Ave Africa: The Complete Recordings 1973-1976 (2016)
29 tracks, 108 minutes
Bandcamp ∙ Spotify ∙ iTunes
I enjoyed this album when I reviewed it upon release (or rather, reissue), but I don’t think I realised just how much I enjoyed it. Since then, I’ve cracked it out on the regular, as it fits so many atmospheres. I think what’s so cool about Sunburst is that the sounds reflect the African-soaked Latin styles popular all around the Central and East African region at the time (including Congolese soukous, Zambian kalindula and Kenyan benga), but there is much more influence from American styles than in any of these others. So you have all of the things that make 70s African music great – the jangly, interlocking guitars, the conga-heavy rhythms – but over the top of it there’s just layers of funk, soul and surprisingly heavy rock too.
This collection is everything the band ever recorded – just 29 cuts, including their only album, Ave Africa, a few radio sessions and some otherwise unreleased recordings. Not that much, then, and in fact, really, all you really need here is the first disc, which holds the entirety of the proper album; the second disc of miscellanea is interesting, but their album is the real fire. It’s so infectious, so dancy and so cool, complex enough to find new, exciting elements with every repeat listen, but simple enough for its execution to feel completely free and natural.
When you consider how accomplished their only release is, it’s kind of amazing that their entire life as a band only lasted four years. It’s sad that they only made one official release in this time, but they certainly made the most of it. If you’re only going to release one album in your career, why not make it a perfect one? Sunburst did, and now we get to enjoy it for the ages. Dance!
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