African Head Charge - Off The Beaten Track (Vinyl LP)

Off The Beaten Track is the fourth album from African Head Charge. It is a dub record that pushes deep into electronic territory, folding samples and programmed chants into live percussion and heavy bass. African Head Charge began as a studio collaboration between Jamaican percussionist Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah and English producer Adrian Sherwood. The project took its name, and its idea of a psychedelic Africa, from Brian Eno and David Byrne's 'My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts'. The album was originally released on Sherwood's On-U Sound label in 1986. It was recorded and mixed at Southern Studios with Sherwood producing. Noah's hand percussion sits against a rotating On-U cast: Jah Wobble on bass for 'Some Bizarre', Skip McDonald on keyboards for 'Language & Mentality', and Style Scott among the drummers. 'Down Under Again' adds didgeridoo. On-U's own notes describe the album as a landmark in combining sampling technology with live instrumentation. Its found sounds, including barking dogs, breaking glass and looped violin, still land unexpectedly. This edition belongs to On-U Sound's reissue of four early African Head Charge albums, and it was cut at Dubplates & Mastering. It comes with a printed inner sleeve carrying notes by Steve Barker of On The Wire, along with a download card.