r/afrobeat • u/Jolly_Issue2678 • May 10 '25
Cool Pics 📷 African Record of The Day
Dougbe Antoine - Antoine Dougbe & Orchestre Poly-Rythmo (Benin, EDA 001, Editions Dougbe Antoine, 1980)
Several months ago, I posted one of the albums released by Antione Dougbe and wrote a brief introduction of him. He was a Beninese artist who recorded 3 classic albums with Poly-Rythmo. He is one of my favorite Beninese artists. His compositions are melodious and UNIQUE. I always wish he had left more music.
Today, I post his another classic, EDA 001, another brilliant album backed by Poly-Rythmo and arranged by Melome Clement! It is more latin influenced and more consistently funky than DM 001. If there was no 'Nou Akwuenon Hwlin Me Sin Koussio' in DM 001, I would have preferred EDA 001 to DM 001!
The album starts with 2 funky Pach tunes, 'Gnin We A Na Mon' and 'Adin Gban Non Chouwe'. Both feature distinct Latin percussion rhythm and funky keyboard performance. The last song of Side A is 'Ye Ko Gni Me Towe Dea', Cavacha-Pop featuring thumping bass groove by Bentho Gustave.
On Side B, there are two outstanding Cavacha-Pop tracks, 'Kouvito Gbe De Towe' and 'Honton Soukpo Gnon'. In my opinion, these two tracks are the best composition by Antoine Dougbe along with 'Nou Akwuenon Hwlin Me Sin Koussio' and 'Towe Nin'. They commonly feature powerful brass riff, funky drum beats, and memorable vocal chorus sung by Eskill! Intro of 'Kouvito Gbe De Towe' is my favorite moment. What a funky drum groove and impressive horn riff! It is just amazing. You can hear both songs in the compilation 'Legends of Benin' released by Analog Africa.
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u/PrO-founD May 10 '25
HE'S DONE IT AGAIN!!!