V.A.: "Doing It in Lagos"
Soundway V.A.: Doing It in Lagos:
-Boogie, Pop & Disco in 1980s Nigeria- [2CD] (re.2017)**°'
As usual for the label, also this release has an attractive idea, package and large booklet that provides information regarding the scene the album tends to give an overview about. Other than the Lagos Disco release I have reviewed before, this truly is about disco, funk and the boogie style coming forth from the disco style. There’s something good, something temporally but also something dangerously becoming cheap about the scene for it also embraces cheaper synth mixes and effects, this Nigerian outpost has something of a primitive studio rather than adding complexity and invention to it. Most attraction goes to the tracks that cover the most groove in bass and funky repetition additionally to the boogie/soulful or disco association. In the shadow of groovy disco classics, this African version only here and there adds the African taste of or to it. The singers add harmonies, the influences could allow local African or Latin associations but mostly they just keep it basic, and still groovy with an element of melodic solos. Mostly it is the bass and funky rhythms that still does it most effectively at times. At the same time it also gives the sense of something that passes by, mostly unnoticed. Only se of it would really work in a mix of the moment. Never the less this whole collection features rare albums of the time. For progressive and fusion music lovers like me it’s interesting enough but mostly it’s interesting as reference and for some of its viable funky moods.
