Various Artists - Ghana Special: Highlife

Seminal sounds from the golden age of Ghanaian music. Highlife, rock, and soul collide and merge with tradition and culture. New styles meet old styles. A new generation renews old musical customs. New fashions meet old fashions, creating new fusions.

 Features rare tracks from Hedzoleh Soundz, Ogyatanaa Show Band, Honny & the Bees and early Ebo Taylor (Asaasa Sa). These tracks were originally available on vanishingly rare 70s pressings, then a highly collectible 5LP box set released in 2009.

This special vinyl edition is produced in conjunction with the James Barnor archive, featuring a previously unpublished 1976 photo from the archive of Ghana’s most famous photographer.

A curated snapshot of Ghanaian music at its creative peak, spanning 1967 to 1976. This compilation captures the dynamic period when highlife, rock, and soul collided with tradition and culture, producing vibrant fusions that reflected both the country’s musical heritage and the adventurous spirit of a new generation.

All of the tracks featured here were originally released on Soundway’s acclaimed 2009 5-LP box set Ghana Special, now highly collectible and long out of print. This new single LP edition distills that expansive anthology into a focused, accessible selection, offering both longtime collectors and new listeners an expertly curated entry point into Ghana’s golden era of highlife.

Featuring seminal recordings from artists including The Ogyatanaa Show Band, Hedzoleh Soundz, Ebo Taylor & Honny & the Bees, the collection offers both historical insight and irresistible grooves. Tracks like “You Monopolise Me” by The Ogyatanaa Show Band showcase visionary producer Kwadwo Donkor’s quirky, soulful songwriting, while Hedzoleh Soundz’s “Edinya Benya” delivers electrified folk infused with spiritual and rhythmic innovation. Honny & the Bees Band’s ”Psychedelic Woman”, which was remixed by DJ/producer Bonobo in 2005, demonstrates how these vibrant 70s highlife recordings continue to inspire contemporary electronic and downtempo music.

The music is brought to life through meticulous remastering, lacquer cut at The Carvery and vinyl pressed at Optimal in Germany, The cover features a previously unpublished 1976 photograph from James Barnor, capturing a musician at Rothman’s factory Christmas party in Accra—a glimpse into the archive of one of West Africa’s most important photographers. The image was shot on medium format film and is showcased at its original 1:1 ratio, with title and info on an obi strip. Layout and design by Wolfe Hall Studio.

Ghana Special: Highlife revives these rare and collectible recordings for modern listeners, celebrating the genre’s enduring vitality while offering a window into the country’s vibrant musical history. From street-level dance bands to the visionary work of Ghana’s musical pioneers, this LP traces the evolution of highlife across a crucial decade, revealing the innovative interplay of tradition and modernity that continues to inspire musicians today.