It’s a very happy day when the notification of a new Analog Africa release is coming. Label founder Samy Ben Redjeb is a legend, someone who is tireless in his search for “the best in both explosive foot-shufflers and hypnotic sauntering treasures from Africa”. More than just a crate-digger, traveller and a music lover, Samy is the Indiana Jones of uncovering the best music from the African continent. He doesn’t just have a golden ear but knows how to select outstanding tunes and collate them into the perfect running order.
Galaxia Tropical is Analog Africa’s 43rd release and features a selection of tracks from Ranil y Su Conjunto Tropical. Singer and band leader Ranil was born in 1935 in the Peruvian Amazon as Jorge Raúl Llerena Vásquez. He won various singing contests as a young man and was a teacher for a while before being invited to join Los Silver. After two albums the band dissolved and Ranil, with lead guitarist Limber Zumba, set up their own label. What followed was the creation of the “llullampeo” sound with a rotating cast of musicians, particularly the incredible selection of percussionists who provided a vast array of dizzying grooves.
On the search to meet Ranil, Samy Ben Redjeb says, “On April 18, 2019, fresh off the plane in Iquitos, I jumped into the taxi of an elderly gentleman and immediately knew that the stars were aligned. As we rode toward the city centre, I explained that I had come to the Peruvian Amazon to find Ranil. “You mean Ranil the singer? I know where he lives,” he replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “He has a radio station — I’ll take you there.” We arrived in the heart of the frenetic Belén market 30 minutes later, and before I knew it, I was no longer searching for the man — I was standing right in front of him. Ranil and I hit it off immediately and ended up spending a month working together on this project.”
There are fourteen tracks on this compilation to indulge all your rhythm needs. Ranil’s voice is warm and unembellished as it tap dances over the percussion, sometimes matching its bounce, sometimes weaving around as if playing hide-and-seek from the congas. Guitars provide exceptional melody lines with double stopping and crisp chords. Timbales, agogos, woodblocks are always fizzing in the background and it’s amazing how this rich and warm sound is produced with no effects that I could detect, just wonderful room sound very well recorded.
Analog Africa also go big on their LP releases with high quality 180g vinyl often with gatefold sleeves brimming with liner notes or booklets and original photographs (see their recent release Roots Rocking Zimbabwe to appreciate what they can do). To visit their website or Bandcamp page is to discover a world of incredible music. If you love African music then you could shut your eyes and put a pin in a list of their releases, buy what you pinned and not be disappointed. They’ve been filling out my vinyl collection for years now and I have never bought a bad release. Galaxia Tropical is the latest in a stellar catalogue and long may their releases keep bringing rhythm and sunshine into our lives.
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Review by Paul F Cook
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