Go on a trip “De Praia A Luanda” – The Incredible Afro Luso Sound
Its not everyday that you discover a totally new musical genre. It like me you didn’t know what Semba is, then let tropical DJ La Mano Peluda be your tour guide. He will take you on a ride from the Cabo Verde coast all the way to the capital of Angola Luanda.
The portuguese language has a harsh history of botched colonization efforts but the music that spawned from these misguided efforts in Brasil, Cabo Verde, Mozambique and Angola has been nothing short of sublime. I was always a fan of the Chorro type lament and revolutionary folk music out of the portuguese speaking african countries. Despite being a loyal disciple of Montreal’s Tropical vinyl nights Canicule Tropicale I heard more dancefloor versions of this music and learned about Semba. Popularised in Luanda by N’gola Ritmos, this music was meant to be in opposition to portuguese rule by being sung only in local dialect and having unique rythm structures. The result spread throughout the continent and is a mix of the finesse of more mournful music with the dancefloor popular appeal of zouk rythms.
This incredible mix is chockfull of burners with their own flavour that are sure to have trainspotter reaching wildly for their shazam app. I love being exposed to new stykes and, for me, this is what this vinyl game is all about. Enjoy this mix while your wantlist grows and lets be thankful for DJs like La Mano Peluda that push boundaries and expose the gems of obscure styles for all to enjoy! WARNING: You’re not going to stop moving!
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