Nouvelle Ambiance

02/10/2018A Brilliant Compilation Of Pan-African Underground Sounds From 1980's Paris
 

Berlin's Oye Records just hit our Twitter feed with a sweet recommendation by ways of Paris-based label Nouvelle Ambiance. The imprint dedicated to "celebrating musical and cultural collaborations" recently released a brilliant compilation of Pan-African underground sounds from 1980s Paris.

"In the early 80s a perfect storm of social, technological, political and cultural developments brought about a unique music scene centred around Paris, away from the major labels and pop charts. Musicians, ideas and styles flew between the small independent studios and labels of the French capital, Francophone Africa and the Caribbean, experimenting with new technology and drawing in a dizzying array of influences to soundtrack clubs, bars and radio stations."

The twelve tracks represent a dancefloor-ready selection of varying styles, including rumba, Bikutsi, Soukous and boogie and come equipped with "a 28-page magazine format booklet containing unpublished photos from the archives of photographer Bill Akwa Bétotè" and interviews. "Nouvelle Ambiance!!!" was researched and compiled by Sofrito's Hugo Mendez and Nico Skliris, whom you may remember from the Digital Zandoli compilations. Stream/buy the full release here

AUTHOR: Lev Nordstrom