A massive debt of thanks goes to Radio Martiko, which has released a compilation I had always hoped would come out on vinyl and in digital formats. The Syliphone Recording Label was a Guinean government-sponsored record label active from 1967 to 1983 and one of Africa’s earliest post-colonial record companies. You can read about the label’s history by clicking this link, but consider giving yourself an hour to dip into the music. You will hear a wonderful blend of rhumba, merengue, cha cha chá, and local African traditions, all balanced together perfectly. The remastering is stunning, and both this compilation and Volume 2 have been released on vinyl.
Various Artists – Radio Martiko: Music For A Revolution Vol 1 : Guinea’s Syliphone Recording Label (1967-1973)
