Nigeria Rock Special: Psychadelic Afro-Rock & Fuzz Funk In 1970's Nigeria
Various Artists
Producer: Miles Cleret
Soundway, 2008
1 CD
Catalogue #: 011
EAN: 0827565035922
UPC: 827565035922
You save: 20%
For the last few decades, the pop music styles most associated with Nigeria are Juju (as purveyed by its master, King Sunny Ade, aka The Minister of Enjoyment), or Afrobeat, a mutation of Highlife made internationally popular by the great Fela Kuti. Recordings of these proud and vibrant traditions have been accessible to American listeners for years.
But the sounds on the amazing Nigeria Rock Special (the third installment of the excellent Nigerian pop compilation series from the Sound Way label) are much rarer and a bit weirder. One could try and tease out the various stylistic threads tangled up on these tracks by `70s Nigerian rock bands--polyrhythmic tribal drumming, fuzzed-out psychedelic guitars, Bootsy-esque basslines--or chart the cross-pollination (is it James Brown-influenced funk? Led Zep-inspired Afrobeat? Psychedelic juju?)--but it's probably best to just put it on, shut up, and dance.
