Vinyl LP pressing. Formed by Stevo Atambire and produced by Wanlov (Fok'n Bois) and Percy Yip Tong, Alostmen's music is based around the Frafra traditions of the kologo, a stringed lute, using traditional instrumentation in entirely new ways. "I like to force my instrument to work," explains Stevo. "I'm a yout'man and into rap, reggae, Malian music. I add these to the band's sound." "I had toured with Stevo in my band Afro Gypsy in 2017," Wanlov continues, "and we recorded the tracks for this album on the road in Uganda and North West Ghana in hotel rooms" The band comprises Stevo (kologo, vocals), Jo Ajusiwine (goje fiddle, vocals), Aminu Amadu (talking drum) and Sowah (gome box, djembe and conga) while featured guests include highlife legend Gyedu-Blay Ambolley and Ghanaian stars Yaa Pono and Medikal.

Comprised of Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen, Kai Hahto and Troy Donockley, as well as popular Finnish vocalist Johanna Kurkela, Auri's second album "II - Those We Don't Speak Of" leans on Celtic folk & cinematic pop to craft atmospheric auditory imagery of fantastical valleys of other fairy tale dimensions. Limited to 300 Transparent Blue Marbled worldwide

Limited colored vinyl LP pressing.

Vinyl LP pressing. For the first time ever, musicians from every country in the world record together on Together Is Beautiful. The most significant statement of global creative optimism for a generation. The track 'Together is Beautiful' was composed by George Fenton. He wrote it with the ambition that we could record it using one musician from every single country on earth. After two years we managed to record all: 197 nationalities/197 Musicians/197 countries/1 song/1 world. Together Is Beautiful.

In 1964 and 1966, when Serge Gainsbourg participated in two public recordings at the "Maison de la Radio", he was undoubtedly the outstanding protagonist of the evening. It was on this night, according to his own words, that his "blue period" came to an end. This period was characterized by left-bank songs, tinged with notes of jazz and exotic rhythms. Gainsbourg remains the master of chiaroscuro, double meaning, and is a true poet with caustic irony. In these eight moving songs, Gainsbourg adopts the figure of the disappointed lover as well as the one of the cynical disillusioned man, accompanied by notes of piano or by a guitar and a double-bass. These original recordings perfectly summarize the first decade of his career. Find these previously unreleased records on limited edition pink vinyl.

Double vinyl LP pressing. Legendary activist and Afrobeat originator, Fela Kuti, used his music to lament social injustices and political corruption in his native Nigeria. Fela's legacy spans decades and genres, touching on jazz, pop, funk, hip-hop, rock, and beyond. While this impact can be felt in Nigeria and the entire world, it also greatly affected Fela's son Femi and his son Made, both of whom carry his legacy as torchbearers for change. These are the two albums from Femi and Made, packaged together and appropriately titled Legacy +. Both albums that make up 'Legacy +' are steeped in the tradition of Afrobeat invented by Fela, but each also offers their own unique vision. Femi's 'Stop The Hate' honors Fela in a traditionally fun, sharply political, and affirming way. Meanwhile Made's 'For(e)ward' is a modern and progressive freedom manifesto, pushing boundaries of the subgenre even further. Made also performs every instrument on his album. Both albums also feature portraits of Femi and Made, done by Brooklyn-based artist Delphine Desane, whose work was recently featured on the cover of Vogue Italia.

Traditional village music transformed into fiery and frenetic underground Hip Hop. Emerging from the digital cultural renaissance of the early 2000s, where DIY studios sprung up throughout West Africa, "Patriote" is a shining example of localized global music. Hypnotic and driving rhythms built from sampled percussion and chopped-up instruments combine with syncopated staccato "ragga" inspired flow into infectious hammering tracks that sound like nothing before.Mamaki Boys was formed in 2002 by Aziz Tony, Bachou Issouf, and Salif André, when a local Hip Hop movement was exploding in the capital of Niger. "Patriote" was recorded to address a trend in the scene they perceived as too derivative. Produced at Studio BAT, one of the first studios in Niamey, Mamaki Boys sought to merge modern Hip Hop with traditional music. They invited elder musicians into the studio to play Nigerien instruments like duma and kalango, which were sampled and looped over their compositions. "We wanted to put tradition in the rap, ancestral dances, the things that our grandparents did in the village," Aziz explains. "Our mission was to re-value the culture, put it into Hip Hop, and to show all the colors of our country."Self-describing their music as "tradi-moderne", a Nigerien movement of folk revitalization, their cultural manifesto presents through every aspect of their work. Each track relies heavily on traditional instruments, and each rhythm is based on a dance from Niger. Their mission extends to the urgency of their lyrics: Takai challenges the population to preserve their culture, Kagani Kagani is a demand to take back mineral, oil, and uranium rights from their colonizers, while Komando uses war cries to inspire artists to keep speaking out. A strong entry in 21st-century global music, Mamaki Boys "Patriote" takes back the tools of globalization, repurposing them in the fight for cultural identity.Originally self-released in 2009 on limited edition CDR in Niger. LP plays loud at 45rpm.

