Various
Gumba Fire (Bubblegum Soul & Synth​-​Boogie In 1980s South Africa)

Great compilation with sought after tunes from South Africa by heavy weight artists like Stimela, Ashiko, Zoom, Ntombi Ndaba, Condry Ziqubu and more.. Tip!!

In 1980s black South Africa a local form of pop music evolved as the disco boom died down and slowly mutated. It was often ubiquitously described as Bubblegum - usually stripped-down and lo-fi with a predominance of synths, keyboards and drum-machines and overlaid with the kind of deeply soulful trademark vocals and harmonies that South African music is famous for.

Compilers Miles Cleret (Soundway) and DJ Okapi (Afrosynth
Records) present a selection of 18 rare, handpicked 1980s cuts that highlight the period that nestles in between the ‘70s (where American-influenced jazz, funk and soul bumped shoulders with local Mbaqanga) and the ‘90s when Kwaito and eventually house-music ruled the dancefloors of urban South Africa.

Alongside French-Caribbean Zouk this kind of music has
slowly been making its way into the DJ sets of many of the
most open minded selectors around the world. This
compilation is in many ways a sister release to the hugely
popular compilation of Nigerian boogie and disco that Soundway released in late 2016 : “Doing it In Lagos: Boogie, Pop & Disco in 1980s Nigeria”.

The album takes its name from the band Ashiko’s track of the same name Gumba Fire that features on the compilation.
The term is derived from gumba gumba, the term given to the booming speakers of the old spacegram radios that
broadcast music into South Africa’s townships and villages.
The phrase later evolved into Gumba Fire to refer to a
hot party. Put this record on and feel the heat!

FOR FANS OF:
The Movers: “Kansas City”, Doing It In Lagos compilation, Hotline: “You Are Mine”, Pantsula! compilation, Umoja, Next Stop Soweto series, Boogie Breakdown compilation