An ongoing series of 7" and 12" releases celebrating music from islands from around the world. Featuring tracks from Cape Verde, Haiti, Martinique, Dominica and Madagascar, more to follow....

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Sofrito // Island Series Selection

12" vinyl available from www.sofrito.co.uk

A1: Dionisio Maio – Corpim Sabe (Alma Negra Edit)
B1: Bulimundo – Santo Antòni La Belèm (Hide & Smile Edit)
B2: Os Kings – Minino Na Tchora

Musical collisions in the Atlantic!
Sofrito kicks off the new Island Series with a celebration of the vital dancefloor sounds of Cape Verde – a mixture of local Funana and Coladeira rhythms, Batuque percussion and psychedelic disco synths.

Musical collisions in the Atlantic!
Sofrito kicks off the new Island Series with a celebration of the vital dancefloor sounds of Cape Verde – a mixture of local Funana and Coladeira rhythms, Batuque percussion and psychedelic disco synths.

Hailing from the island of Sao Vicente and originally released in the early 80s, Dionisio Maio’s anthemic Corpim Sabe is stretched into a 12” mix by the Alma Negra collective – bringing the thumping bassline to the fore and tweaking the piano-led groove into a slice of cosmic Coladeira-disco perfection.

On the flip the dynamic Hide & Smile duo (aka Frankie Francis & Miles Cleret) splice an early track from trailblazing Santiago-based group Bulimundo into a percussive workout that prefigures the sounds of Kuduro and Coupé Decalé.
Os Kings (from the island of Sao Vicente) complete the EP with an ode to struggling youth, anchored by sweet guitars and a slick bassline.

Fact fans:
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island chain situated 500 km off the coast of Senegal. Uninhabited before Portuguese colonization in the 15th century, the country was a staging post for the transatlantic slave trade and occupies a unique cultural position between Africa, Europe and the Caribbean.
There are large Cape Verdean communities in Paris, Lisbon, Rotterdam and Boston and as a result the music of the French Caribbean (in particualr zouk) is extremely influential.
Extra fact:
One of the most popular drinks in Cape Verde is a pint of gin and tonic.

Sofrito Island Series: Sound of Cape Verde // O Som de Cabo Verde EP

Claudette & Ti Pierre’s 1979 version of the folk song ‘Zanmi Camarade’ jumps straight out of leftfield. Haunting vocals are accompanied by a heavy drum machine and arpeggiated synth backing for a Kraftwerk-in-Port-au-Prince vibe. 

Stockholm's Tropical Treats crew give the track the subtle edit treatment, bringing out the bass and rounding off the sound.


Claudette and her husband, the blind keyboard player Ti Pierre were – and still are- household names in Haiti.  Touring a stripped-down synth/drum machine and vocal combo they recorded a string of hit records in the 70s and 80s that, although classics in Haiti, are little known outside.



Order <i>Haiti Direct: Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds, 1960-1978</i>, out now Strut:
<a href="http://georiot.co/5oB">iTunes</i> • <a href="http://georiot.co/3ZL">Amazon</a> • <a href="http://bit.ly/HaitiDirect_StrutStore">Strut Store</a>

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Claudette & Ti Pierre - Zanmi Camarade (Tropical Treats Edit) Excerpt

Ibo Combo - Mateau

7" available now from www.sofrito.co.uk

Originally from the island of Boa Vista, Abel Lima was part of a large wave of Cape Verdean migration to Europe in the late 60s – fleeing the political turmoil that accompanied the end of Portuguese colonial rule. Settling in Paris, he recorded several albums with ‘Les Sofas’ a multinational group featuring musicians from France, Senegal, Cameroon, Angola and Guadeloupe.

Arranged by Camerounian star Eko Roosevelt Louis, Corre Riba Corre Baxo (what goes up must come down) is taken from the 1977 album ‘Cantam nos Bida‘ and combines a rock-solid bassline with a hypnotic guitar riff.

Nos Maos – arranged by Guadeloupean pianist Roland Louis – has more of a Caribbean feel, bringing elements of Cadence in to the mix. The politically-charged lyrics – half in French and half in Portuguese – deal with European complicity in economic and social problems in the developing world

Combining the Morna and Coladera styles of Cape Verde with Jazz, Cadence, disco and West African styles, Abel Lima’s output reflected the rich mixture of musical styles and cultures that was (and still is) present in Paris. Both tracks are dancefloor classics.


Sofrito Island Series // Abel Lima e les Sofas 7" // Cape Verde

The Sofrito Island series continues with a 7" single featuring two heavy-hitting 70s cadence rarities from Martinique.

Vinyl Available here:
http://sofrito.bigcartel.com/product/island-series-martinique-7

The curiously-named Hamsters jump straight out of the starting blocks with a  ferocious carnival-style Cadence that never fails to get things moving. Thumping bass, insistent drums and a heavy dose of Haitian-influenced guitars add up to sure-fire party starter.



Island Series // Les Hamsters // Hamsters Frappé (Excerpt)

The Sofrito Island series continues with a 7" single featuring two heavy-hitting 70s cadence rarities from Martinique.
7" Vinyl Available Here:
http://sofrito.bigcartel.com/product/island-series-martinique-7


Nothing if not well-travelled, Michel Bagoe spent his early years moving between Senegal and Martinique prior to moving to Paris in the early 70s. From there he decamped to Cote D'Ivoire to become the resident vocalist at the famous "Canne a Sucre" nightclub in Abidjan.
"Oulé Collé" is taken from a session recorded by a who's who of Martiniquan musicians in Paris in 1976.

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Island Series // Michel Bagoé // Oulé Collé (Excerpt)

Taken from the Promo 12" for the Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque album on Strut Records

Sweet Music (Sofrito Soundsystem Edit)

SSS015 SIDE 2 - SWINGIN STARS // JAM JAM (Excerpt)

The next installment in the Sofrito Island Series: Foundation Cadence-Lypso from the Swinging Stars of Dominica

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SSS015 SWINGING STARS OF DOMINICA - LAS MAL PARLE (excerpt)

SSS016 ISLAND SERIES: GORDON HENDERSON // HARD WORLD (excerpt)

A long-time Caribbean boogie classic that dips its toes into 80’s funk with rich horn lines and plush vocals sang in unison from the get-go.

Off the latest 'Island Series' release from @Sofrito.

Read more & buy: http://www.stampthewax.com/2016/07/20/gordon-henderson-highbid

Listen on Youtube

Gordon Henderson - The Highest Bidder (STW Premiere)

Eusebe Jaojaby – the king of Salegy - is one of the biggest stars of Malagasy music. Taratasy Maitso was originally released in 1987 and adds a lilting flute to the insistent 6/8 rhythm - a dancefloor sure shot.

The Madagascar installment of the Island Series is produced in conjunction with La Basse Tropicale, aka DJs Natty Ho and Konsole, a DJ and digging duo from Réunion in the Indian Ocean also responsible for the excellent Soul Sok Sega compilation on Strut Records.

Jaojoby // Taratasy Maitso (Sofrito Island Series: Madagascar SSS018)

Vetson Androy // Mavandeza (Sofrito Island Series: Madagascar SSS018)

Sofrito Super Singles // Island Series // Percussions  // DJ mixes & sessions