Words by Justin Turford

You may have only discovered the wonderfully joyous sounds of Ghanaian Highlife through the 1960s and 70s work of the great Ebo Taylor or via the heavy use of Highlife samples in contemporary R&B and Afrobeats tunes but the genre has been around in a recorded form for a century now, and to celebrate this birthday of birthdays (no card from their former British Queen overlord I suspect), BBE are reissuing two rare mid-80s albums by the brilliant Atakora Manu.

An underrated and underexposed talent, Manu had been involved in music from his first band in 1961, the legendary Princess Trio, to his passing in 2015, and this double release beautifully showcases his deep knowledge and musical chops. Here, on these two stunning albums. we witness a bouncing, vital hybrid of bluesy ‘palmwine’ roots flavours and wild electronic synths giving us another key signpost in the ongoing development of Highlife.

The sounds of the Black diaspora permeates the music. The raw guitars and clinking clanking metal percussion instruments of the more ‘palmwine’ sounding tracks nod to the wider Caribbean, at other times, the breathless drive of the drums, filtered rhythm guitars, urgent vocals and wonky synths open the door to the Funaná music of Cabo Verde in the Indian Ocean. As always, the brass is tight, the melodies infectious, the bass pushing and prodding the unsuspecting into the dance. The nights may be getting darker but this music will guide you through with lightness and heart. Another superb release from the mighty BBE. 9/10

RELEASED ON BBE - NOV 5TH 2021

BUY HERE! Vinyl/CD/Digital - https://www.bbemusic.com/downloads/atakora-manu-omintiminim-afro-highlife/