Where to start with this one? The vertebrae that make up the spinal column of this blend are a couple of 21st century African gospel/spiritual tracks that will probably need a little contextualization for most FADER readers, so let me just break it down and let the context be the text for once. The first track is a Ugandan gospel tune with a slow dancehall beat that I first heard over at AddisTunes in a section called “Kampala Taxi Sessions.” Grace Nakimera is a star in East Africa (google her, son) and this gospelhall remake of a well-known song is legitimately the #1 requested tune in Kampala taxis (or so I’m told).
Grace Nakimera, “Onyambanga Mukama” (Uganda Gospel)
Foster Manganyani na Tintsume Ta Tilo, “Ndzi Teke Riendnzo (I’m Taking a Journey)” Ndzi Teke Riendzo No. 1 (South Africa Gospel)
Foster Manganyani na Tintsume Ta Tilo, “Tintsumi (The Angels)” Ndzi Teke Riendzo No. 1 (South Africa Gospel)
Jahdan Blakkamoore, “Quick Money” SoShifty soca refix (DJ Theory)
Jali Bakari Konteh, “Combination” Hatnhoodie remix, Perfect Loosers Presents Akwaaba (Akwaaba)
Download: Ghetto Palms 133 Afrospirit Blend
Next comes a pair of Limpopo spirituals on the same (weird) riddim from a CD that was passed to me by Wills Glasspiegel of Shangaan electro fame. The upful synth melodies and 180bpm marimba patterns in this give you an idea of where that music has its roots, kind of a missing link between Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the new wave.
After that is a SoShifty refix of the Jahdan tune I debuted here a piece back. The beat is straight soca but somehow it fits, I guess because the “Sabali” sample takes it into African territory and JD takes it to a dark spiritual place, as usual. Plus, it made a perfect missing link of its own into the Akwaaba track which closes out the blend. Like the Schlachthof refix I posted here, its from the excellent Perfect Loosers remix compilation. Go buy it here.