Customer Reviews

Echos Hypnotiques, Vol. 2 [Vinyl]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Considering the status of Fela Kuti it's unbelivable that a band as incredible
as the Poly Rythmo have been submitted to dust for so long. This is even better
than "The Vodoun Effect", and easily wins the price of reissue of the year.
With rock n roll bands you talk about kicking ass, but with the afrobeat/funk
bands it's about shaking it, and when The Orhestre Poly Rythmo lock in on the
groove they are capable of making an elephant shake his giant yash like the
tail of an alligatooor in heat!
I'm in awe! Songs like Houe Djein Nada, Agnon Dekpe, Gan Tche Kpo, Malin Kpon O
and Azon De Ma is right up there with Fela.
The music is a highly original and hypnotic combination of traditional rhythms,
funk, soul, latin and afrobeat. And at times the organ bring a psychedelic rock
n roll feeling to their music.
Even the weaker(as in less amazing!)songs have some astonishing moments.
The rythms are both infectious and highly complex. Sensational stuff!

This is the fourth time Analog Africa comes up with a regular goldmine, and as always
they deliver a beautiful, informative package in addition to the music.

Get it! Twice!!

I agree with everything the first reviewer says both in general and in detail, except - and I know this is heresy - I like this better than Fela or any other African music I have heard. GASP! I know, I know. But I do. It's more sophisticated but funky as it can be. The guitar leads are simply ridiculous and the overall musicianship level is absurdly high. This album is MUCH better than the "Kings of Benin Urban Groove" disk, I think, and is in fact my favorite African music album in any style that I have heard to date.

This is an album close to my heart. I spent 40 years looking for it and to find a re-issue on Amazon has
been the highlight of the year!
In the 70's, they were all the rage in Western Africa. Warmth, rythm, fun, sincerity.
Loved them then, love them now.

This is the second volume of Orchestre Polyrhythmo from Analogue Africa and covers the output of this great afrobeat outfit recorded for a single record label in the 70's. As a result it has a consistent feel to it across all tracks, and for me that's is its only failing. Having bought the first volume already I found this a bit lacking in something. I loved the rough sound on the first volume which came from the band recording in living rooms and tiny studios early in their career. The more professional sound on this sounds slightly sterile in places, like the band was being coached into a slicker groove rather than just putting them together in a room and letting them go for it with the tape running.

That said, it really is a minor quiblle. This is easily a 4.5 star release based on the strength of the songs and the grooves produced. On occasion you do wish they had access to a digital guitar tuner but such things were a long way off in Africa back in the day so again you have to make alowances on occasion.

Analgue Africa have done their usual outstanding job of packaging and documenting the story of, not just the band, but also the culture of the music. The fact that the tracks are all licensed shows how much respect and care these guys put into their product. It is about as high quality as it gets when buying music on CD.

Anyone with a passing interest in afrobeat needs to get this. I'd almost say you could get this before your Fela Kuti induction as this has more range and depth in places. Just make sure you get volume one as well - that one seriously cooks.