Given their reputation as one of Australia’s eminent record stores, Crown Ruler’s first release as a new label was hardly going to be a lacklustre affair.
Like Invisible City or Rush Hour, the Melbourne brainchild of Jeremy Spellacey and Jamie Bennett prides itself on probing musical territories that pass others buy. Hidden in the annales of 80’s South Africa, they have unearthed Focus, comprised of Sello Mmutung and Keith Hutchinson who original laid down a six track album – Zulu Disco – in Johannesburg, 1983 during a session that marked the first time either of them had met.
Crown Ruler give three of those tracks a collective vinyl release for the first time and, like much of the music emanating from the region at the time, it’s got a distinct charm and energy to it; like fellow countrymen Benjamin Ball and Don Laka of the funk-leaning bubblegum era, or the idiosyncrasies of WITCH and Shadow, elsewhere in Africa. Listen below to a Red Greg current Red Greg favourite ‘Hay-Hay’.
Zulu EP is out 20th February – pre-oreder from Crown Ruler or Rush Hour.
