GALGI (vinyl)

Description

Teranga Beat returns to its roots in West Africa, and more specifically in Gambia, to present Galgi, the second album by Bai Janha’s groovy juggernaut, Karantamba, on the label. Karantamba’s first album, Ndigal, was crucial for the label, as it was its third release, marking its identity: exploring cultural hybrids where traditional music is always present, in this specific region of West Africa at first, and later in other parts of the continent and the Mediterranean. Afro-Manding music is one of my favorites, and I was convinced that I would return to Gambia one day! When I visited Bai Janha in August 2010 at his home in Kololi to prepare the release of Ndigal, he told me that he had another unreleased album on two master tapes. In the following days, we tried to find a reel-to-reel machine in Gambia to listen to them. We eventually found one, but it was not in good condition and the sound came out badly. I was struck by the sound of the 80s synthesizers and guitars, and I hoped I would get another chance to listen to them properly. During the Covid pandemic, I was in regular contact with Bai, and I reminded him about this album and asked him to send me the tapes so I could listen to them. A week later, I received the cassettes, which I had to handle carefully in order to digitize them, as all these 80s cassettes are very fragile. There is a risk of playing them once and destroying them completely. From the very first listen, I knew I had to release this album. The mix done in the studio was a bit chaotic, so a very special treatment was needed during mastering to achieve a good result and deserve to be released on vinyl. The difference between Galgi and Karantamba’s previous recordings is not only the 80s sound, but also Ndey Nyang’s female vocals! Galgi was recorded 4 years after Ndigal, in 1988, at Studio Wings in Dakar. As an original 80s recording, the guitars and synthesizers combine with a killer groove throughout the album. Galgi means “slave ship” in Wolof, a title dedicated to the people who suffered from the Atlantic slave trade, and that is why the cover photo was taken in the iconic House of Slaves on Gorée Island in Dakar. The song remains contemporary, as many people today take the risk of sailing through the maelstrom of the Atlantic Ocean toward unknown shores, a journey that recalls the historical migration from the west coast of Africa, where slave ships once set sail. This time, it is an effort to escape the realities imposed on Africa by the former colonizers since the continent gained independence.