For some reason, Cape Verde hits well above its weight musically. It could be due to the diverse history and population of the islands, but it has more than one distinctive genre.
I’ve actually covered a song from this compilation before. But there’s so just many amazing tracks!
This is not part of that tradition – but it nevertheless retains a strong Cape Verdean flavour.
This particular brand of Cape Verdean funk is allegedly a result of a shipment of synthesizers washing up on a beach – seriously!
There’s a strong parallel to Cuban music, with a blend of African polyrhythms and Latin instrumentation. Although the influences are different, of course, there is more than a passing family resemblance…
The song is bass driven, with a prominent walking bass jamming along throughout. There’s some excellent guitar work too, accentuating the Latin vibe.
Vocally, the song is rowdy. Not only from his singing, which is great, but from the cacophony of backing vocalist.
The percussion is exquisitely engaging. The bongo rolls glance off the fluid rhythms of the drum kit, in a brilliant showcase of frenetic Cape Verdean style.
The song was released in 1977 on Nos Bida, but re-released by Analog Africa on Space Echo – The Mystery Behind the Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde Finally Revealed! in 2016.