Mario Rui Silva – Stories From Another Time 1982-1988

Time Capsule, the East London reissue-focused label by Sam Jacob and Kay Suzuki, return with this mesmerizing retrospective by Angolan guitarist and musicologist Mario Rui Silva. Stories From Another Time presents a singular voice in 1980s West African music. Steeped in a low-key beauty, the comp ranges from chuggy mid-tempo groovers, laidback jazz-funk, and late night guitar balladry to hypnotic poly-rhythm percussion tracks. Complex yet effortless, upon first listen this suggested some form of Samba-not-samba since the Brazilian intonations are clear. But Angola and Brazil shared Portuguese colonial rule for centuries and the various cultures commingled. Stories from Another Time’s curator Silva is simply asserting his Angolan pride. Though spawned from oppression, his selection of traditional Angolan music is anything but heavy or dark; instead, it’s sweet and sunny and filled with stunning vistas, from its bouncy,  hypnotic opener “Kazum-zum-zum” to the moving lullaby-esque final minutes, “Ngele-ngele-ngele.”

Recommended – Full Listen

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