I don’t remember how I came across this disc, but Buda Musique’s collection of Angolan pop is a goldmine of incredible music.  Angola 70s: 1972-1973 provides a great starting place to hear traditional Angolan semba music and its commonalities and differences with other popular music.  There’s a lot to consider in the upbeat melodies considering the history of the music as a form of rebellion against Portuguese rule in prior to the country’s independence in 1975. 

I started to write more about this, but the truth is I have a lot to learn about this kind of music, and don’t feel confident to make any statements that would add to a conversation.  I can say I bought this because the combination of funk, pop, and world music strikes a chord in me, and I want to actively discover more music in this vein.

This is a step on that journey.