Chart

Flamenco with a Balkan beat. Boogaloo with a hip hop flavour. Brazilian samba soul remixed in London. African sounds with a funky swing. And of course, his signature sound - Afrobeat, made in Madrid, Lisbon, Lagos or New York. Playing all kinds of music from all kinds of places, the world gets connected at a DJ Floro session. This cornerstone of Madrid nightlife has played all over Spain and at clubs and festivals across Europe. Just back from the Xeex Festival in Dakar, where he played a set from his new compilation República Afrobeat Vol 3, Floro sent in this chart of current and all time favourites for Mondomix.

01.
Zombie/ Fela Ransome Kuti & The Africa 70 - Zombie (MCA)

For me this is one of the most intense, hypnotic Fela tunes out there. It’s a heavy critique of the military mind-set. Apparently this track got him kicked out of Ghana, where he was living in exile for a while.

Fela Kuti - Zombie

02.
N.E.P.A Dance Dub/Tony Allen - N.E.P.A (Wrasse)

I love playing this track, Tony Allen is such a crucial player, yeah he put the beat in Afrobeat!

Tony Allen – Never Expect Power Always

03.
Chifara/ Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu Of Ethiopia (Worthy Records)

Mulatu Astatke is one of my favourite artists. As Winston said in Broken Flowers, his music makes the heart feel good.
 

04.
Ma Jaiye Oni/King Sunny Adé & His African Beats – Juju Music (Mango/Island)

With King Sunny Adé and his album ‘Juju Music’ I discovered a new intense sound and it inspired me to dig deeper into all kinds of music.
 

05.
Mbollo/Dread Maxim - Bureau Export De La Musique Africaine (Bema)

One of the things which draws me to African music is the way all kinds of rhythms are adapted – you can hear amazing African hip hop and reggae. Dread Maxim is a great Senegalese reggae artist.

Dread Maxim - Mbollo

06.
Sabasi/Cedric Im Brooks & The Light Of Saba - The Magical Light Of Saba (Honest Jons)

Cedric Im Brooks is possibly the most innovative Jamaican sax player ever, and he has a really African feel. His sound is a pioneering fusion of jazz, Afrobeat, funk, reggae and Latin music. One of my all time favourite artists.
 

07.
Street Sounds (Nickodemus Mix)/ The Pimps Of Joytime - Funk Fixes & Remixes (Wonderwheel Recordings)

I play out this track by The Pimps Of Joytime a lot at the moment. It’s an Afrobeat track remixed by one of my favourite DJs, Nickodemus. It’s emblematic of New York’s super-diverse musical culture.
 

08.
Jorge Da Capadocia/ Cacique 97 -Cacique 97 (Sohiphop-Edicoes)

I think Lisbon is a really key centre for new musical mixes right now. I discovered Cacique 97 the last time I was there – a Portuguese band reinventing Afrobeat, and doing it really well.

Cacique 97 - Eu Quero Tudo

09.
Wanna Do My Thing (Extended Edit)/ Matata Shunters - Wanna Do My Thing (Afro Funky)

These guys are from Kenya, they mix a heavy James Brown influence with African percussion – I love dropping this track at a club – perfect for the dancefloor.
 

10.
Se Acabó La Malanga - Eddie Palmieri & His Orchestra- Super-Imposition (Tico)

One of the true greats of Latin music. His band La Perfecta was massively influential in salsa, he was the first one to really focus on the trombone section and it became part of his trademark sound. Palmieri never stopped experimenting and I love that.

República Afrobeat Vol 3 is out now
www.myspace.com/republicafrobeat

Bernardo Gutiérrez

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