In The Red

Between the end of the '70s and the early '80s, a new sound appeared in London and it's surroundings, a unique mix of funk, jazz-funk, and disco labeled Britfunk. Characterized by it's raw energy that can put the needle "in the red", this up-tempo sound was a match for the UK's dancers and jazz-funk clubs. This first release by French label Chuwanaga features some of the most exciting, rare, and powerful tracks from that era compiled by the Parisian DJ and activist Saint-James, with bands such as Equa, Potion, Inch By Inch, Congress, Index, and Spookey. These young British musicians were equally inspired by the American jazz-funk productions and dub music and reggae pushed by the Afro-Caribbean community at the heart of Britfunk's development. They gave funk a unique British flavor. However, more than just a music genre or an enclosed expression of black Britishness, it was part of a genuine musical and social movement with it's own dedicated labels, fashion sense, and most importantly, it's own set of values that fueled the whole scene. Britfunk built itself within a multicultural evolution: black people, white people, straight and queer, all dancing in the same room to the same loud sound. Includes insert with an in-depth focus on this musical era.