Gumba Fire (Bubblegum Soul & Synth-Boogie In 1980s South Africa)

Label: Soundway

Year: 07 Mar 18

Format: gatefold 3xLP

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Track List

The Survivals - "My Brother"
(4:46)
Stimela - "Mind Games"
(5:33)
Hot Soul Singers - "Hlala Nami"
(4:12)
Zoom - "Wayawaya"
(5:26)
Ashiko - "Gumba Fire (Madlakadlaka)"
(5:39)
Monwa & Sun - "Heartbeat"
(4:48)
Ntombi Ndaba - "Do You Trust Amajita?"
(3:49)
The Black Five - "Selallane"
(3:30)
Starlight - "Picnicing"
(3:56)
Zasha - "Hayi Ngodlame"
(4:41)
Joshiba - "Gloria"
(5:00)
Sabela - "Africa"
(4:56)
Condry Ziqubu - "She's Impossible"
(5:55)
General Peter Maringa - "Listen To Me"
(7:49)
Zasha - "Arrow Dub"
(4:50)
Ozila - "Wola Wola"
(9:05)

Review

Soundway's latest essential collection successfully shines a light on synth-heavy South African music of the 1980s, chronicling local musicians and producers' attempts to create their own hybrid forms of boogie, synth-soul and bubblegum pop. Naturally, compilers Miles Cleret and DJ Okapi have done a brilliant job bringing together killer cuts that showcase the best of South Africa's '80s synth sounds, while at the same time ensuring a high ratio of rare and hard-to-treats. While some of the tracks genuinely sound like they could have been made in New York, London or L.A, there are plenty of others that include multiple instrumental nods to a diverse range of contemporaneous South African sounds. Crucially, the music is superb throughout.