S03E01 - "Catching Up: Ode To The African Synth"

In our season three premiere, we delve into the fascinating journey of synthesizers to the shores of Africa. Amidst conflicting origin stories, one fact remains certain – by the mid-80s, African musicians had embraced the revolutionary analog technology, catalyzing an explosion of diverse genres and subgenres which fused traditional styles and rhythms with global influences. From the infectious "burger highlife" of Ghanaian immigrants in Germany, to the psychedelic Ethiopian jazz recorded over drum machines, to the Bubblegum soul and house-influenced Kwaito of South Africa, we explore the work of of the continent's foremost electronic music pioneers, who ranged from global pop stars to reclusive iconoclasts, and how their experimental new sounds forever changed the face of the African music scene.