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Fat Freddys Drop, The Black Seeds, Darien Prophecy, Jahcoustix, Prince Fatty, Eva Be have all brought us different flavours of reggae in the last two months and here’s another that’s been eagerly anticipated.

We were all disappointed when AfroReggae couldn’t make the Seu Jorge tour last year but that type of disappointment isn’t going to create an Uprising in this (mostly) green and pleasant land. Uprising in the Favelas of Brasil is what AfroReggae was formed for 13 years ago in Rio de Janeiro. Using music to ‘uprise’ against the gang and drug cultures of urban poverty that is such a part of urban slum life. You can see the common background links with Seu Jorge.

Unfortunately, such urban suffering in common all over the world. Brazilian music has been an influence on world music (see Brazilian Beats ‘N’ Pieces) for 40 years at least and now it’s Brazilian bands that are breaking through, notably CSS and Bondo do Role.

While Afroreggae can rock when they want to (Águas De Moloch), they are distinct from those other bands as they are more immersed in hip hop, their own musical heritage and they have more than a hint of reggae.

The CD starts with added UK hip hop influences with TY and Estele making an appearance on ‘Nenhum Motivo Explica a Guerra’. TY (a CDR fan) brings his rap of peace and understanding and some broken beat influences.

Lead singer Anderson Sa has a powerful soulful voice and the band is so big they can sound like a Latin Earth Wind & Fire (well on the ballard ‘Partida’ anyway) and for hip hop/Funk Mundial fans, check ‘Benedito’ —s like a smooth Edu K. While on the Afro tip, ‘A Aquare La Dela’ (Manu Chao!); ‘Mais Uma Chance’ and ‘Coisa De Negão are somewhere between the two with a bit of funk.

But where’s the reggae? ‘Quero Só Você’ and ‘Haiti’ are big and bouncy summer love tracks that you just have to let yourself go along with.

Don’t get the impression this CD is a horrible mash of different styles as it certainly isn’t. They certainly are a very tight band and they must be great live but before that, there’s another similarity between Anderson Sa and Seu Jorge. Sa was subject of a documentary last year, called Favela Uprising that was well received and was played at the ICA.

The gig they did play at the Barbican in March 2006 was such a success, they’ve been invited back next year, 2010 and 2012! Tickets won’t be on sale just yet so get the album now and get ready for the sound of AfroReggae. You’ll even get to like ‘Águas De Moloch’ as there are no bad tracks here.

Hectic Mix nominations: ‘Benedito’, ‘A Aquare La Dela’, Nenhum Motivo Explica a Guerra’, ‘Coisa De Negão’, ‘Quero Só Você’ and ‘Haiti’

Reviewed: AfroReggae - Favela Uprising (Mr Bongo) Cat. No. MRBCD053 Release date: 6th August 2007
Tracklisting
1. Nenhum Motivo Explica a Guerra (4:22)
2. Mais Uma Chance (4:34)
3. Quero Só Você (5:52)
4. Partida (5:14)
5. Benedito (4:29)
6. A Aquare La Dela (5:00)
7. Coisa De Negão (4:02)
8. Haiti (5:26)
9. A Parada é Outra (4:15)
10. Águas De Moloch (4:45)

Links:
www.afroreggae.org.br
www.mrbongo.com
Mojo July £2.70 ‘One Love! Bob Marley — How reggae’s revolutionary conquered the world’ www.mojo4music.com