First popularised in the west by saxophonist Manu Dibango with his unexpected 1970s hit Soul Makossa, makossa is one of the great dance styles of west Africa. It’s the national music of Cameroon, and was created when traditional rhythms fused with rumba and funk in the cities. The songs here were recorded during a classic era for the style, but at a time when African music was still largely unknown in the west, yet they still sound gloriously fresh, thanks largely to the compelling and insistent basslines that dominate every track. Cameroon is famed for its remarkable bass players, and the bass work here is hypnotic, whether providing the backing for funk guitar on the stomping Pop Mokassa Invasion or on Bill Loko’s soulful hit from 1980, Nen Lambo. This is not just an intriguing African music history lesson, it’s an exuberant dance set.
