This Is Your Heart My Son, And Now You Are The African Man: Duo Ouro Negro- Mulowa Afrika (1968?), Blackground (1971)

If you don't know by now that this Angolan duo, Duo Ouro Negro, are damn near the best thing your ears can hear, it's time for you to make haste and go to Ghostcapital to grab his immeasurable treasures. Over at his place, you'll find the best of the duo-- especially Africanissimo, which is just a phenomenal record (as well as Com Sivuca which is just as good, really), and a comp put together by the Ghost himself. Folks, I can't recommend that stuff highly enough.

For those wanting more, here's some additional bounty for your ears.


As there's not a lot of (English-language) information on these splendid men, I'm not sure of the date or issue of this album. Is it their 1968 first full-length? Is the below cover for a reissue, or another album buy the same name?


The details elude me, and looking at the tracks on this download, I suspect there is a degree of disorder and misinfo. I've done my best to clean it up for you all, but I can't find what the proper tracklist should be, and don't even know what version of Mulowa Afrika we're dealing with here. Let's focus on what we do know: this is prime Duo, every song is beautiful, and it's in 320. The rest is just superfluous mystery, much as I'd like to clear it all up.

There is some overlap with Ghostcapital's comp, and with some other Duo Ouro Negro releases, but it's still a more than worthy record to have in your life. Very highly recommended.

MULOWA AFRIKA (320)



Here's Blackground, which I believe is from 1971. Again, you'll find some overlaps, but there's some especially wonderful, unique material here. It's bookended by partial-English language tracks, the first containing spoken word, the last sung by a giant chorus. The words lay out an allegorical African folk tale, and it's great, ending with a spirit reminding a mystical river boy (and, perhaps, the listener), "Don't forget your background, don't forget your blackground, don't forget your blackground..." It is so good.

The rest of the record is excellent, incorporating perhaps more of a heavy, but also traditional, sound than they usually might, and in general making some more experimental, slightly concept record-y moves. This is one of my favorites. Look, this is Duo Ouro Negro. There's not a bad song-- there's not a bad moment-- on either of these records. Believe.

BLACKGROUND (320)

Also, if you have a line on more Duo records, or better cover scans and further info on these two, consider letting me know about it.