From the stellar compilation of São Tome and Principe recordings, Léve
Léve, and Pedro Lima’s Maguidala reissue, to new
releases from the weird-cumbia astronauts, the Meridian Brothers,
we’ve got a lot of good will for the Swiss label Bongo Joe Records.
To celebrate turning five years old this year, the label is releasing
a compilation of their active artists covering selections from the label's growing eclectic
reissue cache.
In a cool fusion of old and new, acoustic and synth, Malawi’s Madalitso Band covers “Computered Love” by Carole Rich. The original Rich tune is from 1984 and appeared on Bongo Joe’s Intenta: Experimental & Electronic from Switzerland 1981-93. Madalitso is a duo that got its start busking in Malawi, and their sound is pretty far afield from anything that sounds like a computer, and yet they adapt the song effortlessly to their groove and energy.
The compilation, titled Futur Anterieur, also features the Meridian Brothers revisiting a song from La Contra Ola: Synth Wave & Post Punk from Spain 1980-86; L’Eclair covering Mauritian singer Allen Meller; the Belgian synth outfit Nyati Mayi and the Astral Synth Transmitters interpreting a ‘50s Blind Blake song from the Bahamas; and more tasty combos spanning time and space.
It’s a worthy celebration for Bongo Joe, which has brought us a lot of great music in just a half decade. Futur Antérieur is available digitally April 16.
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