I first discovered this group a few years back when I stumbled across their lone full-length LP in one of my favourite op-shops in the Sydney region. I was surpised to learn that this group had quite the perfoming career in Sydney spanning almost a decade up until 1980. Despite this, the group has been all but forgotten, and all that remains of their reign are three musical relics in their full-length release and two obscure singles. Even the powerhouse information website that is Milesago has very little to offer in the way of background information, and they're not even sure what the B-sides to their singles are! They also mistakenly credit their full length release to the Larrikin label, when it was actually released on the Axent label along with their second single that was lifted from it.
Well, let's start out with their first single. I've got to say that from the opening drum beats, I initially had my doubts that this was even recorded by the same group! But with nothing else to go on but the information on the Milesago site and my often unreliable gut-instinct, I have no choice but to deffer to the former. Well... this isn't quite true. There's also the minor detail of the spelling of the group's name. On this first single, they spell their name 'Africa', but on both axent releases they replace the 'c' with a 'k'. But who knows, right? Groups have been known to do things like this, so for the purposes of this review, let's work on the assumption that this is indeed the same group.
You could have told me that this was an outtake from the recording of a Mandingo LP and I would have beliveed you! There's also tinges of El Chicles and other similar Euro-afro funk groups of the era, esepcially on side A. On the flip, we are treated to cover of famed Afro-rock-funk group Mandrill. Sadly it's not one of their better cuts, and the A-side certainly wins out for me as the best cut on the single.
So, after their first single was released on the Sunshine label in 1974, we have a gap of five years until at last Afrika change a letter in their name and put out a single and an album recorded at Axent Studios in Sydney. Their sound is now far more pop-Motown-disco than afro-funk-rock, but it's still pretty cool. Check out the first side of their Axent single, 'Running From Your Love.' About halfway through they suddenly incorporate these congas which are nice, but sound a little out of place with the rest of the song. The B-side here is much funkier, albeit with cheese-factor still firmly in place. 'Sticking With You' is probably a cover version from somwhere, but I'll be damned if I can place it. Check it out too.
Their album includes both sides of this single, and the rest of the songs on it sit firmly in the same vein. The best example of their work in my opinion can be found on their great cover of 'I Love Music.' Check out the great conga-breakdown towards the end. In one book they describe their sound as “Tamla Motown material with an Afro beat,” but I don't quite agree. How about “Pop-Motown covers with a disco influence.” I think reviewers throw 'afro' in there simply because there's African drums in some of their songs, but this wasn't at all uncommon in mainstream disco of the era.
All of Afrika's records are very tough to find. Both of these singles are each the only copies that I have ever laid eyes on. The album does turn up infrequently, but I have yet to see it on ebay and it still seems to be widely unknown.
I have a spare copy of Afrika's album available here for purchase.
