Radio LBB: Roots Vol.40

Now into its ninth year and the 40th edition. For the uninitiated, the Roots playlist showcases an eclectic range of music from across the globe of unfamiliar, forgotten, or recently discovered, to the most upfront sounds of now, all with the common theme of being rooted in Africa.

Some of the highlights this time round include:

Fern Kinney - Baby Let Me Kiss You

A seductive slice of late '70s boogie / soul, this track was originally written by King Floyd and first released by him in 1971, before Fern Kinney gave it new life on her 1979 album Groove Me. Kinney, who had previously worked with Jackson-based group The Poppies before drifting into session work, returned to music after becoming a housewife and scored success with this sensual slow-burner. The track unfolds with a languid groove, anchored by a steady backbeat and elastic synth bassline, while dub effects and brass cascade over Kinney's sultry vocals. Her delivery transforms Floyd's original into something more intimate and yearning, a slow groove for late night dancefloors.

Eric B & Rakim - Juice (Know The Ledge)

Originally released on the soundtrack for the film Juice, starring Tupac, as 'Juice (Know the Ledge)', this 1992 single stands among Eric B & Rakim's final hits as a duo, featuring a distinctive sample from Nat Adderley's 1968 hit 'Rise, Sally, Rise'. The track showcases Rakim at his storytelling peak, with his trademark smooth-as-silk flow over Eric B's stark, hypnotic production. The Adderley bassline provides a jazzy foundation that complements the boom-bap breakbeat, making for a true golden era classic. It's a masterclass in how hip hop can blend social commentary with irresistible groove, the kind of track that defined the genre's artistic maturity.

Los Hermanos Martelo - Cumbia Cienaguera

This Colombian cumbia gem comes from the Los Hermanos Martelo, founded in Medellín in 1968 by Carlos Martelo. The track has gained renewed attention after appearing on a Vampisoul compilation, giving new audiences access to this stunning bit of traditional cumbia. The song opens with percussion and that irresistible cumbia shuffle, before piano and brass begin to play off against each other, underpinning call and response vocals. The interplay between brass, piano, and percussion creates a polyrhythmic foundation that's both rootsy and sophisticated, embodying the iconic Colombian sound that influenced generations of musicians worldwide.

Errol De La Fuente - Happiness

A lesser-known gem from the Surinamese disco archives, this B-side, to the 1980 single A Moro Bigi Wan, is a scorching uptempo disco banger, sitting in the same tempo range as Sylvester’s classic 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)'. De La Fuente's vocals soar with falsetto passion over a groove that races along with a controlled sense of chaos. The metronomic backbeat stays steady throughout, leaving room for the polyrhythmic interplay of staccato rhythm guitars, wah-wah laden bass, psychedelic organs and synth lines, and trumpet hooks.

Curly Myrick - It Be's That Way

This gorgeous piece of obscure downtempo soul drips with raw emotion and musical sophistication. A real rarity of a 7” only 53 known copies are registered on Discogs, and it’s exchanged hands before for four-figure sums. Myrick's falsetto is both wobbly and smooth, riding the pocket of a rhythm section that locks into a hypnotic groove. The production has that organic, live-in-the-studio feel that characterised the best soul records of the era, with each instrument clearly defined in the mix while contributing to the overall emotional journey. It's a track that captures the essence of classic soul's ability to transform personal struggle into universal art.

These are just some of the highlights in what I hope is an enjoyable musical journey that spans across continents, generations and genres…

A huge thanks go out to labels such as Now Again, Light In The Attic, Numero Uno and Luv N’ Haight, Analog Africa, Music From Memory, Africa Seven, Far Out Recordings, Strut, Mr Bongo and Soundway, who continue to unearth some of the most unique and amazing music that may have otherwise never seen the light of day.