Matata (which means “trouble” in Swahili) was an African funk band who took nightclubs by storm and jammed with some of the biggest giants in soul, jazz and Latin music. The band had its roots in the Congo although it formed in Kenya in the mid-sixties. Matata was based around the famous ‘Starlight Club’ in Nairobi. The group retained elements of traditional music by incorporating instruments such as the ‘ngoma’ (a large drum) and an eight stringed guitar-harp called the ‘nyatiti’…this brought something different to their style and made for a unique sound. Each of the songwriters sang lead in their native tongues and this meant they used vocals in three African languages (next to the songs sung in English). As the sixties drew to an end Matata (sometimes also known as ‘Air Fiesta Matata’) were regulars on Kenyan television and enjoyed a national following.

In 1971 when the BBC held a competition to find the best band in Africa, Matata submitted a song and came in first. They were sent to visit London, performed at the BBC and stayed around to do some gigs (after years of playing at the ‘Starlight Club’ the band was tight and well-rehearsed). The timing was perfect because there was a serious cross-fertilisation taking place between musicians from many different genres and nationalities…and this brought such vibrancy to cultural life in the capital. Matata arrived in London just as Assagai and Osibisa – groups led by African musicians who also played a fusion of styles – released their debut albums, paving the way for their peers.

The band signed a two-album deal with the UK-based label President Records (who would go on to release Matata’s ‘Air Fiesta’ in 1972 & ‘Independence’ in 1974). Several singles also came out of this and Matata scored hits in the Netherlands, Belgium and France. With a wealth of material and a dynamic live act to its name they would play packed gigs every night. The group was a visual, as well as musical feast and quickly became favorites at several well-known London nightclubs. Tours were numerous and the band played all over the world including having residencies in the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Hong Kong & Germany (where they got the chance to jam with Miles Davis in Cologne). There would be no further Matata recordings and sadly the band split after releasing their second album. Luckily, we are left with the unique documents that are ‘Air Fiesta’ and ‘Independence’.
The album we are presenting you today (Independence from 1974) comes swinging right out the gate with a set of no less than TWELVE monster tunes. It’s a musical gumbo full of irresistible rhythms, punchy blasts, snappy vocal hooks, reverb-laden ‘Santana’ guitar solos, a little reggae and Afrobeat filled horn arrangements, plus everything else needed to get dancers working overtime. On ‘Independence’ the group leaned mightily on James Brown for their groove, and laid out a heavy, rock solid variation on JBs funk with an African percussion base of fluid congas and bongos at the core.

Independence is a quintessential record that every serious collector or fan needs to have in his/her collection. Matata’s marriage of percolating African rhythms delivered one butt-shaking, finger-popping club hit after another that can still fill a dance floor to this day. Hard funky soul with an Afrobeat backbone…it’s all about the grooves here!

Originally released in 1974 on President Records, Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the first official reissue of this seminal Afrobeat/Afrofunk album. This unique record comes as a deluxe 180g vinyl edition (strictly limited to 1000 copies worldwide) with obi strip and featuring the original artwork. This reissue also comes with an insert featuring pictures of the band and extensive liner notes from award winning author John Masouri. Released exclusively for RSD Black Friday 2021.

01 Return to You - 02 Good Good Understanding - 03 Gettin' Together - 04 I Believed Her - 05 Good Samaritan - 06 I Feel Funky - 07 I Don't Have to Worry - 08 Something in Mind - 09 I Want You - 10 Love Is the Only Way - 11 Gimme Some Lovin' - 12 Talkin' Talkin'

Official Mr Bongo coloured vinyl re-issue for Record Store Day 2020Asha's debut self-titled album is a wonderful fusion of jazz, soul, blues, and disco. It includes an outstanding cover version of J.J. Cale's 'Right Down Here'; a track which Asha has made very much her own by flipping it into a deep-funk groove with sultry ethereal vocals and a drumbeat almost ready-made for samplers of the future. The record was produced in the UK by Del Newman, who had worked with Carly Simon, Cat Stevens, and Elton John to name a few. It was released on London CBS records in 1973. Shortly after the release of the record, Asha (who was born in Mumbai), was banned by the Home Office from working in the UK for a period of time due to visa issues. These obstacles along with problems with her recording contract did not hold her back. Asha moved on and continued her musical journey elsewhere. This resulted in further astounding creative works that Mr Bongo will also be presenting soon. For this special RSD special edition we have pressed on sky blue vinyl to bring out the colours of Asha's stunning dress that she wears for the cover portrait.

