15 Vintage African Records You Need in Your Life

'Out of Addis' (Ethiopia)

Sheba Sound, an Addis Ababa-based record label and sound system collective, teams up with Paradise Bangkok to present Out Of Addis—a 13-track collection of contemporary Ethiopian sounds. Out Of Addis was compiled after six years of “music digging, road trips, recordings and events, from the northern rocky expanses of Tigray to the central forested highlands of Oromia to the western sweltering grasslands of Gambell," the labels state.

The songs in the compilation are tied together by the sounds of the Ethiopian and Eritrean krar, which can be heard locking down rhythms from across the nation throughout the release.The entire process of compiling Out Of Addis was also filmed and released as a documentary, Roaring Abyss. — OKA

Ricky Banda 'Niwanji Walwa Amwishyo' (Zambia)

The Zamrock era in Zambia revealed a lot of superstars who could really handle the music. One of the most respected acts of that period in the sventies was Ricky Banda, a bassist who played most prominently with Teddy Khuluzwu of the legendary band Dr. Footswitch. Niwanji Walwa Amwishyo was Banda’s first solo release, after acquiring necessary experience from playing on some of the most successful releases of the time. Banda’s 1976-released work was divided into two sides, each featuring five songs which totaled 36 minutes. Remarkably, he performed all the instruments on the album, except the drums for which he employed session musicians.

A reissue from Now-Again Records, the album revels in a didactic mission, a cue from then Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda for musicians to incorporate nation-building themes in their music. Banda’s album shunned alcoholism and promoted positive family values, making it a much-loved national product as it was an impressive journey into the singer-songwriter path. — Emmanuel Esomnofu

'Wake Up You! The Rise and Fall of Nigerian Rock' (Nigeria)

Funk, rock and psychedelia had a strong footing in early 1970s Nigeria. Though less popular than Fela's afrobeat, a large number of rock groups formed out of the ashes of the Nigerian Civil War to create some exceptional, footwork-friendly tracks. 34 of these vintage Nigerian tracks, written and played by often forgotten bands and songwriters, are compiled in Wake Up You! from Now-Again Records.

Wake Up You! is presented as a tribute to the many bands that formed this relatively unknown 1970s Nigerian psychedelic circle. It plays like the best dance track you could imagine and includes tracks from Ify Jerry Krusade, The Hygrades, The Hykkers, Waves, The Funkees, Theodore Nemy and many more. The two volume release also comes with “two 100+ page books full of never-seen photos and the story of the best Nigerian rock bands told in vivid detail by musicologist and researcher Uchenna Ikonne (Who Is William Onyeabor?)" the label explains. — OKA

'Bobo Yéyé: Belle Époque in Upper Volta' (Burkina Faso)

Before Thomas Sankara, Burkina Faso was The Republic of Upper Volta. During a period of cultural revolution in the '60s and '70s, the nation witnessed an explosion of new bands and sounds across its large cities. Centered around the cultural capital of Bobo-Dioulasso, the new compilation Bobo Yéyé: Belle Époque in Upper Volta rounds up several rare and spell-binding tracks from the notable names of the era like Volta Jazz, Dafra Star, Echo Del Africa, and Les Imbattables Léopards. Bobo Yéyé: Belle Époque in Upper Volta is available as a 3-disc, 37-song box set by archival label Numero Group. It also features a hardcover book of photographer Sory Sanlé's striking and intimate documentation of the faces and the scene of 1970s Bobo-Dioulasso. — OKA

Rim Kwaku Obeng 'Rim Arrives' (Ghana)

The name Rim Kwaku Obeng might not ring a bell for even the most devoted funk and afrobeat aficionado. The Ghanaian percussionist's music, which includes a string of groove-inducing tunes recorded in the late '70s and early '80s, has remained relatively unheralded despite its blatant appeal in today's retro-tinged musical climate.

The multi-instrumentalist began his career as part of Ghana's Uhuru Dance Band. While recording with the band in Los Angeles, he caught the attention of production maestro Quincy Jones who invited the artist to play in his band. A series of setbacks induced by threats and lawsuits from a fellow bandmate led to a sorely missed opportunity and soon Obeng's band abandoned him in LA, leaving him stranded and resourceless for 6 months.

The musician's break finally came when he was given the opportunity to record his debut album in San Fransisco. Rim Arrives is a dance-worthy blend of funk, disco and afrobeat hoisted by catchy call-and-response lyrics, reminiscent of Fela Kuti's trademarked sound. — Damola Durosomo

Ephat Mujuru & The Spirit of the People ‘Mbawaira’ (Zimbabwe)

The mbira’s essence lies in its mystifying earthiness. Said to bring the worlds of the past and the present together, the instrument’s golden flavor makes up the genius of Mbavaira. A masterful work from Zimbabwean musician Ephat Mujuru and his band The Spirit of the People, the album’s release in 1983 coincided with an upturn in the country’s music, moving towards more guitar-led releases, but Mujuru was already renowned by then.

The album is sung entirely in Shona and features — alongside the mbira and the rattle percussion hosho — intriguing call-and-response, insightful takes on colonialism and the desire for freedom, and as well, everyday subjects such as love and desire. A moving body of work, Awesome Tapes From Africa says that “[Mujuru] exemplifies a unique generation of traditional musicians in Zimbabwe”, noting how in the aftermath of the 1970s liberation struggle, that generation emerged into their own at the “dawn of independent Zimbabwe, a time in which African music culture—long stigmatized by Rhodesian educators and religious authorities—experienced a thrilling renaissance.” — EE

Roger Bekono 'S/T' (Cameroon)

Locally known as Jolie Poupee, which is also the album’s most popular song, this is an essential recording in bikutsi. The dance-pop genre emerged from Cameroon, the offshoot of a village-based singing style that was mostly performed by women. At the height of its popularity in the late 1980s and into the '90s, records from Roger Bekono and other ascendant stars became popular across the radio and other popular formats at the time: namely discos and national television. With four songs, all within the seven-minute mark, Bekono brought a sure-footed cherry style that was successful because it drew richly from local techniques and sensibilities. Bekono was a bonafide national superstar until the time of his death in 2016, and amidst encomiums, it was the sheer luminosity of his work that stood out. This Awesome Tapes From Africa reissue restores its worthy place among African vintage classics. — EE

Ernesto Djedje 'Roi Du Ziglibithy' (Cote D’Ivoire)

The name Zighlibitiens is synonymous with musical excellence in Cote D’Ivoire, and that’s largely due to one man: Ernesto Djedje. Considered one of the most inventive musicians to emerge from the West African country, he got on the rise in the sixties when he became the guitar player and leader of Ivorio Star, the group founded by Amedee Pierre.

Stylistic differences led him to quit the group, and he emigrated to Paris, from where he released his first singles in 1968, arranged by Manu Dibango. Upon his return to Cote D’Ivoire in 1974, Ernesto sourced and found the great musicians with whom he formed the legendary band Zigilibithiens. They fused the rhythm and chants of the Bete people with makossa, funk and disco, emerging with a style that was distinctly Ivorian while nodding to global influences.

The prime culmination of that style is heard in this album reissued by Analog Africa, a dazzling body of work that coheres and creates new forms of expression within the African music canon. Although Ernesto Djejde passed away young, in 1983 at 35 years, his five albums were enough testament to his undying influence on his country’s musical history. — EE

Fela Kuti Re-Releases (Nigeria)

Many of Fela Kuti's classic albums— including Everything Scatter (1975), Beasts Of No Nation (1985), Fear Not For Man (1977), Roforofo Fight (1972), Alagbon Close (1974), and Na Poi (1972) — are available from Knitting Factory Records through their box sets and re-releases. The afrobeat legend's LPs are usually re-released alongside a new batch of Fela material that includes test pressings, limited edition t-shirts, screen prints and posters designed by Lemi Ghariokwu, the graphic designer, illustrator and artist behind 26 of Fela's iconic album covers. Make sure you check out all the Fela goods at the OkayAfrica shop. — OKA

Akaba Man, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Osayomore Joseph & More 'Edo Funk Explosion Vol. 1' (Nigeria)

African music was up to something thrilling in the 1970s. Vibrant genres were being formed across the continent, and in Nigeria, the southern city of Benin witnessed the rise of a golden generation of funk artists. Spearheaded by the great Sir Victor Uwaifo, of “Joromi” fame, the local sounds of the Edo area were fused into psychedelic synthesizers and electric guitars, complete with sound effects that were the rave of the time.

Uwaifo, and two other pioneers, Osayomore Joseph and Akaba Man, are the focus of this volume. Between themselves, these artists registered several hit songs and reflected diverse styles — Uwaifo the eccentric showman, Osayomore the sociopolitical pundit, and Akaba Man the philosopher, and together they captured the essence of that culturally-diverse area.

