The Rough Guide to African Disco

The Rough Guide to African Disco is a world music compilation album originally released in 2013 featuring mainly 1970s and '80s African disco. Part of the World Music Network Rough Guides series, the album contains two discs: an overview of the genre on Disc One, and a "bonus" Disc Two highlighting Cameroonian artist Maloko. Disc One features five South African tracks, four Nigerian, two Ghanaian, and one each from Cameroon and France. The release was compiled by Dominic Raymond-Barker and Phil Stanton, co-founder of the World Music Network.[1][2]

The Rough Guide To African Disco
Compilation album by
Various artists
Released15 April 2013
GenreWorld, African pop, disco
Length96:56
LabelWorld Music Network
Full series chronology
The Rough Guide to Arabic Revolution
(2013)
The Rough Guide To African Disco
(2013)
The Rough Guide to Acoustic Africa
(2013)
Complete list

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
MSN Music (Expert Witness)[3]A-
PopMatters[4]
Time Out[5]

Gregory Heaney of AllMusic called the album "solid" and praised the World Music Network for increasing the world's funkiness.[6] Robert Christgau rewarded the release with an "A−", saying it succeeded in finding the balance between "cheap commercialism and heartfelt ambition." While "The Dean" waxed poetic on Disc Two,[3] David Maine of PopMatters pronounced it a stab at "accessibility for western ears" fallen flat. He did however call the "Afro-funk" and "Afro-pop" of Disc One worth exploring.[4] Writing for TimeOut, Lydia Jenkin labelled the album "stunning".[5]

Track listing

Disc One

No.TitleArtist (Country)Length
1."A Brand New Wayo"Mixed Grill Nigeria5:01
2."Yesu San Bra"Pat Thomas Ghana3:51
3."Come On Home"The Lijadu Sisters Nigeria5:16
4."Kazet"Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens South Africa3:46
5."Kwedini"Yvonne Chaka Chaka South Africa4:36
6."Ohue"Sir Victor Uwaifo (Frankie Francis & Simbad edit) Nigeria5:37
7."Be Africa"Bibi Tanga & The Selenites Central African RepublicFrance4:15
8."Yekey Tenge"Manu Dibango Cameroon5:57
9."Dance The Body Music"Osibisa Ghana3:48
10."Tsa-oo"Mango Groove South Africa4:15
11."Oh Yeh Soweto"Teaspoon & The Waves South Africa4:14
12."Love Is A Natural Thing"Tony Allen & The Afro Messengers Nigeria9:08
13."ToiToi"Marumo South Africa3:38

Disc Two

Disc Two is a re-release of Maloko's Soul on Fire.

No.TitleLength
1."In The Midnight Hour (Medley I)"4:02
2."Stand By Me"3:22
3."Wonderful World"4:28
4."Words of Love"2:39
5."In The Midnight Hour (Medley II)"4:24
6."Direct Me"5:51
7."Soul Man"3:45
8."Cold Sweat"5:02

References

  1. World Music Network. "About Us - The WMN Story". Retrieved 2013-12-21.
  2. Discogs. "Various – The Rough Guide To African Disco". Discogs. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  3. Christgau, Robert. "Expert Witness". MSN Music. Retrieved 21 Dec 2013.
  4. Maine, David (13 June 2013). "Various Artists: The Rough Guide to African Disco". PopMatters. Retrieved 21 Dec 2013.
  5. Jenkin, Lydia. "Album review: Various, The Rough Guide to African Disco". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 Dec 2013.
  6. Heaney, Gregory. "The Rough Guide to African Disco". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 Dec 2013.
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