Sounds of Pamoja" is Nyege Nyege Tapes' latest foray into the world of Tanzania Singeli, the breakneck dance strain that's quickly moved from Dar es Salaam throughout the world. Following "Sounds of Sisso", a compilation that focused mostly on the Tanzanian capital's Sisso Studios, this set highlights recordings from Duke's Pamoja Records. And while it's predecessor brought attention to the producers, "Sounds of Pamoja" showcases the wide variety of MC talent under the Pamoja Records umbrella, with production mostly handled by Duke.Tanzania is a country of young people almost half of it's population is under 15 years old and singeli is a young genre. Duke started making music when he was 13 years old, and by the time he was 18 he had opened the Pamoja Records studio. He's joined on the compilation by a talented cast of young local talent: 20 year old Pirato MC, 19 year old Dogo Kibo, 20 year old MC Kuke, Dogo Lizzy, MC Dinho, MC Kidene and MCZO, the versatile rapper who accompanied Duke on a selection of global tour dates.The music is fresh and unpredictable, switching beats every few bars and rattling through hyper-local dance styles with jagged, joyful ease. But it's the MCs that push "Sounds of Pamoja ' to the next level, capitalizing on the vitality of Dar es Salaam's musical landscape as they trade bars, switch flows and somehow keep up with Duke's lightning-fast productions. It's breathtakingly unique dance music that recalls the youthful spirit of Detroit techno or footwork, with rapid body movement, social combustion and tongue twisting lyrical one upmanship guiding the rudder.

The past five years have seen amapiano, South Africa's electronic music movement born in the townships of the country's Gauteng province, evolve from an underground sound to a nationwide mainstream staple. Even with it's commercial success though, amapiano's DIY ethos has continued to disrupt music creation and distribution in the country. Most amapiano commercial successes today began their careers on cracked versions of production software like FL Studio, distributed their work through file sharing platforms like datafilehost and marketed it using social media pages they controlled and influenced.Amapiano is partly a tasting menu of South Africa's musical history, a lineage that has been as much a backdrop to the times as it has been a catalyst for change in the country. South African jazz has thrived pre and post-democracy, contributing international stalwarts of the genre, notably Miriam Makeba, Abdullah Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela. Kwaito music-which itself borrowed from other genres like marabi, kwela, mbaqanga, maskandi, bubblegum and others-was created and proliferated in the 90s partly because of the newly accessible House music imported into the country. In the early 2000s, Deep and Afro House dominated, to be followed by the rise of diBacardi, a percussion-heavy electronic music genre most popular in the city of Pretoria and it's surrounding townships.Amapiano Selections, the debut album by DJ and producer Teno Afrika, gives listeners outside the movement's online release economy an insight into the high-burn nature of amapiano that has spawned a distinct typology under it's larger umbrella. Twenty-one-year-old Lutendo Raduvha has spent the bulk of his life moving between different townships on the outskirts of Johannesburg and Pretoria in the Gauteng province. The palette of amapiano styles on the album reflect these influences.But at first, South Africa's youngest electronic music movement lived underground with a small, loyal following. "Amapiano is a genre that I chose because I have a passion for it," says Teno. "I started following amapiano in 2016 because I wanted to explore how it's produced. It was not taken seriously in our country."The record's opening track, poignantly named "Ambassadors," is the sound de jour in this current moment of amapiano's evolution. Here organ solos riff over demure drums, bass and percussion for a sophisticated sound that is palatable to both seasoned and uninitiated ears. Teno Africa does something similar on Conka, but this time referencing the Kwaito-influenced Amapiano popularised by DJ Sumbody and Cassper Nyovest's collaborations and Focalistic's lyrical dribbling which earned him the nickname Pitori Maradona (Maradona of Pretoria).The next two tracks, "Storytellers" and "8 Ubers" as well as tracks 6 and 7 ("Lerato La Bass" and "Trip to Vlakas") are Teno Africa's hat tip to the sound evolving in the townships on the outskirts of Pretoria (Pitori to the hip) known locally as gong gong amapiano. From the home of diBicardi, the percussion and groove of the latter two especially are distinct for their almost off-tempo stride, an identifying feature of diBacardi. The high-pitched keyboard builds to a delayed break; once there, the drum is almost turned inside out to create a bass-line that becomes the driving force behind the track.As a counterpoint to the unrefined, chest rattling coarseness, fifth in the line-up "Smooth Criminal" is carried by the melody, given ample breathing space and balances the heavy bass on it's back. Teno Africa is referencing Harvard amapiano, named after the Ivy League US university for it's supposedly more educated approach to production.Interestingly, Teno Africa only gives vocals prominence on the closing track "Chants of Africa." As a way of making their music recognizable and relatable for broadcast, amapiano producers have sometimes overly relied on vocals in the form of singing, catch-phrases and party refrains for the purpose. "It was my decision not to use vocals on this project," says Teno "The reason is I wanted people to feel my instrumentals and style because this is my first album." On his closing track the young producer gives a glimpse of the considered approach to music which buoys anticipation for greater things from his future releases.