Palop Africa! CD - Import

PALOP is an acronym for African countries whose official language is Portuguese. Lisbon has become a magnet for musicians from these former colonies of Portugal. The cultural chemistry has created a cauldron of steamy dance music. This compilation gives a pretty good glimpse of what the African music mix sounds like in the capital at night. There is music here from Guinea-Bissau, Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, and Sao Tome. Manecas Costa, a guitarist from Guinea-Bissau and a highly respected musical ambassador, leads off the album with his unique Afro-acoustic sound that blends traditional and modern elements. The swing factor is high and is heavily weighted toward the dancefloor. There are two selections from the Perto do Fim album of Paulo Flores. A selection from one of his excellent earlier albums would have given those unfamiliar with his work a look at the depth of his music. He is an exceptional artist whose semba and other rhythms are unparalleled in the world of African music. Bonga is featured as vocalist on a great kizomba track by Don Kikas, a hot commodity in Angolan music. Bius, a Cape Verdian, chimes in with a very sensual coladeira. Coladeira means cooking pot in Creole and the track does just that. Nany is a veteran of the Angolan music scene and contributes a loping and very danceable track to the album. Her music combines semba and the Angolan take on merengue that is distinctly different from the Dominican variety. Sema Lopi's funana is the real thing with the prerequisite speed. They are firm evidence that roots music has not been forgotten in favor of the drum machine. With the release of PALOP, Stern's Earthworks has put together another quality compilation. The world of African music from the former Portuguese colonies is rhythmically rich and deserves more in-depth attention. This compilation is an excellent place to start. Highly recommended. ~ Mark Romano

Personnel: Biús, Paulo Flores (vocals); Manecas Costa (guitar).