Released on 31 July 2026, Unearthed African Recordings Vol. 1 gathers 20 recordings from the 1970s and 1980s, drawn from Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Benin and Nigeria — highlife, apala, soukous, Congolese rumba, Kikuyu benga and Afro-pop.
The compilation is the result of four years of record-hunting across the continent. The project worked with musicologist Ed Keazor and Afrobeat musician Dele Sosimi to restore and authenticate the recordings, and set out to trace artists and their families so that they are properly credited and paid.
That last point is what makes today’s rediscovery of African vinyl different. For decades, rare records travelled north to collectors and DJs, and reissues often left their creators out. A new generation of archival projects treats provenance, credit and cultural ownership as part of the music itself.
AMA WORLD covers music editorially and does not stream. Physical records belong in AMA MARKET → VINYL.
AMA MARKET → VINYL
