African Vinyl Records – The Vinyl Room

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African music on vinyl: a continent full of sounds

In short: Behind the style “African” is music from all over Africa – from Moroccan organ music via the desert blues of the Tuareg to pop from Kenya and South Africa. Many of these recordings are available on vinyl again today thanks to reissues. The Vinyl Room currently has 103 records.

What’s behind “African”?

In the north, Abdou El Omari from Morocco plays dreamy organ pieces, and Imarhan bring the guitar sound of the Tuareg from the Sahara. From Ethiopia comes pianist and nun Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou with her calm, idiosyncratic piano pieces.

In West Africa Vieux Farka Touré from Mali combines his guitar with the band Khruangbin on “Ali” – a tribute to his father Ali Farka Touré. Collections such as “Kenya Special” show seventies and eighties East African pop, while Urban Village from Soweto and Eyuphuro from Mozambique represent southern Africa.

What to look for

Check whether you have a first release or a later reissue – labels such as Habibi Funk or Soundway have brought many old recordings back out. The edition is noted with each copy.