Ambolley

For many of us, our first introduction to the Ghanaian singer and bandleader Gyedu-Blay Ambolley was when Soundway included a track he recorded in the 1970s on the anthology Ghana Soundz in 2002 [reviewed in #17]. That track, ‘Simigwa’, fused highlife with a jazz vibe and an edgy beat that we have since come to term hip-hop; it is not only regarded as the genesis of the Ghanaian style known as hiplife but is claimed by some to have been the world's first rap record. This album first appeared in 1982 and although it sounds very much of its time, it has endured far better than many of the ephemeral disco and boogie records put out by Western artists at the time.

The opener ‘Highlife’ throbs to an irresistible disco beat with soulful vocals; it sounds like a fusion of Kool & the Gang and Manu Dibango. ‘Walking Down the Street’ fuses funk and highlife in the style of some of Hugh Masekela's 80s recordings. ‘'Cause I Love You’ is a slow, moody blues influenced by Bobby Bland and BB King. ‘Cut Your Coat’ and ‘Adwoa’ are more traditional highlife tunes before this welcome reissue ends with the intoxicating swing of ‘Frafranta’.