Our new compilation takes you on a journey to the Colombian coast, where the passion for African music burns brightly. The Afro Caribbeans' connection to their roots gave rise to the "picós" - artisanal, high-powered sound systems similar to those found in Jamaica. These music aficionados have a sharp ear for African melodies, leading to a vibrant collector's scene that brought Afro sounds to the streets of Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Santa Marta.
Don Alirio, one of the most fervent representatives of the "picotero" scene, shares his thoughts on this first single you're listening to:
"This is one of those hits that no one seems to own - 'El Sofia' landed on the most popular turntables of Barranquilla around the time music went online and it soon became a key theme in musical duels and for African music selectors. Maestro Habel Kifoto, guitarist, composer and leader of this band formed by Kenyan military personnel, knew how to create hits that turned dancefloors of the Colombian Caribbean verbenas into real celebrations […] That's the African revolutionary power, that raw power that is part of the frenzy that has always characterized the sounds of the black continent. ¡Aquiiiiii suenaaaaaa!"