Explore the bubblegum soul sound of ’80s South Africa in our latest radio show

Soundway Records in the studio.

This month, VF Editor Anton Spice is joined by Soundway Records label manager Alice Whittington to get the lowdown on their new compilation Gumba Fire: Bubblegum Soul & Synth Boogie in 1980s South Africa, which charts the country’s explosive and addictive dance floor disco scene.

Selected by Miles Cleret and DJ Okapi, the compilation is something of a follow-up to the label’s superb Doin’ It In Lagos collection last year, and shines a light on a scene getting increasing airplay from adventurous DJs around the world.

From the origins of the name, to the political resonance of the scene and its key protagonists, hear our interview with Whittington as part of a new segment on the show called Reissue Corner, alongside a selection of our favourite new releases and reissues doing the rounds at VF HQ in January.

Tracklist:

Lex Amor – Praises (Touching Bass)

Kokoroko – Abusey Junction (Brownswood)

Basa Basa – Homowo (Vintage Voudou)

K15 – Sunbeams (Eglo)

Ntombi Ndaba – Do You Trust Amajita? (Soundway)

Ozila – Wola Wola (Soundway)

Ashiko – Gumba Fire (Madlakadlaka) (Soundway)

Space Ghost – Colour Waves (Tartelet)

DJ Koze – Seeing Aliens (Pampa)

Peggy Gou – It Makes You Forget (Ninja Tune)

Shams Dinn – Hedi Bled Noum (Smiling C)

DJ Taye – Trippin’ (Hyperdub)

Jeremy Deller x Adrian Sherwood – Freetail Dub (The Vinyl Factory)

James Blake – If The Car Beside You Moves Ahead (Polydor)

Leslie Winer & Jay Glass Dubs – Woodshedded (Bokeh Versions)

Enrico Intra – Insieme (Dualismo Sound)