2017

Been working all day? Been sweating all week? Time to throw down the hammer and have a dansi time! 

In the spotlights: The irresistible dance music coming out of East Africa! Kenyan Benga, Congolese Rumba's, Muziki Wa Dansi from Tanzania, they all have something in common: Untamable Hi-hat samurai's, tireless guitar terriers, scattering songbirds forming a tidal wave of uplifting dance music. 

Umoja picked some their favorite songs & elements and went for a session to add some Umoja flavours. Keeping a wide range of tempo's and moods, there should be something for all your moves and moments. Put on your brightest socks, sprinkle some glitters and join the Dansi! 

Much love, 
Umoja

Download & Support

Kakai Kilonzo - Mama Sofi (Umoja Edit)

El Sabotage (Future Roots Remix By Sound Culture & Afroqbano)

S@ll@ns@ne

Where Bach meets the bass. A high-energy techno twist on the Toccata & Fugue that hits hard and moves deep.

Was Bach a Bass-head?

In partnership with Teranga beat, the current leading label for Senegalese music, Analog Africa proudly offer an insight into the musical adventures that were taking place in the major Senegalese cities during the 60s and 70s. 

It all started in 2009 when Adamantios Kafetzis travelled from Greece to Senegal with a brand new tape machine that he used to digitise the musical treasures he had discovered in the city of Thiés. These treasures took the form of reel tapes, and had been recorded by sound engineer Moussa Diallo, who had spent the previous four decades immortalising, onto magnetic tape, the bands that would later perform in his club, the legendary Sangomar. 

300 Senegalese songs that nobody had ever heard before were discovered - Five of them were selected for this compilation. 

Thanks to its history of outside influences, Senegal – the western point of Africa - had become a musical melting pot.  
Cuban and American sailors had brought Son Montuno from Cuba, Jazz from New Orleans and American soul tunes: sounds that were swiftly embraced and adopted by urban dance bands and intuitively merged with local music styles.

One band in particular excelled at this fusion. 1960 marks the formation of Le Star Band de Dakar, a milestone that left an indelible imprint on Dakar’s musical landscape. Indeed, the whole country was soon grooving to their intoxicating mixture of Afro Cuban rhythms and Wolof-language lyrics. 

The 1970s brought a new generation of stellar bands like Le Sahel, Orchestre Laye Thiam, Number One de Dakar, Orchestra Baobab, Dieuf Dieul de Thies, Xalam 1 who fused traditional Senegalese percussion instruments such Sabra, Tama and Bougarabou with organs and keyboards, giving birth to new hybrids. Merging the folkloric and the experimental, these sounds, embraced by the youth, took centre stage and gave the previously dominant Cuban music a run for its money.

With this burst of musical and artistic creativity, driven predominantly by the modern vision of President Senghor, Dakar began attracting international stars. The Jackson Five, James Brown, Tabou Combo (Haiti), Celia Cruz (Cuba) and an array of African stars like Tabu Ley Rochereau (Congo), Manu Dibango (Cameroon) and Bembeya Jazz (Guinée) joined in with the local scene, improvising jam sessions and bringing new flavours to a music scene that was always open to new inspirations and influences. Johnny Pacheco immortalised his passion for the city with a song called “Dakar, Punto Final”.

4 years in the making, this compilation, reflects the unique fusion of Funk, Mbalax, Cuban Son and Mandingue sounds that helped transform Dakar into West Africa´s most vibrant city. 

The comprehensive booklet that comes with the CD - 44 pages or with the 2xLP - 12 pages LP size booklet - are a precious document attesting to the decades of transformation that led to modern Senegalese music. Featuring biographies of music producers and a legendary record cover designer, as well as the life stories of all the groups represented here, the booklet also includes a fantastic selection of photos that have never seen before.


Mariama - Orchestre Fangóól (Leave a comment for Max Dia  - Singer/Composer - I will forward)

Teranga Beat’s aim since the beginning of the label is to release lost and unreleased recordings of both famous groups and formerly unknown artists of West Africa. While going through several archives of the region, what thrilled me the most was the feeling of unexpected, especially when I stumbled upon a terrific recording from a totally unknown group. Discovering music that nobody has ever listened to before. I guess it has something to do with the psychology of the collector, always searching for that record nobody has. 

My favourite discovery up to date is the Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès, a band that did not manage to release any of its recordings. I had previously heard their name in Thiès, but to my ears it sounded like an urban legend. People involved in music would rate it as the best group in the city, but nobody had ever seen a record from them, let alone a cassette. I thought it was one of these stories of gross exaggeration, so common in West Africa. However, when I fell upon their recordings and listened to them I realised it was all true.

In 2013 Teranga Beat released the first volume of Dieuf-Dieul's recordings. Today, on this vol. 2 album we proudly present the rest of their recorded tracks. On Vol.1 the tracks were well divided among three singers: Assane Camara with his unique style, an  Afro-Manding hybrid, which he acquired through years of performing in the South region of Senegal, but also by virtue of being a Sosseh (that is, of Gambian origin) himself; the great Griot Gora Mbaye with his strong voice and deep wolof lyrics, displaying his strong links to the tradition of the country; and finally, the then young and talented Bassirou Sarr with his great singing skills. 

Five out of seven overall tracks of Volume 2 feature Bassirou Sarr, a truly exceptional singer. Whether in a ballad or some explosive Mbalax, Bassirou's voice is always full of emotion. But if I had to pick out one song, that would definitely be "Raki". When Bassirou got the chance to finally listen to the song (30 years after its initial recording!), he told me the following story: one night, while performing singing "Raki" in Kolda, he noticed a man weeping right in front of the stage. Suddenly, the man turned to Bassirou and said: "Now listen here, you're not going nowhere! You're staying here and play this song all night long!". 

One of the two remaining tunes, "Rumba Para Parejas", is a great latin cover sung by Assane Camara (Camou Yande). Although in his interview Bassirou admitted that Latin music was not their strong point, this track shows how good performers Dieuf-Dieul actually were. Besides, it is somehow ironic that, after the band broke up, all of its members gradually became Salsa musicians.

Having said all that, I am delighted to announce that Dieuf-Dieul are back together after 32 years, preparing for their first international tour! I sincerely hope this record will contribute to the international recognition Dieuf-Dieul fully deserve.

DIEUF - DIEUL de Thiès - Nianky (Short Edit Version)

Lo-Fi agent of groove LEROY has turned the bad trip that is ACID LAND around to create a veritable feast of positive psychedelic brain food. The acoustic sampling is so charming and hypnotic that joining the cult is an easy option. The magic of this rework lies in its simplicity. It rolls and rides a sweeping rainbow synth that delivers pure sonic gold to the ears. Like nothing you have ever heard. Mojo has ever so slightly embellished this gem with some signature psychoacoustics to serenade you further down the rabbit hole.

L.O.V.E Remix E.P

Mojo Filter ~ Acid Land (LeRoy Remix - Mojo Filter Edit)

WALLY-SECK-Feat.-SIDIKI-DIABATE-ALHAMDOU-LILAH.mp3

Oumou Sangaré's single "Yere Faga ft. Tony Allen" is out on all platforms
To stream/download the single and pre-order the album 'Mogoya' on iTunes [Out 19 May] 
▷▷ idol.lnk.to/Mogoya

Oumou Sangaré - Yere Faga feat. Tony Allen

Chineke Me

Free Download

Sonikgroove ft Flybiz - Chineke Me (Rafael Aragon Remix)

Banda Caribe - La Buga Na Guaguilla (AFRO HONDURAS GARIFUNA)

Fiesta Angola - Frankie Francis & Simbad

A2 James Stewart Feat. Martha Thom   Jacob Mafuleni - Mugara Ndega

RELEASE DATE: 14.12.18

DOWNLOAD HERE: bit.ly/umojakogbc

Hard-hitting afro-dancehall from Accra to Haarlem via London.

A unique collaboration between Ghanaian MC+ singer K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana) and Dutch producers Umoja.

￼Born in Accra (Ghana) but currently resident in the Northern British ex-industrial city of Sheffield, K.O.G has exploded onto the European scene, slaying shows across Europe with afro-futurist outfit Onipa, afro-funk monster group K.O.G and the Zongo Brigade and as a guest with The Busy Twist, Afriquoi, Nubiyan Twist and Congo Natty.

This is the second in the series of one off collaborations with producers from around the world, following up on ‘Change’ with iZem (Lisbon) on Guts’ Pura Vida label, with forthcoming collaborations with The Busy Twist, Jus Now and more in the pipeline. With great responses to the latest Onipa EP on Wormfood/Mawimbi (September 2018), and many released in the pipeline for 2019 the K.O.G and the Zongo Brigade (Heavenly Sweetness) and guest features on Nubiyan Twist’s album (Strut), 2019 is definitely going to be his year.

Originating from Haarlem in the Netherlands, Dutch duo Umoja have over a decade of experience dishing out warm dusty grooves, unified by an intrinsic appreciation and understanding of world rhythm, the mechanisms of groove and contemporary electronic beats. Any attempt to pin down their sound is only a pipe dream: In the spirit of ‘Umoja’ a Swahili word meaning ‘Unity’, their approach to music is to unify grooves across the seven oceans, one record at a time.

“Kponyole” is a dark, brooding, digi-dancehall banger, with deep subs, hypnotic, rolling bass and sharp percussive undertones. Meaning ‘Be Careful’ in the Ewe language of the Volta region of Eastern Ghana, it warns of the dangers everyone must be careful of, from betrayal by close ones to spiritual pollution. Watch your back. Watch your brother. Watch out for bad spirits. Watch wear you tread. Watch your speakers too, that low end will do them some damage if you are not careful!

“Ayena” is much lighter, a traditional, hi-life style homage to the beauty of the female sex: shake for me, dance for me – with warm, bouncy, almost cartoon-like beats that will make any dancefloor bubble.

The Full EP comes with bonus instrumentals and a special Umoja VIP.

Umoja ft K.O.G - AYENA

BENGABELT VOL.1 - TUONGEE WAKENYA

Benga Belt Vol. 1 album is a clear attempt at unifying the pop sounds of Kenya, rooted in the cultural heritage of benga music and drawing creative inspiration from the Benga Belt of Kenya (from Kisumu in Western Kenya to 
Kilifi in South East of Kenya). TUONGEE WAKENYA references the extremely nuanced cross generational and inter-tribal conversations brought forth by the original compositions of Boaz, Jagingo, Missing Rotich, Msupa S, John ‘Kakee', Musyoki Mutua and the Abakisimba Troupe. The album is grounded by the prowess of Udulele John and Michael Ongaro on the guitars while Oduor Bernard Kidum holds 
down the drums.

Recorded & Produced by UMOJA
Executive Producer: Mwl. Gregg Tendwa
Mixed & Mastered by: Job André de la Porte
Artwork: Sogallo
www.bengatronics.com

Fiesta Angola - Frankie Francis & Simbad

Sofritospecials

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