Version Excursion: “Let’s Start” (Comencemos)

Sometimes you don’t think a track can get anymore hype and energetic yet another band manages to cover it and make it pop even more.

Fela Kuti‘s powerful Let’s Start took a life of its own when Latin Funk outfit Phirpo y sus Caribes transformed it into Comencemos. The horn stabs bang hard and although they captured the upbeat nature of the song they really put a latin twist to it and the fuzzed out guitars add another layer to the track. Finally, modern latin funksters Jungle Fire completed the trifecta by covering the cover to great results which is slightly more tame and cleaner than Phirpo’s take but still sure to be a dancefloor hit.

If you look at Fela’s iconic collaborative album with Ginger Baker, a staple in any crate, compare it to the mega rare Phirpo version and then see that you can order Jungle Fire’s Tropicoso online now you see there is a little bit for everyone and that each version of the song has its rightful place.

DJ Asma

A Montreal native with West-African roots, Antoine started developing a love for records when his father passed his collection of French, African, Caribbean and Brazilian classics onto him. Ever since, the collector turned selector has spent countless hours in musky basements both here and abroad (Dakar, Lima, Paris, Quito, Rio) in the never-ending search for the perfect beat!