FELA KUTI 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Rather bizarrely, Fela's London Scene was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 1971, but didn't get a UK release until the mid 1990s. This is the first time it has appeared on wax since. While the legendary Afrobeat pioneer and his equally revered backing band, Africa '70, may have been in unusual surroundings, the music showcased on the album was pure Nigerian Afrobeat gold. With Fela in fine form on the mic, and Africa '70 providing typically punchy, horn-heavy backing, tracks such as "E Gbe Mi O", "Buy Africa", and "Fight To The Finish" are every bit as good as anything they recorded in their Lagos studio. "Who're You", with its' changes of intensity and gentle progressions, is particularly good.

Review: Over the last three years, DJ/producer Mimmo "MoBlack" Falcone has turned MoBlack Records into arguably the World's leading label for African house music. Defected clearly thinks so, because the label has decided to put out this EP featuring tracks from remixes from Falcone and some of his regular collaborators. On side A Falcone joins forces with Armonica to deliver two sparkling, rubbery, positive and heavily electronic reworks of Fela Kuti classic 'International Thief Thief'. Both hit the spot, though it's the Dub, with its extended vocal breakdown and trippy effects, that floats our boat. Over on the flip we're treated to two versions of MoBlack, Emmanuel Jal and Henrick Schwarz hook-up 'Chagu': a bouncy Afro-tech take from Schwarz and a warmer, deep Afro-house interpretation by Falcone.