Various Artists – 2 Beat ! Apartheid (1990)

Starting in 1988, Heimatklänge Festival (Festival for the sounds of the homeland) was staged in Berlin every summer during the 6 or 7 weeks of school holidays. The bands were invited for 1 week each, and every year they came from a different corner of the world. They played at the "Tempodrom", a big circus tent with a second open air stage next to it, they chose the stage depending on the weather. Their first show was always on a Wednesday and would be transmitted live by a local radio station, so people knew what to expect on the following weekend. In addition each band visited the studio of that radio station to record a couple of songs that were released on CD after the festival. You'll never get a better recording of these African bands as they simply can't afford a studio of this quality. I have some more of these radio transmissions on tape, you'll get them soon.
In 1990 the fight against Apartheid was still going strong and for that year bands from the southern countries of Africa were invited in order to support their fight. Please remember that the political situation in Berlin was very special in that period. Earlier there were 2 German countries, East and West, with a communist and a capitalist system, divided by the wall – if you tried to cross it without permission you got shot. In 1989 the East German system collapsed and the wall was opened, almost causing a new war between the russian army in East Germany and the Allied troops in the West. And into that atmosphere came these bands from Africa, playing music from their homelands and fighting against apartheid that divided their own countries and societies.

Tracks
01. Sipho Mabuse • Jive Soweto '90 • 4:50
02. Orchestra Marrabenta Star De Moçambique • Matilde • 5:15
03. Oliver Mtukudzi & The Black Spirits • Tumirayi Shoko • 4:46
04. Orquestra Os Jovens Do Prenda • Mukila Wé • 6:51
05. Soul Brothers • Matombazane • 6:41
06. Stella Rambisai Chiweshe • Chigamba • 7:58
07. Noise Khanyile & Amagugu Akwazulu • Mamma Siyanuka • 3:22
08. Orchestra Marrabenta Star De Moçambique Feat. Wazimbo • Nwahulwana • 6:48
09. Sipho Mabuse • Free South Africa • 5:19
10. Orquestra Os Jovens Do Prenda • Harmonização Y Amnistia • 6:35
11. Soul Brothers • Sibongile • 4:06
12. Noise Khanyile • Sikelela • 4:12
13. Orquestra Os Jovens Do Prenda • Makame • 6:17
Total time: 73:00 !