Analog Africa released the compilation album “Space Echo – The Mystery Behind the Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde Finally Revealed” in May 2016. Compiled and produced by label founder Samy Ben Redjeb, the album consists of upbeat and energetic tracks by various artists from the remote island of Cabo Verde off the West Coast of Africa, originally recorded in the 1970’s when the island was under Portuguese colonial rule.
The album is synth-heavy and almost futuristic sounding, but what reall...
Analog Africa released the compilation album “Space Echo – The Mystery Behind the Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde Finally Revealed” in May 2016. Compiled and produced by label founder Samy Ben Redjeb, the album consists of upbeat and energetic tracks by various artists from the remote island of Cabo Verde off the West Coast of Africa, originally recorded in the 1970’s when the island was under Portuguese colonial rule.
The album is synth-heavy and almost futuristic sounding, but what really adds to the enjoyment of the compilation is the story behind the making of this music. In 1968 a a shipment carrying various electrical musical instruments and equipment set off from Baltimore headed for Rio de Janeiro. Mysteriously, the ship disappeared off the radar and washed up on the coast of Cabo Verde. A few months later, islanders came across the abandoned ship and local police commandeered the cargo – consisting of hundreds of synths and keyboards never seen before on the island.
An anti-colonial leader decided to distribute the equipment among schools on the island (largely due to their access to electricity), and young people created a new musical sound that combined local traditional rhythms with a modernised synth edge. The young beneficiaries of this mysterious abandoned shipment grew to become extremely talented musicians with an infectious sound unique to the island, the best of which is presented In this compilation.
The National review (UAE)
SELECTED AND WRITTEN BY SAMANTHA POTTER
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