Analog Africa

Rarely, in this world of blogs upon blogs and noise upon noise does one stumble upon something as unique and outrageously interesting as a blog. But, on the outskirts of the "blogosphere," exposing and resting in a land time forgot, rests Analog Africa.
Analog Africa is a music blog, brought to my attention by my dear friend Eric Deines, that is dedicated not only to the music of Africa, as noted in the title, but more specifically, to analog Afro Beat and Afro Funk music of the 60s and 70s. The recordings on this site are so fresh and timeless with a blend of thick scratchy bass, crackling vocals and trebling guitars, it's closer to a James Brown session with the Buena Vista Social Club than traditional African music popped up by Paul Simon's Graceland. There is cultural expression here as well as there is soulful freedom and progressive attitudes coming from a time that seems to have had so much promise and jubilation, but ended so abruptly. I don't know if it is true or not, but from these tracks it seems as though, at the time, the music of Africa was growing up with the rest of the world, almost it can feels at times, a little ahead.
Even if one doesn't care for the music, or it's not really your bag, I would atleast recommend checking out the photos offered on Analog Africa, and to read some of the stories: it can be interesting to read about something existing that was so short lived and controversial, but so goddamn funky at the same time.

http://analogafrica.blogspot.com/

(Analog recording methods store audio signals as a continual wave in or on the media. The wave might be stored as a physical texture on a phonograph record, or a fluctuation in the field strength of a magnetic recording. This is different from digital recording, which converts audio signals into discrete numbers.)

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