, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrobeat, disco, house, la casa tropical, outernational, patience africaLeave a comment

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.

Manu Dibango – African Voodoo [HC63]

June 30, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, album, funk, hot casa records, jazz, manu dibango, outernational, soulLeave a comment

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.

Ebo Taylor & Pat Thomas – Disco Highlife Reedit Series [COMET087]

June 30, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, comet records, disco, ebo taylor, funk, leo nanjo, leon x leon, outernational, pat thomasLeave a comment

Comet presents the first release from the new Disco Highlife series, featuring remastered originals by Ghanaian legends Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas and disco reedits by LeonxLeon and Leo Nanjo.

Camarão Orkestra – Nação África [FVR154]

June 30, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromecamarao orkestra, caribbean, disco, favorite recordings, funk, outernational, patchworksLeave a comment

Nação África is the new single by Camarão Orkestra, the most Brazilian of Parisian bands. Sinewy bass and battery pulsating, it’s stitched to the dancefloor that “Nação África” spreads its groove. And it’s with a variety of keyboards and synthesizers that the tight production maintains a level of constant motion, surrounded by the burning riffs of the brass section and Amanda Roldan’s refreshing vocals. Patchworks provide two remixes to close the record.

Cap’tain Créole – Ni Bel Jounin [BM1804]

June 1, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, beaumonde records, cap'tain creole, funk, outernationalLeave a comment

Cap’tain Créole – formerly known as Trenchtown Meditation – was a band formed in 1984 by Clément, José, Jean-Pierre and Serge. Cap’tain Créole was a pioneering creole-speaking French reggae band with the aim of exploring new musical horizons. With the help of 3 new members – among them a sax player and a trumpet player, both coming from the jazz scene, Cap’tain Créole recorded their unique outing, Ni Bel Jounin.

Eko Kuango – Eko Kuango [LVLP-1702]

April 28, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, album, denis mpunga, eko kuango, jazz, libreville records, outernationalLeave a comment

Belgium based composer, poet and multi-instrumentalist Denis Mpunga formed Eko Kuango in the early ’80s. A unique fusion of African rhythms, jazz, subtle synth arrangements with an eastern flavour; they managed to introduce a strong sense of poetry – both musically and lyrically. The band garnered a reasonable following from numerous concerts played during their career, but remained little known except by a few music aficionados around the globe. Eko Kuango only released 4 tracks in the form of an EP in 1986, the band recorded one year later a studio album with the help of renowned sound engineer Arnould Massart which until now remained totally unreleased. Now with a newfound interest in their work, Libreville Records offers in this edition both the 4 tracks from the original EP and the tracks from the session of the ‘lost’ album.

Fabriano Fuzion – Cosmik Sindinka [BM1805]

April 28, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromealbum, beaumonde records, caribbean, fabriano fuzion, funk, jazz, outernational, serge fabrianoLeave a comment

Since childhood Serge Fabriano bathed in music, between his native Guadeloupe and Paris where he grew up. He attended the music conservatory, learnt how to play bass, played with many musicians and was ultimately angling for a career as a music teacher. During the mid-70’s, he alternated between teaching classes and live gigs, and performed in Germany with a funk band comprised of ex-GIs from the US Army. From 1978 onwards, Serge Fabriano devoted more time to music. He became a musician’s musician, doing studio recordings with rock bands and he also played with members of the Caribbean diaspora. Later the group Fabriano Fuzion was born. The band brought together some of the Caribbean’s most inspired musicians: Martinican-born Mario Canonge on the piano, Alain-Jean Marie on the synth, Labor brothers on saxophones, Claude Vamur on the drums, singer/percussionists Marie-Reine Lamoureux and Marie-Céline Lafontaine, Roger Raspail, Sully Cally and Hector Ficadière on Ka percussions. It is precisely the Gwo Ka – this ancestral “root” music deeply embedded in the heart of the Guadeloupe musician – which constitutes the rhythmic backbone of this first opus. The Gwo Ka, the jazz, the poetry and the spiritual vibe are gathered here to form a splendid album; one of the true masterpieces to emerge from the French West Indies.

