Various Artists / Rough Guide African Disco
Album: Rough Guide African Disco   Collection:World
Artist:Various Artists   Added:Feb 2013
Label:World Music Network  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2013-03-02 Pull Date: 2013-05-05 Charts: Reggae/World
Week Ending: May 5 Apr 21 Apr 14 Apr 7 Mar 31 Mar 24 Mar 17 Mar 10
Airplays: 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 3

Recent Airplay
1. Apr 26, 2017: At the Cafe Bohemian
Ohue, A Brand New Wayo
4. Apr 20, 2013: Uncle Steve's Dance Party
Oh Yeh Soweto, Kwedini
2. Jun 09, 2013: The Doldrummer
Kazet
5. Apr 13, 2013: Noisejazz Catharsis
Yekey Tenge
3. May 02, 2013: The Sunset Life
Be Africa
6. Apr 13, 2013: Music Casserole
Tsa-Oo

Album Review
Sadie O.
Reviewed 2013-02-28
Rough Guide to African Disco
Reviewed by Sadie O., 2/28/13
Some seriously funky stuff in here, quite a wide variety of “Disco” in quite a few African styles. Quite a few very well known artists, too. The bonus CD is a reissue of a fun project from the 80’s interpreting soul standards in Soukous form with a 4/4 beat. Originally a long medley, it’s been chopped up rather poorly by the digital download process. Still some nice stuff, fine vocals. Good comp!
CD 1:
1. 5:02 ***spoken word intro, then nice rubbery rather uptempo Electric Slide. Fun-Kay! Vocals in English
2. 3:51 **rather pretty and a bit commercial – but great grunty percusson. Pretty tenor vocals in some Ghanan language.
3. 5:17 ****excellent (and very wet sounding) talking drum intro, then downtempo disco soul, vocals in a Nigerian language. Nice bass work, too.
4. 3:46 ****delicious midtempo chugging township jive, wonderful vocal interplay.
5. 4:37 ***midtempo pounding club beat – after an initial bit of vocoder, it sounds like Angelique Kidjo singing with Howard Jones backing…
6. 5:37 ****goofiest damn electronic booples since Ursula 1000… Fun upbeat disco funk, building elements as it goes. Definitely a Latin tinge as well.
7. 4:15 ***lots of rapid percussion intro, nice pop bass, cool vocal chorus, rather cool and restrained sound.
8. 5:57 ****very pretty a cappella intro, then funky percussion, cool swingy funk. Manu brings the Makossa, as always! Super cool.
9. 3:48 ***classic Disco, vocals in English – if they didn’t perform this on Soul Train, they certainly should have!
10. 4:16 ***chugging groove, Prince-inflected keyboards, and a rather bewildering variety of other styles. Uptempo, with female chorus, very dramatic in bits.
11. 4:14 ****big piano intro, upbeat dance groove with chorus and horn section.
12. 9:09 **very groovy chugging drums, smooth guitar, overall relaxed feel.
13. 3:39 **squeebly keyboards, nice vocals and chorus, very “African” rootsy, which is interesting next to rather prosaic, relaxed Disco music.
CD 2 (sweat to the soul classics, Soukous style!):
1. 4:02 ****uptempo cover with significant soukous tinge, fine vocals.
2. 3:22 ***nice uptempo groove, really nice vocals. Gets seriously highlife-y in second half.
3. 4:29 ****whistling intro, tinkling guitars, sweet cover of a great song. Ends a bit too abruptly.
4. 2:39 ***female chorus vocals, hand percussion. Unfortunately although it should flow right into next track, the digital download screws that up…
5. 4:24 ****oddly (ha) similar to track 1.
6. 5:51 ****I’m actually not familiar with this song! But definitely fine vocals
7. 3:45 ****great song, not at all hurt by the Soukous treatment.
8. 5:02 ***maybe I’m just getting used to the Soukous treatment, but this sounds pretty similar to the original, apart from vocals…

Track Listing
 ArtistTrack Name
1. Mixed  Grill A Brand New Wayo
2. Pat Thomas Yesu San Bra
3. Lijadu Sisters, The Come On Home
4. Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens Kazet
5. Yvonne Chaka Chaka Kwedini
6. Sir Victor Uwaifo / Frankie Francis & Simbad Edit Ohue
7. Bibi Tanga & The Selenites Be Africa
8. Manu Dibango Yekey Tenge
9. Osibisa Dance The Body Music
10. Mango Groove Tsa-Oo
11. Teaspoon & The Waves Oh Yeh Soweto
12. Tony Allen & The Afro Messengers  Love Is A Natural Thing
13. Marumo Toitoi
14. Maloko In The Midnight Hour (Medley I)
15. Maloko Stand By Me
16. Maloko Wonderful World
17. Maloko Words Of Love
18. Maloko In The Midnight Hour (Medley Ii)
19. Maloko Direct Me
20. Maloko Soul Man
21. Maloko Cold Sweat