Though the iconic imagery of the disco era feels distinctly tied to the United States, the style had a wide-reaching influence that made it all the way to Africa. While Africa was already no stranger to the pulsing rhythms of funk, Afro-beat, and highlife, the rise of disco added a slick sheen to the music, with musicians from all over the continent incorporating elements of the genre into their sounds. This era is the focus of
The Rough Guide to African Disco
. Delivering two discs of solid jams along with a liner-note essay that helps to contextualize the whole scene, the good people at
World Music Network
once again help to make the world a little bit smaller, and a whole lot funkier. ~ Gregory Heaney