Afropop Worldwide

Diablos Del Ritmo: The Colombian Melting Pot 1960-85 is the perfect name for this Afro-Colombian compilation whose sounds are so seductive that the pulsating urge to dance feels almost wicked. The record is released by Analog Africa, an excellent label committed to hunting down legendary African music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and sharing it with western listeners to whom it would otherwise remain unknown. While Analog Africa has produced consistently excellent releases, this particular explosion of African and Colombian music history is nothing short of groundbreaking. Samy Ben Redjeb, the label's founder, personally committed years to this project. First introduced to the music through Colombian version of a Fela track, he began to track by contacting local DJ's and offering them a trade- his African records for their Colombian ones. This made him fairly popular with the DJ's of Barranquilla, many of whom had never previously known the name of the records they were spinning (it was standard sound-system practice to tear of the label to ensure that it would remain exclusive. Sort of a DIY form of white-labeling.) In return, he received an unparalleled collection of the choicest Colombian cuts. The best of these makes up the compilation. Diablos Del Ritmo is a 2 disc set: the first disc containing 14 songs over a period of 3 decades which heavily reflects influences of the experiments that were going on in Africa and abroad simultaneously. There is a heavy presence of percussion, when I mentioned pulsating earlier, I was directly referencing GupoAbharca’s Shallcarri which sounds like what would come out of Fela Kuti after spending an epic time in Barranquilla. Sexteto Manaure’s Bajo Del Trupillo Guajiro hits a little closer to home with sped up Afro-latin percussion rhythms and a sabroso (delicious in Spanish) use of horns for an experience that makes you tingle. The second disc illustrates what artists of classic rhythms and Cumbia were doing during the same period, all together creating holistic and sensational journey into the history of Colombian music. On disc two our favorites were Pianonegro’s La Cascada nothing like some classic piano and some light but ever present maracas to make you want to twirl! Also, Cumbia Soledeña’s El Garabato is a folky tune with a fast rhythm that makes you imagine being on the tropical coast of colombia, in a music circle, singing along, dancing barefoot in the sand, and clapping your hands to the beat... You know, or something like that. Not only is obtaining this masterpiece obtaining a piece of history, it is also owning rarities of the music world that we would have otherwise been deprived of forever. It is a peaceful but powerful testament of a country’s soul, genius, and wealth, despite constant negetive stereotypes imposed from western media. For a trip to some of the greatest decades in human history (1960s -1980s), with some Latin flavor, and that tropical breeze purchase Diablos Del Ritmo: The Colombian Melting Pot 1960-85, it WILL take you there, trust us.