Analog Africa highlights Benin City’s ‘Edo Funk’ pioneers in great new compilation
For the last two decades, the German-based label Analog Africa has consistently released some of the best compilations and retrospective recordings, highlighting the many unique styles of music that have come out of both Africa and South America. Continuing to dive deep into this exploration, they have just released volume 1 of their much-anticipated Edo Funk Explosion compilation series, highlighting some of the greatest recordings from the genre’s pioneers, Osayomore Joseph, Akaba Man, and Sir Victor Uwaifo.
Born in Nigeria’s Benin City in the late 1970s, Edo Funk emerged with the fusion of native Edo culture and the funky electric sounds coming from the West African nightclubs. Unlike the polished 1980 Nigerian disco productions, Lagos Edo Funk had a much more stripped down raw feel to it. Osayomore Joseph, Akaba Man, and Sir Victor Uwaifo each brought their own signature twist to the sound, helping push the music even further.
Sir Victor Uwaifo is responsible for some of the greatest Edo Funk recordings, which were all recorded at his now legendary Joromi Studios, incorporating a heavy dose of synthesizers, guitars and 80s effect racks into his music. Osayomore Joseph, who was one of the first musicians to bring the sound of the flute into highlife, blended his playing with Afrobeat rhythms and electric based instrumentation. Known as the philosopher king of Edo funk, Akaba Man’s sound featured trance-
like grooves and cosmic synth melodies in his music.
Incredible from start to finish, this essential twelve-track compilation brilliantly highlights these Edo funk originators, and their groundbreaking explosive sound, which was unlike anything we had heard before. Highly recommended!
Various — ‘Edo Funk Explosion Vol.1’
(Analog Africa)
- Osayomore Joseph And The Creative Seven – Africa Is My Root
- Akaba Man & The Nigie Rokets – Ta Gha Hunsimwen
- Akaba Man And The African Pride – Popular Side
- Sir Victor Uwaifo And His Titibitis – Iranm Iran
- Sir Victor Uwaifo And His Titibitis – Sakpaide No.2
- Akaba Man & The Nigie Rokets – Ta Ghi Rare
- Osayomore Joseph – My Name Is Money
- Akaba Man & The Nigie Rokets – Ogbov Omwan video
- Sir Victor Uwaifo And His Titibitis – Aibalegbe
- Osayomore Joseph And The Ulele Power Sound – Who No Man
- Sir Victor Uwaifo And His Titibitis – Obviemama
- Osayomore Joseph And The Ulele Power Sound – Ororo No De Fade
