French trio Télépopmusik — Stephan Haeri, Fabrice Dumont and Antipop (Christophe Hetier) — follow in the footsteps of countrymen like Les Rythmes Digitales, creating a compelling acid-jazz/trip-hop sound on Genetic World (EMI). The CD booklet consists of one picture: a cornfield stretching away into the distance with strands of molecules drifting in the air. It’s a simple landscape with intricate additions, and this is exactly what the music is like.
The album’s central focus is a collection of trip-hop and hip-hop sounds overlaid on vibey but laid-back beats and scratching, with rapped lyrics by Juice Aleem on some tracks and Macy Gray-sounding vocals by Angela McCluskey on others. The intelligently applied electronica on these songs, with constant changes to never lose one’s attention, is right up Felix Laband’s alley.
This central collection of music is perfectly encapsulated by the first three tracks, which chill out with ambient, dreamy beats and languidly spoken lyrics, and the last four tracks, which lapse into a lazy lounge-jazz sound, with ballad lyrics, slow piano and horns and even the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra as a guest. It’s crafty, cool and cunning, perfect for repeated listening.
Sean Frew: Imagine Africa: Volume 2 (Gallo)
Subtitled Instrumental Fantasy of the Wild, this is ambient Africa — “mood music”, the CD booklet calls it — with instrumental tracks such as Buffalo Theme, Sunset over Africa and Hippo Theme inspired by the movement of the continent’s animals. It’s short (only 36 minutes) but stirring; much less Out of Africa than one might think. Put it on and meditate. — Riaan Wolmarans
Sankomota: Sankomota (Sheer Sound)
This is one of the most talented groups on the South African Afropop scene. Sankomota (unfortunately, considering the depth they had) are no longer there to give South Africans what they did best: good music. This album, first released by Shifty Music in 1984, was the first recording of Sankomota, comprising Frank Leepa, Maruti Selate, and Moss Nkofa. All of them are good on percussion. Guitar and lead vocals are mastered by Leepa, Selate is on bass, Nkofa is on drums and Selate and Nkofa also do backing vocals. The album is excellent Afropop, as found on songs like Monoana, Uhuru, Woza, Ramasela and Vukani. It was first released on LP and it has now been re-released on CD. — Reggy Moalusi
Various artists: Absolute Club Classics V2 (Gallo)
A lively mix of old chestnuts from Snap, Todd Terry, Funky Green Dogs and more, mostly with funky mixes and making for an entertaining, energetic trip down memory lane. — Riaan Wolmarans
Various artists: Dance Attack 2002 (Gallo)
Average party house with current favourites such as Sono’s cool Blame, Fragma, JK and Paul van Dyk mixing Alphaville’s Dance with Me. Fun but far from fantastic. — Riaan Wolmarans