Album review: Various Artists, Afro-Beat Airways 2 (Analog Africa)

The accompanying information’s boast of “ultra-rare tracks” could have been a euphemism for “scraping the barrel”. But because of the apparently bottomless pit of 1970s Afro-funk still being found and dusted down – and because this is an Analog Africa release – you can be sure quality control has been maintained for this “Return to Ghana 1974-1983”.

So immerse yourself in some edgy, guitar-centered grooves that combine the influences of Fela Kuti, James Brown and Isaac Hayes while being as tight as the skin on a djembe. There’s also a generous 44-page booklet that features an absorbing essay by Banning Eyre and pictures of some delightfully gaudy LP sleeves featuring men with huge halos of hair and unfeasibly wide flares.