{"product_id":"africa-negra_leve-leve-vol1_2020_lad","title":"Léve léve vol.1","description":"The two Portuguese-speaking African islands of São Tomé and Principe, located in the Gulf of Guinea, created a unique music called Puxa: a refined blend of various musical components from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. A mix of Semba, Merengue, Kompas, Soukouss, and Coladeira motifs, often developing with a voodoo-like energy, solid bass lines, delicate melodies, and backing harmonies from the rich melodic traditions of São Tomé.The first compilation focused on the golden age of the sounds of this island, the 16 selected tracks are sure to set every dancefloor on fire!'Léve-Léve' is the very first compilation dedicated to the music of São Tomé and Principe, two small islands located off the coast of Gabon in Central Africa. The album unveils a story of liberation where the music of Africa, Europe, and the Americas unites with a carefree spirit personified by a phrase the islanders use all the time: \"léve, léve\" (\"Take it easy\"). With echoes of Angolan semba and merengue, Brazilian afoxê, Cape Verdean coladeira, and Caribbean dance music, it is a sound fiercely proud of its island heritage, sung in local dialects and using distinctive local rhythms.On this record, you can hear the cultural and social history of São Tomé and Principe, and how live music represented its beating heart. Once known as the \"Chocolate Islands\" (remarkably, these two small islands were the world's largest cocoa producers, though that title now recalls its colonial past), in the years leading up to independence from Portugal, music became a fundamental voice of liberation and conviviality. Os Úntués was one of the first groups to make a strong impression, releasing a couple of 7-inch records in Angola—the litmus test for success for any group from the islands. They united unique rhythms and dances like socopé, puita, and dança-congo—originating from the islands' largely descendant population—with the sound of pop music broadcast on European radio, even adding a touch of soukous and Brazilian instrumentation. Their main rivals were Conjunto Mindelo, who merged São Toméan rhythms with rebita, an Angolan style, to create a high-energy puxa, a truly original island rhythm.From the mid-1970s, coinciding with independence from Portugal in 1975, island groups had an even stronger African influence, and nowhere was this more evident than in Africa Negra. They would listen to the latest records from Gabon, Zaire, and Cameroon, drawing inspiration and trying out the phrasing of great Central African guitarists, developing a dedicated fan base off the islands as well as on. About twenty other groups would follow a similar musical path, some earning their dues abroad in Angola, Cape Verde, Portugal, and across Africa.Os Leonenses (led by the iconic Pedro Lima), Conjunto Sangazuza, Sum Alvarinho, and Conjunto Ecuador were just a few of the other groups that formed a lively local music scene that lit up the islands' bars and outdoor shows from the 1950s until the mid-1990s. Regardless of class or age, they were responsible for entertaining the population on weekends, with Sunday mornings showing the week's highlight, music not stopping from noon to midnight.As a Portuguese island colony that for many years was populated by slaves brought from Africa, São Tomé and Principe has much in common with other Portuguese-speaking countries and possesses a richly complex and idiosyncratic musical DNA. While the musical tapestries of Angola and Cape Verde are well known, the secrets of São Tomé and Principe have been entrusted to the islanders themselves.","brand":"Africa Negra","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57447846707544,"sku":null,"price":23859877.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0898\/4943\/0360\/files\/7640159731405.jpg?v=1780612344","url":"https:\/\/vinyles.com\/en-us\/products\/africa-negra_leve-leve-vol1_2020_lad","provider":"Vinyles.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}