{"product_id":"the-albarika-story-vol-1","title":"The Albarika Story (Vol. 1)","description":"\u003cp\u003eFounded in the late 1960s by record store owner Seidou Adissa, Albarika Store is one of the most\nimportant independent record labels on the African continent. That it was founded in the relatively small\nex-French colony of Benin (then still called Dahomey), is a testament to its founder’s musical taste and\nvision for what the local musical scene had to offer.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcid Jazz releases the first ever vinyl and CD over-view of the label and its music,\ncompiled by David Hill of The Soul Revivers and West African musical expert Florent Mazzoleni, who also\nwrote the in-depth notes.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe compilation provides a look into what was a developing and then thriving post-colonial music scene.\nIt focuses on the label's biggest and most prolific act Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo and its founder Melome\nClement - who released under a variety of names often spotlighting on the musicians key to their sound. It\nalso looks at the other established artists on the label such as the incendiary Les Sympathics De Porto\nNovo and Les Volcans. All of these artists create a unique mix of Westernised Funk, Soul and Latin sounds\ncross-pollinated with the traditional music of the region.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eElsewhere, we hear the music as it is consumed further by funk and disco, with tracks from the ultra-\nobscure, and exceptionally danceable albums by Ipa Boogie and Ogassa - the latter sounding like they\nhave been adding psychedelic rock to their funky brew. The record is a story of local music, and they way\nthat it was cross-pollinated by both the West and the wider regional scene in neighbouring Nigeria. Adissa\nwould often head to EMI's state of the art Lagos studio to record his acts, contributing to the exceptional\nsonic quality of the recordings, and it is no surprise that the influence of Fela Kuti and Afro Beat is writ\nlarge.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe double album is housed in a beautiful wide-spine sleeve designed by the Unknown, and the printed\ninners have the extended essay by Mazzoleni, and plentiful illustrations of the original LPs and 45s from\nwhich the records are taken. The CD is equally classy, as its card sleeve mimics the vinyl design complete\nwith those notes and images.\n\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Acid Jazz","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx2","offer_id":50490580435275,"sku":"2211282","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50490580369739,"sku":"2211261","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/thumbnail_image001_e18744a3_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727667203","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/products\/the-albarika-story-vol-1","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}