Kalita are excited to announce the first ever official reissue of Adelle First’s highly sought-after 1986 12” South African boogie single ‘Don’t Give Up‘!
Originally privately released on infamous South African label Music Team’s imprint Solid Records, the single features both the shorter vocal version and devastating 9-minute long extended ‘Dub Mix’, a true testament to the genius of producer Tom Mkhize.
Having recently rocketed in demand, fuelled by equal measures of quality and scarcity, and with original copies now selling for over £200 on the second-hand market, Kalita now offer this masterpiece to the world once more, sourced from the original analogue master tapes.
Kalita are proud to unveil the first ever compilation focussing on the phenomenon of ‘Burger Highlife’, a crossover of West African melodies with synthesizers, disco and boogie that took over Ghanaian airwaves during the 1980’s and beyond. Highlighting key recordings from genre-defining artists including Thomas Frempong and George Darko, as well as more obscure sought-after tracks by elusive bands such as Aban and Uncle Joe’s Afri-Beat, Kalita come to the rescue of audiophiles, DJs and music-lovers alike with ‘Borga Revolution!’ Spread over a double-LP housed in a gatefold sleeve. Accompanied by a 16-page booklet featuring extensive interview-based liner notes on each artist and never-before-seen archival photos.
Tracklist A1. Uncle Joe’s Afri-Beat – Eshe Wo Kon Ho
A2. Thomas Frempong – Mada Meho So
A3. Native Spirit – Odo San Bra Fie
B1. George Darko – Medo Menuanom (12″ Verson)
B2. Wilson Boateng – Mabre Agu
B3. Paa Jude – Odo Refre Wo
C1. Aban – Efie Nnye
C2. Wilson Boateng – Asew Watchman
C3. Uncle Joe’s Afri-Beat – Mr. D.J.
D1. George Darko – Obi Abayewa
D2. Dr. K. Gyasi’s Noble Kings – Damfo Agoo / David Akofo / Obegyaa Nowa / Okwantuni Moboro (Medley)
Thomas Frempong – Mada Meho So
The 1970s had witnessed an increased Western airtime and physical presence in Ghana introducing funk, soul and disco sounds to the region. By the turn of the decade the country was also enduring economic turmoil, with rising poverty, military dictatorships and long periods of enforced curfews (amongst other factors) making it impossible for artists to survive.
Aban – Efie Nnye
As a result, many Ghanaian artists with a broader outlook began to pursue their careers in the West, moving to both Europe and America in search of stardom. It was here that Ghanaian musicians developed a digitised version of highlife music which fully embraced Western contemporary music styles and newly introduced technology such as the DX7 synthesizer and various drum machines.
Paa Jude – Odo Refre Wo
It is in this context in which the evolution of Ghanaian dance music and the emergence of ‘burger highlife’ was born. With ‘Borga Revolution!’ Kalita endeavour to tell this story, with prominent and lesser-known musicians’ accounts and documentary evidence providing a comprehensive understanding of this shift to the digital age.
Kalita are excited to announce the first ever reissue of student medical group the IgG Band’shighly sought-after 1980 soul, funk and disco grail ‘Ultra/Sound’. Originally privately released in a small run on bandmember Clifford Becker’s Infusion Records imprint, the album has since become a treasured prize of but a handful of diehard collectors and DJs as a result of both its scarcity and quality. Now, in partnership with the band, Kalita shine a light on the album for the first time in over forty years, accompanied by never-before-seen archival photos and extensive interview-based liner notes.
Funky Music
Formed in March 1979 out of a young group of musically talented students at Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee, the IgG Band was, as leader Clifford Becker recalls, first created ‘to play music to please ourselves and friends, and as an outlet to the ever pending and growing pressure of our medical education’. However, by 1980 the IgG Band had developed enough original material that they were ready to put their music to wax, and ‘Ultra/Sound’ was recorded at Hilltop Recording Studios in Nashville, with each band member contributing their part separately when their busy medical schedules allowed.
