Various Artists

The original ‘African Scream Contest’ is one of the albums I go back to time and again for the sheer pleasure of it. It was released 10 years ago and I’ve been looking forward ever since to some more of that Vodoun magic from Benin. This is definitely a worthy follow up.

The album opens with some raw and distorted guitar, almost an announcement that something special is on its way. That grows into the Afrobeat of ‘A Min We Vo Nou We’, heavy bassline, sinuous rhythm and more of that wonderful deranged guitar. 6 minutes of furious dance music that left me gasping for breath after capering around the room.

‘Asaw FoFor’ has a classic ‘Batman’-like bass riff with the main theme carried on sax and a beautiful vocal from Ignacio de Souza. Simply groovy and impossible to sit still to.

One of my favourites is Orchestra Poly Rhythm de Cotonou’s ‘Moulon Devia’. A higher pitch than much of the album but with a ‘disco meets Afrobeat’ feel to it and developing a deep and insistent groove. The Farfisa organ solo is daft but lovely.

And so it goes, track after track of music with shifting beats and great horns, chants and solo vocals, music to dance to and music to listen to but music where the dance and the intellect can’t be separated.

I’d almost say it was worth waiting ten years for but basically I’m just happy it has been released – another classic from Analog Africa.