Artist..........: VA
Album...........: The Rough Guide To Afrobeat Revolution
Genre...........: Ethnic
Label...........: Rough Guide
Catnr...........: RGNET1222
Source..........: 2xCDDA
Rip.Date........: 03-04-2010
Street.Date.....: 05-11-2009
Quality.........: VBR/44.1kHz/Joint Stereo
Url.............: http://www.amazon.fr/Afrobeat-Revolution-Various-Artists/dp/190606346X/
Size............: 181.8MB
Song.Title :
Disc 1/2
01. The Souljazz Orchestra - Freedom No Go Die 5:50
02. Lekan Babalola - Kabioye (Mark De Clive-Lowe Remix) 6:01
03. Dennis Ferrer - Dem People Go 5:16
04. The Afromotive - Lies 8:27
05. Albino - Puppet Boy 3:54
06. Tony Allen And Yinka Davies - Kilode 5:16
07. Ruth Tafebe And The Afrorockerz - WΓri 3:42
08. Kaleta And Zozo Afrobeat - Get Up 10:16
09. Afrodizz - BombΘ 11:00
10. Fanga - Ni I Ma Toro 7:53
11. Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls - Saro-Wiwa 9:31
Disc 2/2
01. Kaleta And Zozo Afrobeat - Country Of Guns (Bonus Cd) 7:30
02. Kaleta And Zozo Afrobeat - Shake Your Nyansh (Bonus Cd) 11:14
03. Kaleta And Zozo Afrobeat - Gete (Dancing Limbs) (Bonus Cd) 4:18
04. Kaleta And Zozo Afrobeat - Baba Nla Lya (Bonus Cd) 12:13
05. Kaleta And Zozo Afrobeat - Get Up (Bonus Cd) 10:18
06. Kaleta And Zozo Afrobeat - Fimile (Live And Let Live) (Bonus 11:57
Cd)
07. Kaleta And Zozo Afrobeat - Peace No Dey (No Peace) (Bonus Cd) 10:40
Runtime: 145:16min
Release.Info :
While listening to The Rough Guide to Afrobeat Revolution compilation, I
couldnÆt help but instinctively compare it to much of todayÆs dance floor
fodder, which is dominated by blaring, distorted, four-on-the-floor beats awash
with glossy synths and Auto-Tuned vocals. I find very little finesse in much
mainstream contemporary dance music, where oftentimes danceable rhythms are
constructed in the crudest, most ham-fisted ways. To be fair, IÆm comparing two
completely different musical forms. But nonetheless, World Music NetworkÆs The
Rough Guide to Afrobeat Revolution stands next to such music as a potent
reminder of what well-crafted grooves should sound like.
The music of The Rough Guide to Afrobeat Revolution is a celebration of rhythm
as a life-affirming, positive force. In words and in spirit, this is music
intended to overcome the ills of the world. Featuring material from Afrobeat
artists from all around the globe, The Rough Guide to Afrobeat Revolution is
laced with mesmerizing compositions that feature armies of performers and
frequently breach the six-minute mark. Song length is irrelevant, for the
grooves of every single track draw the listener into them, enveloping them in a
wholly spiritual experience.
The album is uniformly solid, and thereÆs not a duff track to be found. Aside
from choice song selections, the reason this compilation is so listenable really
comes down to the nature of the genre. Pioneered by Nigerian musician Fela Kuti
in the 1970s, Afrobeat is a potent mix of traditional African music and strains
of 20th century descendants like jazz and funk. The Rough Guide to Afrobeat
Revolution naturally trades heavily in polyrhythms, showcasing songs that
utilize layers of drums and traditional African percussion, weaved together with
scratchy funk guitar. Everything else feeds into this framework. Vocals are
more often than not group chants, often performing call-and-response dialogues
with each other or with the brass section.
An example of this approach in effect is Dennis FerrerÆs ôDem People Goö.
Rumbling percussion forms the basis of the song, supporting FerrerÆs spoken-sung
conversation with his backing singers. There are strong melodic segments, like
the keyboard tapping away in the background and the saxophone that pops in over
a minute into the song. But every component serves that rhythmic foundation,
playing off it and off one another. Note how the syncopated horns contrast with
the sax solo, while still locking into the groove. Never staid, these rhythms
are always breathing, always invigorating.
The record definitely delivers on the Afrobeat, but itÆs the revolution part I
find lacking. True to the vision of the genreÆs father, politics permeate The
Rough Guide to Afrobeat Revolution, from the Soul Jazz Orchestra vocalizing the
sounds of firing weapons in ôFreedom No Go Dieö, to Afrodizz bemoaning the
social evils of the world in the eleven-minute ôBombeö. Despite the subject
matter, these artists are never outwardly angry. In fact, they are rather
mellow, the effect of becoming so entwined with the music. That total immersion
into the music causes a bit of a problem on this compilation, especially
considering this is a genre so focused on getting a message across. Despite
their imperatives, the words are very much subservient to the musical gestalt.
ItÆs quite easy to get lost in these grooves, but the messages are often lost in
the process. That is a shame, because itÆs always evident that these
wonderfully-realized performances are imbued with some sort of higher calling.
ItÆs nice to know that danceable groove can be well-constructed, but as much
Afrobeat has tried to assert over the decades, a groove alone isnÆt everything.
Contact : crossfader@hush.ai
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