Over the past few years Acid Jazz has been reissuing rare and exciHng records from the legendary Benin label ‘Albarika Store’. Next in the series is Les Sympathics de Porto Novo Benin (Vol. 2), the second album from another of Porto Novo’s premier groups from the 1970s, founded by former Herman Laleye – former leader of other Benin greats ‘Black Dragons de Porto Novo’.

The heavy rhythm secHon of the Laleye brothers (Herman on bass and Marc on drums) supports the vocals of Gangbo Bonheur (with backing from Herman and Jean-Louis Avognon), alongside Armand Pognon's blues-edged guitar and Camille Zanou's hypnoHc organ. Unlike a lot of their contemporaries, Les Sympathics steer clear of straight Afro Beat, Afro-Funk or Afro laHn incursions, to create something truly unique in the Beninese musical canon. Reissued in full for the very first Hme on high quality vinyl, with an incredible reproduction of the original sleeve. A must have for African music enthusiasts.