Various Artists - Juyungo (Afro-Indigenous Music From The North-Western Andes) [Honest Jons]

If you aren’t aware of Honest Jon’s you might be about to go down a bit of a wormhole. They’re one of London’s best record shops, based in Portobello Road no less, and have been going for fifty years. About twenty years ago they started a label releasing music ranging from lauded compilations unearthing Britain’s black music history, to bleeding edge house, folk, African music and the deeper side of dubstep when that was a thing. Dust off your credit card and don’t tell your partner.

Their latest compilation sees them heading over to Ecuador - perhaps not the first country you think of when considering South American music, let alone the Afro rooted sounds they’ve dug up. There’s no low hanging fruit either as they head to Esmeraldas, home of a unique Afro-Indigenous community, where they dig deep into some of the regions recorded musical heritage as well as even older field recordings. It’s a mind blowing collection of animistic roots and culture colliding fusion - raw, ritualistic and revelatory.

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Playlist Companion:

To further explore (modern) music from around the world take a trip through the Slow World Playlist: