Afrodisia

Black Goddess cover

Black Goddess

Remi Kabaka, Afrocult Foundation
Mamausa cover

Mamausa

Nelly Uchendu
Dr Orlando Owoh And His Young Kenneries Band cover

Dr Orlando Owoh And His Young Kenneries Band

Dr. Orlando Owoh & His Young Kenneries Band
Bunzu Soundz cover

Bunzu Soundz

Bunzu Soundz
Mother Africa cover

Mother Africa

The Lijadu Sisters
No Agreement cover

No Agreement

Africa 70, Fela Kuti
J.J.D. (Johnny Just Drop) cover

J.J.D. (Johnny Just Drop)

Africa 70, Fela Kuti
Saxon Lee & the Shadows International cover

Saxon Lee & the Shadows International

Saxon Lee & The Shadows International
Voices of Darkness cover

Voices of Darkness

Voices of Darkness
Up Side Down cover

Up Side Down

Sandra Akanke Isidore, Africa 70, Fela Kuti
Horizon Unlimited cover

Horizon Unlimited

The Lijadu Sisters
Stalemate cover

Stalemate

Africa 70, Fela Kuti
I.K. Dairo (MBE) & His Blue Spot Band cover

I.K. Dairo (MBE) & His Blue Spot Band

I.K. Dairo & His Blue Spots
Mr. Big Mouth cover

Mr. Big Mouth

Tunde Williams, Africa 70
Ofo the Black Company cover

Ofo the Black Company

Ofo & The Black Company
Yellow Fever cover

Yellow Fever

Africa 70, Fela Kuti
Oriental Brothers International cover

Oriental Brothers International

Oriental Brothers International
One Understanding cover

One Understanding

Christy Essien
Spiritual Conection cover

Spiritual Conection

Aura (Aspiritual Emanation)
Din Ya Sugri cover

Din Ya Sugri

Uppers International, Christy Azuma
La'Ila cover

La'Ila

Akwassa

Few images are as emblematic of the changes that swept Africa’s music scene in the 1970s as Afrodisia‘s iconic logo. Starting out as a doodle by founder label Dave Bennett, the stylized picture of a woman sporting an afro surrounded by a bold, curved typeface has appeared on hundreds of West African records, epitomizing one of the most transformative periods for African music.

During this decade artists in newly independent countries all over Africa were exploring and reclaiming indigenous styles which had been marginalized during colonialism, while also absorbing the rock, funk, and disco coming from abroad. The music scene exploded, and for the first time big labels began to take notice. Decca was particularly active, and in 1971 put a young sales manager by the name of Dave Bennett in charge of opening Afrodisia, its West African subsidiary in Lagos. Bennett strived to transfer all creative decision-making away from the London offices to Lagos, a move facilitated by the military junta’s indigenisation decrees of 1972 and 1977, requiring foreign-owned companies to hire more Nigerians. This enabled him to work closely with Nigerian colleagues who were deeply connected to the music scenes in Lagos and further afield, and led to Afrodisia’s relationship with the likes of Oriental Brothers International, an Igbo band from the East.

Afrodisia’s heyday didn’t last long, but in just under 10 years — Polygram Group bought Decca West Africa in 1980, and Afrodisia was all but abandoned, releasing mostly re-issues rather than working with new talent — they released hundreds of records capturing the plethora of sounds that were igniting the region’s music scenes, from jùjú to Afrobeat, highlife, psych-rock and, later on, soul and disco.

The following selection includes records by major stars like Fela Kuti, and others by lesser known artists who nonetheless had a pivotal role in shaping modern African music, as well as one compilation of killer singles released by Afrodisia.

Megan Iacobini de Fazio

Black Goddess cover

Black Goddess

Remi Kabaka, Afrocult Foundation
Mamausa cover

Mamausa

Nelly Uchendu
Dr Orlando Owoh And His Young Kenneries Band cover

Dr Orlando Owoh And His Young Kenneries Band

Dr. Orlando Owoh & His Young Kenneries Band
Bunzu Soundz cover

Bunzu Soundz

Bunzu Soundz
No Agreement cover

No Agreement

Africa 70, Fela Kuti
Saxon Lee & the Shadows International cover

Saxon Lee & the Shadows International

Saxon Lee & The Shadows International
Voices of Darkness cover

Voices of Darkness

Voices of Darkness
Up Side Down cover

Up Side Down

Sandra Akanke Isidore, Africa 70, Fela Kuti
Horizon Unlimited cover

Horizon Unlimited

The Lijadu Sisters
Stalemate cover

Stalemate

Africa 70, Fela Kuti
Mr. Big Mouth cover

Mr. Big Mouth

Tunde Williams, Africa 70
Ofo the Black Company cover

Ofo the Black Company

Ofo & The Black Company
Yellow Fever cover

Yellow Fever

Africa 70, Fela Kuti
Spiritual Conection cover

Spiritual Conection

Aura (Aspiritual Emanation)
Din Ya Sugri cover

Din Ya Sugri

Uppers International, Christy Azuma