The always on point Soundway label delves deep into the largely overlooked fathoms of highlife music, funk and, yes, even some Nigerian blues. Label head / compilation guru Miles Cleret spent five years flying back and forth to Nigeria and Lagos, scouring warehouses and record store while seeking out the stories behind all these songs, and the love shows in the final product, which comes with a 30+ page booklet inside a vibrant double-gatefold digipak inside a slipsleeve. In other words, uhhh, yeah this is pretty cool. The music itself is as diverse as the name suggests, leaning heavily on Afrobeat percussion and fierce guitar playing; it spans the years from 1970 to '76, the creatively fertile period which followed immediately after the Biafran War. Check out: Funke's "Akula Owu Onyeara(1)," Semicolon's "Nekwaha Semi Colon(2)," St. Augustine & His Rovers Dance Band's "Onwu Ama Dike(3)," The Tony Benson Sextet's "Ugali(4)," The Nigerian Police Force Band's "Asiko Mi Ni(5)," The Hykkers' "I Want A Break Thru(6)" and Osayomore Joseph & The Creative 7's "Euguae Oba(7)." If you liked any of Soundway's previous comps, this one's a no-brainer. 26 tracks; 116 minutes total.

reviewed by Larri Byrd