'Essiebons Special' (Ghana)

In Ghana, few labels are as influential as Essiebons. Founded by the producer and businessman Dick Essilfie-Bondzie, its catalog features sterling work from number of modern highlife legends: C.K Mann, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Ebo Taylor, Kofi Papa Yankson, Ernest Honny and Rob ‘Roy’ Raindorf — all these artists and several more released music under the Essiebons label.

For the executive’s 90th birthday, whose celebration was halted by the pandemic, Analog Africa founder Samy Ben Redjeb proposed this compilation to highlight his contributions to West African music. Sadly, Essilfie-Bondzie passed before the compilation was completed. His influence shines through the work of these masters, however. It is a classic collection of the genre Ghana invented and which forms the sonic bedrock of Afrobeats. — EE

Ata Kak 'Obaa Sima' (Ghana)

In 2002 Awesome Tapes From Africa founder Brian Shimkovitz happened upon a cassette copy of Obaa Sima at a roadside stall in Cape Coast, Ghana. In 2006, Shimkovist showcased this cassette gem on his first ever blog post and his readers went wild over the release's infectious & ecstatic dance anthem “Daa Nyinaa." Ata Kak quickly became a cult classic amongst DJs and underground tastemakers. No one was quite sure who it was exactly that produced the astonishing Obaa Sima, though, so Shimkovist began his search for the elusive Ata Kak. After spending a considerable amount time traveling, making phone calls and searching endlessly online, Shimkowitz finally tracked down the Ghanaian musician, whose real name is Yaw Atta-Owusu. It was discovered that Atta-Owusu had recorded Obaa Sima in 1994 in Toronto before returning to Ghana in 2006. — Baba Ali

Amara Touré 'Amara Touré: 1973-1980' (Guinea)

Frankfurt-based label Analog Africa's Amara Touré: 1973-1980 anthology showcases the work of legendary Guinean singer and percussionist Amara Touré.Touré's 30 year-long career began in the late 1950s in Dakar as part of the Senegalese collective known as Le Star Band de Dakar. Touré and the band enjoyed rapid success and became prominent figures in Senegal's booming, Cuban-influenced son montuno and pachanga scenes in the '60s. The singer-percussionist later went on to form his own band Black and White based out of Cameroon, where he further refined his unique take on Cuban music by fusing spirited, West African mandingue sounds with brass-filled Latin instrumentation — solidifying his status as a pioneer of Afro-Cuban music. —DD

'Next Stop Soweto Vol. 4: Zulu Rock, Afro-Disco and Mbaqanga 1975-1985' (South Africa)

London-based label Strut Records continue their Next Stop Soweto series with Next Stop Soweto 4: Zulu Rock, Afro-Disco, & Mbaqanga 1975-1985. According to Strut, this era of South Africa's musical history saw such genres as funk and soul being played by bands even as apartheid firmly gripped the country's music culture. It was a time in which energetic American bands like War and Yes, along with SA's own malombo type of music, spurred homegrown groups like Kabana and Harari to incorporate soul and rock into their sound along with Zulu lyrics.

Even though South African music was burgeoning in these years, there were parallel difficulties. Bands would still perform, for instance, but curfews, along with their songs receiving little airplay, made it very hard for these groups to survive professionally. By the 1990s, though, the music of this period paved the way for SA acts like Ladysmith Black Mambazo gaining international popularity. — Z Weg

'Space Echo - The Mystery Behind The Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde' (Cabo Verde)

Here's another Analog Africarelease. This one's an electrifying compilation of late 1970s and early 80s Cabo Verdean dance grooves. Space Echo - The Mystery Behind The Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde Finally Revealed presents some of the earliest electronic recordings from the island nation, reviving its eclectic musical past with trance-inducing songs that combine elements of funk, soul and techno.

The 15-track selection highlights a golden period in the nation's music scene, when the use of synthesizers was first introduced, redefining previously existing styles like morna and funaná—a genre that was charged with being “too sexy" and hence banned under Portuguese colonial rule.

"Musical genius Paulino Vieira, who by the end of the 70s would become the country's most important music arranger, [recorded] eight out of the fifteen songs presented in this compilation with the backing of [his] band Voz de Cabo Verde," the label mentions. As a band leader and keyboardist, Vieira became "the mastermind behind the creation and promulgation of what is known today as 'The Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde'." —DD