Analog Africa: Space Echo – The Mystery Behind The Cosmic Sound Of Cabo Verde Finally Revealed! Vinyl 2LP Analog Africa

Another stunning compilation from the good folks at Analog Africa. For Space Echo, the illustrious label has gone ahead and solved the mystery of Cabo Verde’s late 70’s / early 80’s cosmic sound. “What mystery,” you ask? The mystery of the numerous synth-laced grooves that seemed to pop up out of no where on the island around that time, and the story they’ve come up with is almost as incredible as the sounds themselves. From Analog Africa: “In the spring of 1968 a cargo ship containing instruments made by many of the leading companies in the field of electronic music — including Rhodes, Moog, Farfisa, Hammond and Korg – set out for Rio De Janeiro, where the Exposição Mundial Do Son Eletrônico Exhibition was going to be held. The expo was the first of its kind, where companies were eager to present their newest synthesizers and other gadgets to a growing and promising South American market, spearheaded by Brazil and Colombia. However, the ship with the goods mysteriously disappeared from the radar on the same day it set sail. One can only imagine the surprise of the villagers of Cachaço, on the Sao Nicolau island of Cabo Verde, when a few months later they woke up and found a ship stranded in their fields 8 km from any coastline. Mystery permeated the event. Cosmic particles were said to have been discovered on the boat, where the bow of the ship showed traces of extreme heat similar to traces found on meteors. A team of welders arrived to open the containers. Hundreds of boxes contained keyboards and other instruments they had never seen before: and all useless in an area devoid of electricity. The goods were temporarily stored in the local church and the women of the village had insisted a solution be found before Sunday mass. It is said that charismatic anti-colonial leader Amílcar Cabral had ordered the instruments to be distributed equally in places that had access to electricity, which placed them mainly in schools. This distribution was the best thing that could have happened — keyboards found fertile grounds in the hands of curious children, who picked up the ready-to-use instruments. The children who came into contact with the instruments found on the ship were said to have inherited prodigious capabilities in understanding music and learning the instruments. One of them was the musical genius Paulino Vieira, who by the end of the ’70s would become the country´s most important music arranger. Eight out of the fifteen songs presented in this compilation were recorded with the backing of the band Voz de Cabo Verde, led by Paulino Vieira, the mastermind behind the creation and promulgation of what is known today as “The Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde.” What a story! And if you think that was awesome, check the sounds from Abel Lima, Antonio Dos Santos, Elisio Vieira, Americo Brito, Os Apolos, João Cirilo, Tchiss Lopes, Quirino Do Canto, Pedrinho, Fany Havest, Bana, José Casimiro, Dionisio Maio and António Sanches. 15 incredible tracks in all on double vinyl with super informative booklet and gatefold. Recommended.

• gatefold sleeve
• digital download included
• music label: Analog Africa 2016

reviewed by Al Pastor 06/2016