VA – Africa Airways Five (Brace Brace Boogie 1976 – 1982) [ASVN050]

April 21, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrica seven records, african, compilation, disco, funk, outernationalLeave a comment

The skies are calling and its time to board our trusty jet for the 5th outing of Africa Seven’s premiere class compilation Africa Airways. For volume 5 its time to brace yourselves for 10 slices of Afro boogie goodness. There’s a slightly different feel to the latest instalment of the fantastic “Africa Airways” compilation series. While previous instalments have largely focused on heavy Afro-funk and Afro-soul, this fifth edition showcases material recorded during the disco and boogie era (1976-82). The ten included tracks are superb, with highlights including the fuzzy, Clavinet-driven thrills of “Sweet Sidney (Edit)” by Black Bells Group, the heavy grooves and dancing synth lines of Gyedu Blay Ambolley’s “Highlife”, the spacey Afro-boogie badness of Fotso’s “French Girl” and the flash-fried disco-funk celebration that is Jide Obe’s spacey, Moog-sporting “Too Young”. As the old cliche goes, this is all killer and no filler.

Unknown Artist – Tropical Jam [TJE-003]

April 21, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, daniel lupica, disco, edits, outernational, tropical jam, vakulaLeave a comment

It’s been a fair old while since we last heard from Tropical Jam, the sneaky re-edit imprint from Vakula and Aussie crate digger Daniel Lupica. Surprisingly, this is the duo’s first 10-inch missive of humid, floor-friendly revisions since the summer of 2018. They begin in a suitably sunny mood, offering up an on-point rearrangement of a cheery, sax-laden Afro-synth workout that sounds like it originated in the early 1980s. The A-side also boasts a second bubbly synth workout, possibly of a South African cut from the same period, where jaunty Clavinet lines and male/female vocals rise above a sparse but funky groove. Side B, meanwhile, contains a more Balearic-minded electronic cut rich in lo-fi drum machine beats, dreamy chords, chiming lead lines and glassy-eyed vocal snippets.

Peter Yamson / Tala A.M. – Afro Funk & Disco Gems Volume Ten [MUKAT064]

April 7, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, disco, funk, mukatsuku records, outernational, peter yamson, tala a.m.Leave a comment

Volume Ten of the Mukatsuku label’s Afro Funk & Disco Gems series has two more tracks released for the first time on a 7 inch in their own right. First up is Peter Yamson’s 80’s afro boogie feelgood masterpiece ”Everybody Dance” taken from the Sun On Africa album (mispelt on discogs as Sun Of Africa by the way!) and licenced directly from the artist. Infectious chorus and funk groove with Roy Ayeresque vibes and punchy brass. On the flipside from 1981 we get Get Up Tchamassi from french African group Tala AM which is a funk drenched heavy slap bass boogie mostly instrumental affair with female vocals and great sax playing and catchy rhythm guitar.

Eko / Georges Ouedraogo – Afro Funk & Disco Gems Volume Nine [MUKAT061]

March 9, 2019August 30, 2023 hipodromeafrican, disco, eko, eko roosevelt louis, funk, georges quedraogo, mukatsuku records, outernationalLeave a comment

Volume 9 of Mukatsuku Afro series kicks off with ‘M’Ongele M’Am’ from Cameroon artist Eko Roosevelt Louis taken from his early 1980’s self-titled album and licenced for this 45 from Nubiphone & Africa Seven. Driving brass funk fuelled afro disco does not really get much better than this. On the flipside Georges Ouedraogo from Burkina Faso gives us us the dance floor bomb ”Deni” taken from his 1978 long player ”Gnanfou Gnanfou” also licenced from Africa Seven and also the first time ever on a single. Punchy brass offset by those hipnotic vocals and funky wah-wah guitar has a deserved place on the flip.