ESA Vinyl & CDs

Review: Isle of Jura revisits the wonderful 'A Muto' by Esa here with a fresh reissue of it in original form with various remixes. It was originally released in 1986 on the 'Atesa' album and became an instant hit in Cameroon and Africa. The lyrics of tell the story of a woman leaving her husband, frustrated with her isolation as the housekeeper. The song blends Makossa, a brass-heavy style from the French Cameroons, with Ambasse Bey which is a traditional fast-paced dance music from Cameroon. When it was first written, Martin gathered session musicians in Paris and personally programmed the drums and synths using a Linn Drum and Yamaha DX7 to create a unique fusion of modern and traditional Cameroonian sounds.

Review: For its third outing, AWEH has a brilliantly and much anticipated collaboration between label head Esa and Soweto based South African Kwaito legend Kamazu. The music was made between 2020 and 2022 and is a perfect fusion of new school electronics and authentic and traditional musicianship that also pays testament to the power of musical synergy and South African cultural awareness. 'Shukuma' is a deep house tune with Afro vocals percussion bringing it to life in all new ways. After the dub comes 'Muntu' (feat dirty Bungalow) which is like a classic Chicago house cut with more Afro vocals and fresh percussive sounds and patterns.