For the last few years Acid Jazz has been the proud custodian of the Albarika Store legacy. Hailing from the small but culturally-significant state of Benin, the label was operational from the late-‘60s until the early ‘80s, and was home to some of the finest, deepest, rawest West African cuts ever.

A font of local and regional music, infused with contemporary Western influences, the beating heart of the Albarika sound was the mighty T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, who in various guises released dozens of recordings for the label, under the leadership of Mêlomé Clément.

The intoxicating originality of their sound stems from their combination of folkloric and sacred rhythms of the region, with the modernist sound of soukous, afrobeat, soul and funk. Recorded at EMI Studios in Lagos, these recordings have a unique high fidelity and have been a target for grail-hunting record collectors for decades. 

For this incredible 2LP collection, Dean Rudland and David Hill compile the Poly-Rythmo 45 releases; 7” single and EP sides lost to the seeds of time. Until now.

Brought together for the first time, presented in a beautiful wide spine layout, the 2 LPs present a snapshot of some of the group’s finest work from the ‘70s, their distinctive beat already honed. The printed inner sleeves include images of the rare and collectable original labels and sleeves, along with sleeve notes by Francis Gooding 

TRACK LISTING

1. E Wa Dagbe
2. Ma Dou Sou Nou Mi O
3. Agnon Dekpe
4. Wo-Deka Koe
5. Les Djos -D'Almeida
6. Salabogo
7. Hin Ayi Towe Do Ye Wou
8. Houegbe N'Dou Nou We
9. Nous Avons Gagne
10. Ati Sissin
11. Akon Kpin Kpan Ni Kpe We
12. Hontontché Man Kou Do Yon Nou Ou O
13. Tombola Tche Dou Nou
14. A Houe Nou Ko Yi
15. Hin Houide Glium
16. Mi Ma Da Mlon O

Brand new release from Analog Africa. Double LP in Gatefold Cover pressed on 140g high quality virgin vinyl.

Even the most dedicated crate-digger might go their whole life without stumbling across any of the three LPs Antoine Dougbe released in the late 1970s and early '80s.

Yet he is remembered with a mixture of admiration and fear; for Antoine Dougbe was not merely one of the most inventive songwriters to emerge from the fertile music scene of Cotonou, but also a powerful Vodun initiate whose close connection to the spirit world allowed him to refer to himself as "the Devil's prime minister." Whether driven by the thrill of the music or by fear of crossing the Devil's prime minister, Dougbe's records all feature Orchestre Poly-Rythmo playing at the absolute height of their considerable powers. But Dougbe was unique in the sense he neither sang nor performed any of the main instrumental parts. It has been suggested that his involvement with Vodun prohibited him from using his voice for anything as frivolous as a popular song. Instead he provided his songs to Melome Clement, who arranged them for the band; most of the vocals were handled by Lohento Eskill and Amoussou William.

Despite a moderate early success, Dougbe never quite found the audience he deserved, and by the early eighties he had vanished from the music scene. Analog Africa now brings his small but extraordinary body of work to a wider audience with a double LP compilation featuring 12 songs, a mixture of Cuban son, rumba and traditional rhythms of Benin.

TRACK LISTING

1. We Tayi Sin Assi Tche
2. Ze Nou Mi
3. Djomido Ma Dougbe Tche
4. Gnin We A Na Mon
5. Ye Ko Gni Me Towe Dea
6. Adin Gban Non Chouwe
7. Gbe Nan Tche
8. Vile De Nan Gni Noude
9. Mon Non Doto Nagbe Leo
10. Towe Nin
11. Vio Se Gan
12. Ma Won Min Towe Leo

Over the past few years Acid Jazz has been the proud custodian of the legendary Albarika Store label, which produced some of the finest, deepest West African cuts of the last century. Based in Benin, the label was a melting point of local sounds and talent, fused with wider influences in funk and soul, rock and psych and of course Afro Beat. This first-time reissue of Tidiani Kone et T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo sees Ghanan horn maestro team up with the label mighty leading act for two mesmerising sides of extended jams. Like many Albarika cuts, it was recorded at EMI in Lagos, offering a fidelity almost unheard of in rare African records. Presented on a beautiful recreation of the original sleeve, with the audio remastered by Nick Robbins at Sound Mastering, a delight for serious Afro collectors and passing fans alike.

TRACK LISTING

1. Djanfa Magni (La Trahison N'est Pas Bonne)
2. Fangate Djangele

Over the past few years Acid Jazz have released a series of reissues from the enigmatic Albarika Store, a goldmine of records from Benin, West Africa from the late 1960s through to the early 1980s.

T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo’s ‘Le Sato 2’ is a particularly obscure release. The follow up to ‘Le Sato’, the album was originally sold in exactly the same sleeve as the first volume, with the new catalogue number simply written on the back.

This reissue marks the first proper release of the record, with a sleeve incorporating original design in a new, distinctive and authentic colour scheme.

This time the tracklist and labels are correct, giving the album pride of place in the essential T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, Albarika and Benin musical library.

The record itself sees Benin’s premier group in characteristic form - hypnotic, heavy, heady Afro- Funk under the leadership of ‘Prince’ Melome Clement. A must-have for Afro collectors and passing fans alike.

