Brighton DJ Miles Cleret’sSoundway Records label may have started out as a labour of love, dedicated to releasing music from past generations, but for fans of audio obscurios, it’s a musical lifeline. This Ghana Special picks up the thread opened by the recent Ghana Soundz& Nigeria Special compilations, Cleret physically playing detective on around the cities of Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi, etc, calling on musicians, ex-distributors, collectors, anyone who may have had a hand in the region’s musical past, in an effort to turn up new or long unheard gems. The emphasis on this double CD package lies with highlife, partly illustrating the social and cultural make-up of the area as the younger musicians clash with older generations, hoping maybe to to steal some limelight, and forging different sounds to the previously dominant big band dance music of the 50’s and 60’s, pushed on by turbulent economic and social realities. It results in an amazing clash of styles (soul, jazz, rock, blues, psych, funk, you name it), overworked electric organs, guitars, raw drums, vocal harmonies and fuzzed-out bass line somehow meeting in a brain-frying amalgamation of intense sound. The packaging is equally intense – a 44 page booklet documenting records, bands, artwork, and personal histories, all in full colour. Dig deep and enjoy – a stunning package all around.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Darren Wall
