A seriously underrated slice of Cape Verdean dance music. Esperança finds Les Sofas moving between morna, coladeira and upbeat Afro-Caribbean rhythms, while embracing the more modern sounds emerging in Cape Verdean music during the late '70s.
Electric guitars, tight percussion, infectious basslines and occasional cosmic synth touches give the record a distinctive, slightly psychedelic edge. Tracks such as Dança Coladera, Boum Boum Tcha-Tcha-Tcha and Farafignon are particularly strong, balancing traditional Cape Verdean melodies with a raw, dancefloor-friendly groove.
The album also reflects the influence of the Cape Verdean diaspora in France, where musicians were absorbing sounds from West Africa, the Caribbean and the wider Afro-diasporic scene, while keeping the unmistakable melodic character of Cape Verde.
A great record for anyone into obscure Cape Verdean music, Afro-dancefloor, cosmic synths and late-'70s tropical grooves. Warm, melodic, slightly psychedelic and definitely worth digging for.
Record is VG+ (has surface marks plays very well though, check the actual clip on our instagram post) / Sleeve is strong VG++ (super clean with only a tiny tear and very llight bottom seam split).
