Kadi Yombo
Papé Nziengui
Awesome Tapes Africa just released a reissue of Papé Nziengui’s most acclaimed album from the late 80s, Kadi Yombo. Considered to be one of the best Gabonese ngombi players (the Gabonese harp) of his time, Papé Nziengui built quite a reputation for himself beyond Gabon’s frontiers as the pioneer of Gabonese “postmodernism” combining modern instruments – like the electric guitars present in “Gho Mitsaba Na Voko” – with Tsogho ritual music.All ten tracks of Kadi Yombo make up an initiatory journey for the non-initiated as Papé Nziengi has always described himself to be.
Listen here.
Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab In Egypt
Sun Ra Arkestra & Salah Ragab
Co-founder of the Cairo Jazz Band and Egyption percussionist Salah Ragab joins American jazz band Sun Ra Arkestra in this 1983 reissue by Strut Records. The two bands first met back in 1971 at a concert in Cairo and recorded this album at El Nahar Studios in Heliopolis when Sun Ra returned to Egypt in 1983 after a European tour. They played the studio versions of Ragab’s compositions “Egypt Strut” and “Dawn”, and recorded three other songs with Ragab on congas. The album is also full of historical anecdotes, like “A Farewell Theme” being played at president Gamal Abdel Nasser’s funeral. Then there’s “Ramadan” and “Oriental Mood”, first heard on the Cairo Jazz Orchestra album Egypt Strut.
Listen here.
Midnight Rocker
Horace Andy
Jamaican reggae legend Horace Andy returns with a new album entitled Midnight Rocker produced by Adrian Sherwood by label On-U Sound. The album includes ten titles, a subtle mix of rock and reggae carefully crafted by Andy and Sherwood’s team. The Jamaican singer who recorded more than thirty albums, had already taken a new direction in his long career with British band Massive attack, a pillar of trip-hop.
Listen here.
Bad Things Will Not Happen Again
dndSection
Nigerian born, Atlanta based emcee dndSection continues to imbibe afrobeats into the American rap and r&b scene. A follow up to his Love Lies Bleeding album in 2019, which featured vocals from Nigerian singer Somadina on the single “Don’t Tease”, Bad Things is a denser 6 track tour that further explores the inroads of Africa’s most exportable genre and the America urban music machine. Bad Things continues to invite African and diasporic artists. This time with Grammy nominated Mannywellz on “Runaway” on what is perhaps the smoothest alté-afrobeats inspired (or perhaps Amaarae’s SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY) track on the project.
Listen here.
NEPTUNE TERMINUS : ORIGINES
Youssoupha
Youssoupha’s six album was already part of our March 19th’s selection but a new deluxe version, NEPTUNE TERMINUS : ORIGINES, has just been released. Ten new titles have been added to an already solid album conceived as a kind of prequel for the album released last year. In it, the Kinshasa-born rapper speaks about intimate moments of his life, paying tribute to his mother in the single “Meilleur”, and his son Malick, once again on the cover. Other musicians are featured such as Lino, Benjamin Epps and Georgio.
Listen here.
This week we also listened to:
- Yimi Lo Live by Aymos
- OBG by Branko
- Tobyd by Badoolee
