Repress Due: 4th December 2020

A much needed repress of this cult classic album from Al Dobson Jr.

Al Dobson Jr. returns to Rhythm Section International with his debut full length LP. Spread over 28 tracks and clocking in at just under one hour, this body of work provides a glimpse into the mind of one of the UK’s most talented, enigmatic producers.

Al Dobson’s debut mini album marked the inauguration of Bradley Zero’s fledgling label back in 2014, proving to be a breath of fresh air to the london scene with it’s loose, undefinable sound and unique approach to production.

As a newcomer, Al Dobson Jr.’s music didn’t remain a secret for long, with major global tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson,  Theo Parrish, Dego,  Alex Nut and Osunlade being early adopters. As with other key releases on 22a and Izwid, it didn’t take long for Rye Lane Volume 1 to go from obscure debut to cult classic, propelling the artist and the label onto the international platform.

At once a continuation and evolution of the sound, Rye Lane Volumes II & III offers a deeper exploration into the Al Dobson Jr universe, moving with ease through tempos and textures but never losing that effortless magic that makes ADJ stand out from the crowd.

a1. Al Dobson Junior - Live at Makeover
a2. Al Dobson Junior - Guyana SpeciAl
a3. Al Dobson Junior - Xingu
a4. Al Dobson Junior - Commerce
a5. Al Dobson Junior - Overseas, Lebanese
a6. Al Dobson Junior - Move It Up
a7. Al Dobson Junior - Many Schools
b1. Al Dobson Junior - Sweet Critics Pt.2
b2. Al Dobson Junior - Vibrations
b3. Al Dobson Junior - What It Is - Shake down
b4. Al Dobson Junior - Malfuf - Nebetia
b5. Al Dobson Junior - In The World
b6. Al Dobson Junior - Love TAlk
c1. Al Dobson Junior - Church cafe (Intro)
c2. Al Dobson Junior - Drum Sounds Pt.4 - Africana Salon
c3. Al Dobson Junior - After Carnival
c4. Al Dobson Junior - Step Off
c5. Al Dobson Junior - It's You
c6. Al Dobson Junior - Guadeloupe Meditaáao
c7. Al Dobson Junior - Yellow Peppers
c8. Al Dobson Junior - Bey Line
d1. Al Dobson Junior - Peru Timing Pt.2
d2. Al Dobson Junior - Time Is Now
d3. Al Dobson Junior - Tracy 36 27 36
d4. Al Dobson Junior - In The Lobby
d5. Al Dobson Junior - What It Is Pt.2
d6. Al Dobson Junior - White Rum
d7. Al Dobson Junior - Mercy

Release Date - 21st December 2018

Wahever Records in association with Alex Dayo Drumming School proudly presents Gùndo Fara, the debut EP by Zantogola.
Inspired by the West African heritage of popular rhythms and songs, Zantogola are at the same time masters and explorers of the plenguedey music: a fusion between elements of mandingue, highlife and afrobeat with hip hop, reggae and jazz.
The band mixes traditional African-percussions rhythms with brass, voices, guitars, balafons and ngonis to create contemporary, reflective, joyous and highly danceable songs.
The Zantogola project was born in 2016 with the meeting of Alex Dayo and Matteo Boyero, and has grown up into a full scale band and human adventure. Among the members of the band there are musicians like Alai Sanfo, Hien Narcisse Moustique Piqué, Robert Goldsmith, David Kemp, Nick Onley, James MacPhail, Owain Arthur, Moussa Dembele and Shreya Rai.
Alex Dayo is a drummer/percussionist from Burkina Faso, former musician of the Kouledafourou National Ballet and leader of Wountey, the band who initiated Plenguedey music. Alex moved to London in 2008 where he set up a drumming school.
Shreya Rai is a 25 year old singer from Nepal. She is the main female singer for Zantogola, and also performs with other bands such as Namlo and Makindu (WAHEVER 004). She is a highly creative and dedicated artist, and a composer in her own right: look up her name for future releases.
This EP also features some special guests: violinist John Garner, Rafael Anker on EVI (electro valve instrument), Togo Clément Palé on bass, Sophia Mogapi on snare/cymbals, Marta Badia Marin on background doundoun and Dabaiyah Fidel on backing vocal.
Zantogola means “the greatest in everyone” and it’s the name of a character in Burkina Faso’s folklore. There are many tales of his extraordinary powers. He plays his percussion louder than anybody in the country, so loud that you could hear him from all the other villages.
He can devour a whole village’s food supply for a year in a single day, but his appetite is matched by his generosity: he will farm all the fields for the whole village single-handed. He also sleeps for a whole season unless the village needs him.
Zantogola also inspires a message of humbleness. In these dark times, Zantogola stands against growing nationalism and the tightening of borders to create a spirit of common purpose and brotherhood.
Gùndo Fara means “secret revealed” in Bambara, one of the most widely spoken languages in French speaking West Africa.
This 45 rpm loud cut 12’’ EP is an introduction to an eleven track album to be released in spring 2019, it is limited to 300 copies and comes with B side drum mixes that will not be included on the spring album release.

