We start this slightly shorter new week with the birth of the modern music industry in Zimbabwe and the explosion of creativity through the 70s and 80s… and how!

We are such huge Analog Africa fans and the label’s new Roots Rocking Zimbabwe compilation is a proper instant hit. It focuses on 1975 through 1980 as the “Modern Sound of Harare Townships” slowly formed, uniting a wide range of genres and styles—from rock, rumba, and soul to irrepressible traditional grooves. It’s all so vibrant and the sequencing is glorious, with plenty of experimental energy as the songs morph. A fantastic compilation.

Both the CD and 2LP formats include really super liner notes. We got totally lost in them!

We have anniversary editions of some recent classics in the racks this week too. Fire Records issue a ten (and a half year) edition of Jane Weaver’s superb The Silver Globe, including an exclusive Silver colour vinyl pressing. It’s been a joy to play this one in the shop over the weekend, such evocative music. A proper “synth-ridden post-apocalyptic prog-pop opus” that still sounds somewhere between very old and distantly modern. An essential.

Daptone release a 20th Anniversary edition of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings’ absolutely scorching Naturally album. It has been remastered across a double (Orange) vinyl pressing with extra instrumental tracks. May 5th would have been the late soul icon’s birthday, so an extra nice opportunity to give this excellent collection a spin. What a woman.

We also have the self-titled Owl John album (Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit) and Crystal Castles’ (II) album, but both are in short supply so don’t dilly too long.

In less limited news, we have been restocking like mad and our Essentials section is a right trove of treasure at the moment.