Afro

Heat in two Belgian flavors! Check out the Zaïrian electronic dance floor banger “Nakombe Nga” by Les Choc Stars. Comes with the dope, largely unheard Belgium new beat version on the flip from the Teknokrat's. Both tracks were originally released in 1989 and this is the first time they appear together on 12". Reissue co-curated with renowned record fiend John Gomez.The music on this winning double-sider was written by Tony Baron and Gery François, two Belgian producers that were involved in several musical projects on the New Beat scene in the 1980s. They worked under many aliases and recorded the Teknokrat’s haunting “What Did She Say?” at the famous Studio Madeleine in Brussels in 1989. Prompted by Jean Martin from Espera Records, Baron adapted the music into a further two songs to be released that year, Virginity’s melancholic “The Key”, and the surprising but ear catching collaboration with the label’s soukous stars, Ben Nyamabo’s Les Choc Stars Du Zaire. It is still a mystery how the seeds were planted for the one-off pairing that culminated in the electronic soukous bomb “Nakombe Nga”. What is certain is that it is set to light up dancefloors worldwide.

Voici la deuxième sortie de “Pura Vida sounds”, le nouveau label au sein de Heavenly Sweetness. Guts en assure la direction artistique et sortira régulièrement des artistes qu’il a découvert, produit ou des nouvelles compilations.“Change” (PVS004)K.O.G pour Kweku Of Ghan, iZem pour In Ze Early Morning.La rencontre entre le chanteur ghanéen et le beamaker français n’est pas une histoire d’acronymes mais plutôt celle d’une collaboration fructueuse entre deux expatriés qui, depuis leurs nouvelles bases, captent mieux les vibrations alentours.Chanteur et multi-instrumentiste, K.O.G se dédouble à chaque fois qu’une nouvelle ambition musicale le nécessite. K.O.G. and The Zongo Brigade, K.O.G and The Allstar Revolution, Onipa Project, il opère aussi en solo, irriguant funk, dancehall, reggae, jungle ou house de sa furieuse sève afro qui désormais érupte depuis Sheffield.Parti guitare en bandoulière en Espagne, c’est au Brésil puis en Argentine que iZEM collaborera à de nombreux projets avant d’aller se poser à Dublin, derrière deux platines et une mixette, pour finalement prendre la direction de Lisbonne. Un premier album, Hafa, paru chez Soundway Records mais surtout une connexion permanente avec les musiques lusophones émises depuis l’amérique du Sud et l’Afrique.We are happy to continue the adventure with our in-house label, *Pura Vida Sounds.*Our very own *Guts* is the art director of this new imprint.*"Change*" is the second release of Pura Vida Sounds (PVS004)K.O.G - Kweku Of Ghan, iZem - In Ze Early Morning. The meeting between the Ghanaian singer and the Moroccan/French beatmaker is not a story of acronyms, but rather a fruitful collaboration between two expats, better to capture the surrounding vibrations.Singer and multi-instrumentalist, born in Accra (Ghana), résident in Sheffield (UK), K.O.G is constantly innovating. Leader of hs own monstrous afro funk band K.O.G. and The Zongo Brigade(see them at Transmusicales 2018 and album on Heavenly Sweetness March 2019), lead vocalist for Onipa, he is a creative force, relentlessly touring and collaborating across a range of styles, from afro funk to house, dancehall and reggae to jungle, with forthcoming releases with Afriquoi (UK), Umoja (Netherlands), Jus Now (Trinidad/UK), Congo Natty (UK/Jamaica) and more.Guitar-schooled in Spain, it is in Brazil and Argentina that iZEM collaborated on many projects before landing in Dublin, behind two turntables and a mixer, finally ending up in Lisbon. A first album, released by Soundway Records but above all a permanent connection with Portuguese-speaking music from South America and Africa.

Strong 12'' that holds 3 cuts by Kojo Antwi, incl the digital highlife banger ''Hini Me''..Recorded in Denmark in 1986 by the then up and coming afro pop singer Kojo Antwi from Ghana, the tunes were issued in limited numbers as he was leaving Denmark, sparking his international solo career after he left the Classique Vibes. Though a popular favourite on cassette in Ghana his debut album was only released in small numbers in Europe and never achieved the same attention. The tracks selected here showcases Kojo’s transition from the highlife sound of the Classique Vibes to the more drum machine driven highlife disco on ‘Hini Mi’ as well as the deep, computerized reggae on ‘Emeribi Be Ba’.