Comet Records presents from Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen, N.E.P.A Reissue LP Vinyl remastered and
coming in an heavy Deluxe Tip-On Jacket.
In 1979, Tony Allen decided to leave Fela Kuti & Africa 70 and moved to London in 1982. Originally
Released in 1984 on Earthworks Records, this reissue holds an extra track previously unreleased on vinyl
called “Olokun”. N.E.P.A (Never Expect Power Always) is a searing critique of the Nigerian Electric Power
Authority, an organisation that governed the use of electricity in Nigeria.
It starts out with the title track, with a definite Afro-beat punch. Electro-claps stand as part of the
percussion line, adding to a more modern look at what Afro-beat was becoming.
This is followed by an even further modernized piece of Afro-beat, as the title track is given a dub mix.
“When One Road Close” has a similar pace, and is similarly followed by a dub remix, complete with the
necessary space-effects reverb.
And to make this reissue extra special the track “Olokun” was never released on vinyl before.
Blending the nascent rise of electronica into Afrobeat production, it’s tighter than any Fela album and
became a definitive project in shaping Allen’s future sound. Whether it’s the electro beats or the punchier,
multilayered arrangement, it instantly stands out in Allen’s vast and expansive discography.

TRACKLIST:
A1. N.E.P.A. (Never Expect Power Always)
A2. N.E.P.A. Dance Dub
B1. When One Road Close (Another One Go Open)
B2. Road Close Dance Dub
B3. Olokun More

Repress!
Like a dream, but authoritatively, this remix from Jamaica magnificently crosses the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti with the grounation reggae tradition of Count Ossie. The flip, Uhuru Pujama is a new recording, another warrior charge down Wareika Hill by this veteran of Light Of Saba and The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari (Honest Jon’s Label). More

Repress!
Mark Ernestus, one half of the Basic Channel, Maurizio and Rhythm & Sound teams, inaugurates our series of reworkings of tracks from Tony Allen’s Lagos No Shaking album. Mark’s Mix is not a nowadays-style remix, more an extended mix in the classicaltradition headed by Tom Moulton, back in the days when Francois Kevorkian was his teaboy, and there was a cupboard in his office stuffed with Studio One master-tapes. Mark’s Disco Dub is its dub.

More

Completing the recent LP reissue of Black Voices by Tony Allen, Comet presents a 2 tracks remix EP by Folamour and NIT. The two rising French producers provide great new versions of “Get Together” and “The Same Blood”.
More

As part of the ten-year anniversary Dekmantel presents the final record in a ten-part-EP series. Split into two parts due to its immensity, the final instalment is a re-issue of Tony Allen’s ‘Asiko (In A Silent Mix)’ originally released in 1999 and remixes by Motor City Drum Ensemble and Ricardo Villalobos. The first part features a grandiose 29-minute Ricardo Villalobos version of the Afrobeat master’s cut. A true collaboration of giants. Having been a regular at the festival for several years now, Villalobos delivers a remix, one of his longest to date, that only he can produce. Allowing the percussion to breathe into a monumental rhythm, Villalobos warps the vocals, restructuring the bass and drums into a rolling dub-fusion of techno that is characteristic of his remixes to date, yet still breathtaking in its execution. Afrobeat-minimalism, with dub-infused fire, and near psychedelic ambience that perfectly synchs the worlds of Tony Allen, and Ricardo Villalobos, two legends who’ve helped re-shape the face of music. Highlighting the diversity of sounds that have come to represent the Dutch label and festival series, the EPs to date have encompassed a range of artists and genres, featuring label favourites, as well as whole bunch of debuting artists. The EP series kicked off in March 2018, and over the course of a year featured the likes of Gigi Masin, Lena Willikens, Burnt Friedman, Donato Dozzy, The Egyptian Lover, Palms Trax, and more. More

After Mark Ernestus' mix of Moyege in this series, now his Basic Channel / Rhythm And Sound partner comes to the control tower. Moritz's deep Berlin steppers discloses dubwise traces of our original Lagos recording — the percussion of Yinka Ogunye, the singing of fifties palmwine legend Rolling Dollar, Oscar Olimbi's guitar lick — in with his own Oberheim voicings, additional drumming, and cool-and-deadly rhythm track. It's a tough, masterly dance record in fine Rhythm And Sound style — which during its ten-and-a-half minutes seems to ponder time elapsed and journeys undertaken. Like a stepping razor, but t-u-m-p-i-n. This Reggae Land version is the take-no-prisoners, pared-down dub of Wareika Hill Sounds' rootical rework of Ise Nla. Magnificent trombone and percussion; expert, classical JA mixing. Brings to mind those great dubs of Glen Brown's Black Man Stand Up Pan Foot.
More