Composed and arranged by Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo
Produced by Matteo Boyero and Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo
Recorded by Matteo Boyero at Wahever Records, except drums on “Tare” recorded at the Alex Dayo Drumming School, and bass and electro valve instrument on “Taré”, recorded at Dondoli Studio by Joseph Sangare
Mixed by Peter Soldan at Dada Studios
Mastered by Simon Davey at the Exchange
Artwork by Sandra von Hazelberg

Musicians
Seli:
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: lead and backing vocal, drum set (congas, djembe, cymbals, high hat and calebasse), bass bara, doundoun, kenkeni & top bell, sabar, tama, maracas
Shreya Rai: lead and backing vocal
Dabaiyah Fidel: backing vocal
Abdoulaye Sanfo: djembe solo
Moussa Dembele: balafon (xylophone)
Hien Narcisse Likite Moustique Piqué: medium bara
James MacPhail: bass
Owen Arthur: electric rhythm and lead guitar
Robert Goldsmith: baritone sax
David Kemp: alto sax
Nick Onley: tenor sax
Matteo Boyero: drum machine kick programming

Taré:
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: lead and backing vocal, balafon, rhythm djembe 1, drum set (congas & djembe 2), bara, sabar, cowbell, shekere Abdoulaye Sanfo : djembe solo, rhythm djembe 3
Hien Narcisse Likite Moustique Piqué: kenkeni and top bell
Marta Badia Marin: background doundoun
Shreya Rai: lead and backing vocal
Pale Togo Clément: bass
Raphael Anker: EVI (electro valve instrument)
John Garner: violins
Robert Goldsmith: baritone sax
David Kemp: alto sax
Nick Onley: tenor sax
Matteo Boyero: drum machine kick programming

Sya drums (musicians present in the full version of the track not included):
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: rhythm djembe 1 & 2, djembe solo, drum set (congas & djembe 3), maracas, woodblock, doundoun, kenkeni & top bell, criquet Sophia Mogapi: drum kit (snare and cymbals)
Abdoulaye Sanfo: djembe snare
Matteo Boyero: drum machine kick programming

Special thanks to Peter Soldan at Dada Studios, Joseph Sangare at Dondoli Studio, Sandra Von Hazelberg for the artwork, Finsbury Park Art Club and all the students at the Alex Dayo Drumming School.

Notes by Alex Dayo:
Seli” means “pray”: whatever our beliefs as human beings, let’s pray to know ourselves so that we can gain a better awareness of humanity’s needs. “Taré” means “majesty”. How great is your mother’s love. How great is a lover’s love. It’s your choice to find the balance: as we cross many rivers, we encounter many mothers and loved ones. The greatest, they are in my heart majestically, I shall never forgot them. Not all women give birth to a majesty. I’m talking too and dedicating Tare to her Majesty, my mother Sita Sessouma, my mother by the river Kalpana from Nepal, and to all you great women from all over the planet.
I specially dedicate this EP to all my students.

a1. Zantogola - Seli

a2. Zantogola - Taré

b1. Zantogola - Seli Drums

b2. Zantogola - Sya Drums

Release Date: 20th October 2017

‘Fires of Quidel’ is the culmination of Son Swaggas first year as a band, a year spent refining their music, building connections as bandmembers and friends, and finally recording at Greenfield studios with analog gear to bring their sound to life. With this album Son Swagga present themselves to the world and showcase the passion they bring to music as well as the individual talents of the bandmembers.

a1. Fires Of Quidel

a2. Isenman

a3. Calling All Tribes

b1. Galactic

b2. Yamanu Emerges

Released 26th May 2017

a2. That He Man Of Hers

b1. One's Own Permanent Faith

b2. Would You Tell Me About You

Released 17th February 2017

Shamrock grew up in the township called ‘Kwathema’, In the east of Johannesburg. He has being crazy for music since he was a young child, and at primary school he sang as the soloist in the choir. 

Everyone now knows that South Africa is the house music capitol of the world! Most young upcoming producers look up the American and European producers, But Shamrock’s sound is standing out from the rest, as he’s been digging into his African roots to come up with his own style of music, working with mainly South African musicians, only using the computer to record the audio. 

On this album he’s also featured international musicians Han Litz,Flutist from the Netherlands, Asali, vocalist from Kenya, Andy Compton, from the UK, and Jimmy Gabriel on Sax from Nigeria.

His first releases came out on a South African label in 2014.

He’s well known in South Africa for his live guitar shows, normally jamming with DJ’s. This is how he first met Andy Compton, and secured the Peng connection.

Shamrock was a main writing contributor for the fantastic ’Sowetan Onesteps’ project, and after that success he knew the home for his album would be on Peng, which offers his sound to a worldwide audience 

So here it is! Enjoy the African rhythms and sun drenched music!.

Written & Recorded in Studio 7.5, Johannesburg, South Africa 

a1. African Music by African People

a2. Garanga

a3. AfroSalsa

a4. Noshayiwe

b1. Yo Go Share

b2. Zabalaza

b3. Boom!!!

b4. Unfair Law