1978 Ipa-Boogie “Ipa-Boogie” on Albarika Store

Utterly devastating groove from Benin! Yeah, it hasn’t gone the way of Zamrock yet, but Benin BURNS with killer Afrobeat, and this is a wonderful example. I mean, I totally love this record for the banger’s banger bass and slick drums, and right there it’s already in groove-grail territory. The pocket those two guys achieve on “Get The Music Now” I could listen to on a week-long loop alone. Add in super creative non-psych git licks that feel ahead of their time for ’78, and could easily be on an Oingo Boingo 12” remix, plus great reggae/soul vocals AND reverb-y sax licks AND tasty tight-corner Rhodes runs, and you have a chicken dinner’s Lotto winner. Have I mentioned the drums yet? The dude’s style is exceptionally funky and Rolex-tight hi-hat slapback crash. There is little to no info about the members of the super-obscure band, except leader Sol Oshijo, who also goes by Maah Simon, who is also the slamming bass player and composer who appears as a sideman on a number of other records, but this is IPA B’s only release. Worth mentioning that Albarika Store is right up there with Afrodisia for vital African labels, with a lifetime’s rabbit warren of releases to drool over. TOP TOP action, on my short list of best all-time African slabs, if it doesn’t get your junk funking you should have someone you trust check your carotid for a pulse, stat.