Fully licenced reissue, remastered by Nick Robbins at Sound Mastering.

TRACK LISTING

1. General Gowon
2. Gendemou Na Wili We Gnannin
3. A Non Zoun Mi
4. La Verite Blesse
5. Je N'en Peux Plus

The latest LP installment from the legendary Albarika Store archive, presented by Acid Jazz Records: a compilation of Afro-Funk from the supreme T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo. Includes the underground classic ‘It’s A Vanity’, among tracks from throughout their career from the late ‘60s to the early ‘80s. A prime example of some of the finest original Afro-Funk and an ideal introduction to T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo.

TRACK LISTING

Gbeto Viv
It’s A Vanity
Minkou E So Non Moin
Kou Tche Kpo So O
Houe Djein Nada
Gbeti Ma Djro
Segla
Medida
Gan Tche Kpo
Mi Si Ba To
Mi Ve Wa Se
Aihe Ni Kpe We 

Albarika Store is home to many rare recordings, from more traditional folkloric and Sato styles, to the funk, blues and psych inspired workouts of the All Mighty Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou, as they referred to themselves. Many of the original records are sought after by DJs and collectors as prime examples of Afro-funk, Afro-Latin and Afropsych sounds.

The next in the series of reissues by Acid Jazz presents a straight reproduction of the incredibly hard to find Poly-Rythmo ‘Vol. 4’ album, originally from 1978.

For DJs and dancers this album has long been about the killer track ‘Aiha Ni Kpe We’, an incendiary Afrobeat recording which will activate any dancefloor anywhere. “Every time I listen to the Orchestre Poly Rythmo… Wow, I just discover something new in the music” - Gilles Peterson

This is the first exhaustive trawl of the archive and will see the label presented in a way that ensures its historical importance is recognized. Trips to West Africa have secured original master tapes and the process of transferring is ongoing. Over the next few years a comprehensive reissue campaign is planned.

TRACK LISTING

Davi Djinto Super No2
Homin Si Tche
Aiha Ni Kpe We

Acid Jazz Records are proud to announce an exclusive licensing agreement with Albarika Store, the legendary record label that defined the sound of Benin and influenced the entire region of West Africa and beyond.

This is the first exhaustive trawl of the archive and will see the label presented in a way that ensures its historical importance is recognized.

‘Segla’ is a hens’ teeth-rare Poly Rythmo album from 1978 that was originally released without a sleeve as ALS059. Recorded at EMI Lagos, Nigeria, as per most of the Poly Rythmo recordings for Albarika, the sound quality is from the tapes is dynamic and fresh.

Transferred from the original tapes and remastered by Grammy award-winning engineer Frank Merritt at The Carvery, the album is presented with beautiful artwork and packaging to match the sonics. This is the music as it should be heard.

TRACK LISTING

Mi Kple Mi De
Dodji Lo
Segla

Take funk, soul, psychedelia and rumba, mix it up with a thick dose of heavy local rhythms and throw everything in a Benin grinder. The brew is then mixed up with hypnotic Farfisa solos, gritty guitar riffs, distorted bass lines, warm horns and the result, of exorcizing proportion, will lead to frenetic body movements. Some people bang their heads, others jerk their feet or feel an urgent need to get up and start shaking their hips. One thing is common, though, to everyone who submits their ears to a spinning record by the mighty Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou: you simply can't stand still. And this new collection is proof of that - here are 14 funky tracks by the legendary ensemble from Benin.

Starting in 2005, Samy Ben Redjeb, Analog Africa's founder and compiler, made several trips to Benin, where he dug up most of the Orchestra's output recorded between 1969 and 1983: hundreds of vinyl records and a few master tapes, in a total of 500 songs! With all that material in hands and the astonishing richness of the group's meterial, choosing the songs proved to be a tough task. Therefore, it seems only natural that it has taken a few years for this third volume to come out of Analog Africa's sonic treasure trove.

The 14 tracks presented here have never been issued outside of Africa and most of them follow the spirit and sound of the first volume, "The Vodoun Effec", which was a selection of songs released by small and obscure labels from this tiny country which was once known as Dahomey. Some of the songs presented here were recorded using a legendary piece of equipment, a Swiss made Nagra reel-to-reel recorder and one or two microphones, in private houses or open air gardens, mostly at night. And still, it would be somewhat difficult for contemporary musicians and engineers to achieve the stunning quality of raw sound and the atmosphere obtained in these recordings, even if they booked the most modern and expensive studios out there today.

One thing that immediately catches the attention listening to this album is the band's steamroller-like grooves employed by Gustave Bentho, the mythical bass master, and Leopold Yehouessi , the fantastic drummer of the band - for many, Africa's funkiest rhythm sections. The power lying in these tunes is phenomenal and shows true craftsmanship on both the composition and the production side, "Houton Kan Do Gome", composed by Bentho, would have made James Brown proud. "Ecoutes ma Melodie" is destined to become a classical late night tune for the many amazing tropical and afro parties taking place around the globe. "Pourquoi Pas?" and "A O O Ida" would be the kind of sound The Meters would have created were they born in Benin.