Roots Rocking Zimbabwe : The Modern Sound Of Harare' Townships 1975 - 1980 (2025)

"Analog Africa returns to its roots with this splendid 25-track compilation that marks a full-circle moment for label founder Samy Ben Redjeb. This extraordinary collection highlights a golden era of Zimbabwean music with rare and unreleased tracks by genre-defining artists such as Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo, The Green Arrows, New Tutenkhamen, and Harare Mambos. The collection charts the evolution of Zimbabwe’s music industry during a turbulent era. In the 1970s, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) was still under colonial rule. Black musicians faced censorship and marginalization in white-owned media, yet still found ways to be heard. The influence of Western rock (The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix) was undeniable, thanks in part to the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation. Yet local bands responded by weaving these sounds with Congolese rumba, South African mbaqanga, soul, and traditional rhythms, creating a distinct Zimbabwean rock and pop identity." (World Music Central)