Vicky Edimo
Thank U Mamma

In recent years, demand for vinyl copies of Japanese keyboardist Hiroshi Sato's 1979 jazz-funk classic Orient has rocketed. Given that few have the means to pay several hundred pounds for an original copy, this reissue - the first vinyl edition in 39 years - is more than welcome. It remains a delightful set, full of fluid and ear-pleasing tracks that variously doff a cap to disco, Brazilian boogie, classic jazz-funk, low slung early electrofunk and the kind of woozy, laid-back soundscapes more associated with early '80s New Age and ambient sets. Naturally, Sato's playing takes centre stage throughout, but the standard of the musicianship elsewhere is incredibly impressive, too. Shigeru Suzuki's guitar playing, in particular, stands out.

The Wings - Tribute to Spud Nathan was released on EMI records in 1976. Is a pure Nigerian afro rock style from late 70's. Full of guitar and crazy organs the band develop all along the LP a strong and powerful music that made nigerian music such original and unique in the 70's. Come in not so bad VG condition which take easily a place in your collection. Clan label.

Essiebons Special, publié par Analog Africa, présente une sélection de travaux obscurs de quelques-uns des plus grands noms du label. Au cours de la numérisation de ses vastes archives de bandes originales, Essilfie-Bondzie a trouvé un certain nombre de chefs-d’œuvre afrobeat et instrumentaux de l’âge d’or du label au milieu des années 70 qui, pour une raison ou une autre, n’avaient jamais été publiés. Ces chansons sont incluses ici pour la première fois.Malheureusement, Essilfie-Bondzie est décédé avant que la compilation ne soit terminée. Mais son héritage survit dans la musique extraordinaire qu’il a offerte au monde de son vivant. Pendant une grande partie des années 1970, les labels Dix et Essiebons de Dick Essilfie-Bondzie ont été à la pointe du highlife moderne, et sa liste d’artiste était composée de légendes locales absolues. C.K. Mann, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Kofi Papa Yankson, Ernest Honny, Rob « Roy » Raindorf et Ebo Taylor ont tous sorti certains de leurs meilleurs titres sous la bannière d’Essiebons.Dick Essilfie-Bondzie was all ready for his 90th birthday party when the Covid pandemic hit. The legendary producer, businessman and founder of Ghana’s mighty Essiebons label had invited all his family and friends to the event and it was the disappointment at having to postpone that prompted Analog Africa founder Samy Ben Redjeb to propose a new compilation celebrating his contributions to the world of West African music.For most of the 1970s Essilfie-Bondzie’s Dix and Essiebons labels were synonymous with the best in modern highlife, and his roster was a who’s-who of highlife legends. C.K. Mann, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Kofi Papa Yankson, Ernest Honny, Rob ‘Roy’ Raindorf and Ebo Taylor all released some of their greatest music under the Essiebons banner.Yet Essilfie-Bondzie had been destined for a very different career. Born in Apam and raised in Accra, he was sent to business school in London at the age of 20, and returned to the security of a government job in Ghana. But his passion for music, inspired by the sounds of Accra’s highlife scene, had never left him, and in 1967 he figured out a way of combining music and business by opening West Africa’s first record pressing plant.The venture, a partnership with the Philips label, was a huge success, attracting business from all over the continent. By the early 1970s Essilfie-Bondzie had left his government job to concentrate on his labels, and by the mid-seventies he was on a hot streak injecting album after album of restless highlife into the bloodstream of the Ghanaian music scene.Essiebons Special features a selection of obscure workouts from some of the label’s heaviest hitters. But in the course of digitising his vast archive of master tapes, Essilfie-Bondzie found a number of Afrobeat and Instrumental maszterpieces tracks from the label’s mid-70s golden age that, for one reason or another, had never been released. Those songs are included here for the first time.Sadly Essilfie-Bondzie passed away before the compilation was finished. But his legacy lives on in the extraordinary music that he gave to the world in his lifetime.

Harlem Shuffle Records is on an admirable mission to reissue amazing 60s and 70s sounds on a fully legitimate basis. This one from Lloyd & Glen actually landed in 1967 on the Jamaican Comet label. It was never issue on these shores on vinyl, until now. The lead single is brilliantly produced and strikes a mythic party pose with heavy drums but flamboyant horns and expressive vocals. The lyrics, too, are tight and concise and are part of the reason the tune is so sought after today. The flipside 'What You've Got' is another great track by Lloyd and Glen with a big beat and more great horn work.

Never before released Norwegian cult late 70's raregroove soundtrack from 1978 featuring all-star lineup with talents like Knut Riisnæs, Henryk Lysiak and Thor Andreassen. Remastered from the original mastertapes, only 500 pressed. Comes with digital download.

Devoted fans of Abel Tesfaye were left in a spin when the latest The Weeknd album dropped out of the blue, offering up lead singles 'Sacrifice' and 'Gasoline'. The expansive reach of Tesfaye's musical world knows no bounds, straddling pop, rap, electro and much more besides on a quest for life-affirming, show-stopping songs that burrow straight into your heart. The cast of collaborators on this record is staggering, from Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Quincy Jones, and Oneohtrix Point Never to Jim Carrey and Swedish House Mafia, would you believe. Through it all, Tesfaye's dazzling persona shines through, making for another classic from one of the most unique artists in the premier league of contemporary RnB.