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12"
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VLM 005EP
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Vive La Musique brings you yet another magical release, compiling four stunning tracks from South African bass player -- Sipho Gumede. Taken from two rare albums originally released in the '80s, the music blends South African roots with boogie influences and is the follow-up to the hugely successful Jika Jika reissue. The release was born through label founder Aroop Roy's relentless search for a copy of the 1983 Peace album, which led to him tracking down the original producer -- Greg Cutler -- a key figure in South African music from that period and regular collaborator with Sipho. Aroop was blown away by "Uthinina" and "Bayabizana" -- two unique tracks, featuring haunting Zulu vocals, African jazz flavors, and epic changes over hypnotic grooves. "Something to Say" and "City of Gold" were recorded a few years later in the world-renowned Battery Mobile Studio. Sipho had been working there with Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu and their influences can be heard, with drum machines and American boogie instrumentation laying the foundation for powerful vocal lines sung in English, with soul and gospel sensibility. The 12" comes with extensive liner notes from Greg Cutler, talking about his time in South Africa. He recalls his experience as a White producer, working with Black musicians under the challenges of apartheid and describes his musical journey with Sipho Gumede, with intriguing details on how the music and production evolved.
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