Soul Explosion

Daktaris | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 21, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Daptone
• ASIN: B000EJ9VWU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #131,546 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Daktaris are actually several alumni from Fela Kuti's band, and as expected, Soul Explosion contains massive chunks of throbbing Afrobeat, the style perfected by the late Nigerian performer. Part Nigerian and part American funk à la James Brown, these 10 mostly instrumental tracks are hardcore, juju-headed time bombs from the dance floor of the motherland, with a baritone sax-fronted horn section riding earthshaking rhythms, thundering bass lines, and occasional wah-wah guitar. Except for classic workouts on Fela's "Upside Down," James Brown's "Give It Up, Turn It Loose," and the rare "Musicawa Silt" from Ethiopia's Wallias Band, these are all original tunes from a 15-strong ensemble that charges straight at you like a herd of elephants, absolutely unstoppable. Hopefully, any future release from this outfit will extend the group's monumental grooves beyond a five-minute format, which most of these Lagos-produced tracks fit into. --Derek Rath

Product Description

It's true what you heard. The undisputed heavyweight afrofunk album of the decade is coming out of retirement. Soon after it's release in the early Desco days, the Daktaris' Soul Explosion became a sought after funk classic and has since become a staple in every serious funk and afro-funk collection.

As Peter Franklin of Abidjan Musique says, "The Daktaris is a well-disciplined army of two hundred African Bull Elephants marching relentlessly up your business to the beat from Funky Drummer."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The 1968 Democratic Convention, March 9, 2008

By 

Mr. A. Pomeroy (Wiltshire, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soul Explosion (Audio CD)

This is a re-re-release of an album that came out in the early 1990s, and was re-released towards the end of the decade. It was a celebrated musical hustle; the group was made up of about a dozen or so mostly twenty-something mostly white guys from Brooklyn, who had no personal connection with Fela Kuti at all, apart from being moved by his music. Nonetheless the packaging and song titles etc gave the impression that they were a real African band from the 1970s, without explicitly lying. This was their only LP, and the group went on to become the Antibalas, who still exist and tour.

Even if you don't care for the backstory, this is a fun record, although it's very much background listening; if you're expecting a body-poppin' dance craze you'll be disappointed, it's mid-tempo and sounds like a small brass band with a funky drummer. It goes on too long and it's too one-note to be a masterpiece, but it's pleasant enough. As many people have pointed out, if you write "Eltsuhg Ibal Lasiti" backwards it spells "It is all a big hustle".

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars daktaris soul explosion, December 19, 2001

By 

Ken Taylor (San antonio, texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soul Explosion (Audio CD)

This is an incredible, funked out, horn blastin, juked up, make you happy to just be alive albums. Anybody will love this.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Afro beat ? Afro funky ! ! ! ...Fela lives !, September 3, 2000

By 

Eddie Landsberg "My 10th year as a reviewer !... (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Soul Explosion (Audio CD)

Even James Brown admitted it. In his biography he told how all the cats in his band, even Bootsy were over on tour in Africa and really digging seeing Fela, "The African James Brown" kickin' it, and how a lot of his rhythms would later wind up in his music. - - A case of what goes around comes around. - - And its come around again. These Fela alumni seem to have brought back the "tight" pre-Egypt '80 sounds of Fela (in the late '60s and early '70s especially) when he was still Fela Ransome - - its that sharp, pulsating "popcorn" rhythm that is virtually impossible not to dance to. - - Its so haunting, when you see Fela's son on stage with his own band bringing the sound into the 21st century, with a world beat/pop sensibility and having his Dad's voice, then hearing these guys, and getting transported back in time to Africa Shrine in the '70s - - Folks, Fela may be gone, and James Brown may not be hitting hard like he once was, but you can have your cake and eat it too. - - Mind you, these guys are no mere copycats... they came from the tradition and are authentically keeping it going ! So... Get it !