Lamar Thomas
Feel So Good Inside

The killer 1981’s Nigerian funk boogie disco and reggae by Kio Amachree repressed for the first time.

Nine unreleased and rare tracks from the amazing Roger Damawuzan also known as the “James Brown from Lomé”, backed by the tremendous “Les As du Benin” orchestra, and recorded between 1972 and 1981.Born in 1952 in Aneho (Togo), “The king of Gazo” (a traditional rhythm) is one of the most popular singer of his native country. He started his career in 1968 with the “Ricker’s” but his first record was released in 1972 with his now classic hit “Wait For Me”.From 1972 to the early 80s alongside “Les As du Benin”, they worked more than 5 days a week at the Hotel Tropicana in front of the sea with many tourists around and it was a very good exercise to work and create a perfect Afro-Soul sound. During this period they also recorded many tracks, sometime in Ghana at the famous Philips studio, sometime during live session for big events in the “Palais des Congres de Lomé” and studio Otodi in Lomé, always live and analog.Today Roger Damawuzan lives in Lomé; in 2014 he was the featuring singer on the smash hit “Pas Contente” by Vaudou Game and performed with the band in different European big festivals.Roger Damawuzan & Les As Du Benin can be considered as one of the biggest figure of the African Funk scene from the 70s: A must have record!

Hot Casa Records present Togo Soul 70 (Selected Rare Togolese Recordings from 1971 to 1981). A treasure-trove of rare and unusual recordings mostly recorded in Lomé during the 70’s, a fusion of traditional voodoo chants, raw soul and Afro jazz. Finding these tracks and their rights holders hasn’t become any easier even after few trips all over this west African country bordered by Ghana, Benin & Burkina Faso.We, at Hot Casa Records, decided to select 13 tracks, a snapshot of some hundreds of rare and often forgotten tapes from the most prolific, professional and exciting phase of the country’s recording history, including international stars like Bella Bellow (who even performed to Maracana stadium in Brazil), or Roger Damawuzan, compared as the James Brown from Lomé, and forgotten tapes and brilliant songs in Mina, Kabyié and Fon languages. Many of the tracks featured here are peppered with innovation and experimentation highlighting how diverse the music scene in Togo was at the time, even if the political context influenced their creation.A must have for all music lovers, also used as the soundtrack of the documentary Togo Soul 70, directed by Liz Gomis & DJ Julien Lebrun!

Following the recent reissues of Pop Impressions, Super America, Soul Impressions, and Chorus, Underdog Records label follows-up to the series with another brilliant album by French underrated composer and producer, JANKO NILOVIC.JANKO NILOVIC certainly was one of the greatest studio talents of Europe in the 70s!He is a musician who devotes himself to music, which resulted in a great number of published works, but most of them made for library music labels and also not available for sale. His oeuvre stretches from classical, jazz and funk to pop, psyche and easy listening. And has been sampled many times by hip-hop artists such as JAY-Z, DRE, DAFUNIKS or GUTS...

Hot Casa Records proudly presents the reissue of Disco Hi-Life, a real treasure album composed and interpreted by Afro-Soul maestro, Orlando Julius.Following up to the 12inch release (HC07 / 2009), here comes the remastered version of a real mindblower piece from 1976 including four unreleased tracks, all recorded with the best Nigerian musicians, between Ginger Baker’ Studio in Lagos and the American Star Studio in West Virginia, USA.Orlando Julius Aremu Olusanya Ekemode was born in 1943 in Ikole-Ekiti, Nigeria and can be considered as a main figure of the Afro-Soul music history. One of the first African musician to get signed on a “Major” label (Polydor), he delivered many hit single as a composer and effortlessly performed live as a tenor sax and singer. He worked and met with some of the “greatest“, such as Louis Armstrong, James Brown (for his Nigerian tour with Bootsy Collins), The Crusaders, Gil Scott Heron, or Hugh Masekela.In the middle of 1975, just after they finished the recording of The Boys Doing It’ album with Hugh Masekela, they all flew to Ghana and Lagos. It was holyday and Orlando had also plenty of time to focus on his own songs. He wrote “Disco Hi-Life” in Yoruba and “Children of the World” in English. And he immediately planned a recording session including 12 finest musicians, such as the great singer Dora Ifudu Avery, Adelaja Gboyega on keys, Kenneth Okulolo on Bass guitar, Butley Moore on drums, Fela’s collaborator Tunde William on Trumpet, and also Ade, who helped sang “Love Peace & Happiness”.Originally released by Nigerian label Jofabro in partnership with the UNICEF association for the “International year of the Child”, it was only available in few promotional quantity… here comes the very first official reissue of this dancefloor masterpiece!