Collection: [Canopy]

Opolopo and Alafia have hooked up here to work together on a new musical journey that takes the form of these two richly layered percussive monsters. 'Axxanxxan' and 'Axxiove' which arrive on this 12" from Canopy are as addictive as it gets - they fuse Afro rhythms and disco dazzle with synth innovation to create a pair of dance bombs with real tribal energy. The A-side is detailed with metallic bass, choppy guitars and swirling synths that add up to a nice tropical sotmg, while the flip has more prominent drums and hypnotic rhythms that have a subtle cosmos twist. Two gems from Canopy, then.

Tomede Ehue

This release marks the first complete album reissue on Canopy. Originally released in Nigeria in 1987, “Oppressor” was executive produced by Myke Moul himself and distributed domestically by EMI Nigeria & Tropic Records. “Oppressor”, the album, finds the sweet spot between synth reggae, boogie, and euphoric Balearic island vibes. Written by Myke Moul and arranged in collaboration with reggae star Majek Fashek in Nigeria, it was later re-crafted and recorded in France with a host of French musicians. Most notably the contribution of multi instrumentalist Pierre de St Front added engaging synthesiser parts and electronic drums. Unfortunately the pressing of the album suffered from inherent technical flaws which adversely affected the sound quality and therefore even those lucky enough to find a copy, will not be able to enjoy it without considerable sonic defects. Therefore this remastered reissue will prove welcome to both collectors and new discoverers. The titular track “Oppressor” stands out as a mid-tempo synth-reggae-boogie jam espousing the turbulent political times in Nigeria that were present in the late 80s. Elsewhere “Shadows in the Rain” is an instrumental cut displaying a jazz-funk sensibility which was unusual for a Nigerian artist at that time, and reflects Myke’s influences outside his home country. “Heading for the Top” is a boogie dance floor gem that shows the popularity of this genre at the time, as evidenced in many Nigerian releases and still sounds just as vital today. “Rescue us. O! Lord” shows Myke’s great song writing and Pierre’s fine musical skills working in tandem to create a reggae boogie tune, displaying the reggae & ska tendencies that were present in pop music in this era, from artists such as Grace Jones, Sly & Robbie or The Police. All in all, the album demonstrates something fresh & exciting for Nigerian album reissues, touching down in a reggae fusion direction, with some fuller sounding production aesthetics, making the dynamics full and crisp on sound systems while also well suited to home listening.

Bosq