Join us next Monday night for a Labels We Love edition of HFLS  as we hear the global rhythms and melodies of Analog Africa (curated by @lucas.on.wax).

Analog Africa was established in 2006 by Tunisian-born Samy Ben Redjeb, who began collecting records from all corners of the African continent while working as a flight attendant in the 1990s. A few years later, he was the resident DJ at a hotel in Senegal when his affection for African records bloomed into a dedicated passion.

“It was in the capital city of Dakar, where he began organising weekly African music parties that he began to realize that his perception of African genres was riddled with clichés and that the African music he was discovering was much more sophisticated and futuristic than the African sounds that one could hear on western airwaves.” (quote courtesy of polyafrica.gr)

Starting with a compilation of tracks from the 1970s by The Green Arrows band of Zimbabwe, Analog Africa has released dozens of albums and compilations (41 in the main series and 18 “Limited Dance” editions, to date), the majority of which had never seen an international release,

from over 20 different countries. In addition to Africa, their catalogue explores the Latin American sound that was largely born of the African diaspora and later, in turn, made its way back across the Atlantic to influence contemporary musicians, listeners, and dancers on the Mother Continent.

We’ve selected four compilations from various stops along the label’s musical journey, showcasing the wide range of artistry that Analog Africa has put on the global stage: “Senegal 70” (Senegal), “Jambú E Os Míticos Sons Da Amazônia” (Northern Brazil), “Dur Dur of Somalia: Volume 1 / Volume 2” (Somalia), and “African Scream Contest 2” (Benin).

In Redjeb’s words, “the future of music happened decades ago.”

8p Monday 08.11, low speaking voices required.