Super review by Cal Gibson, of The Secret Soul Society.

In a somewhat desperate attempt to prise myself away from the shit-ton of murderous lunacy currently engulfing the world, I’ve been immersing myself in some much-needed spiritual nourishment courtesy of Black Disco and their mid 70s South African cosmic jazz feels.

…So not disco at all then, but eight rather beautiful jazzual sketches that sneak in without you noticing, before waltzing you serenely around the room, with a twinkle in the eye and a spring in their step.

Bandleader Pops Mohammed gathered some fine players – such as saxophonist Basil Coetzee and bassist Sipho Gumede, and let them fly on numbers such as the loping opener, Spiritual Feel: a bassline forged from the heavens underpins organistic flourishes and sweetened sax riffs  – Pharoah Sanders vibes-a-plenty, albeit toned down and sharpened up a little. It’s easy, accomplished stuff – the groove never being overcooked, the restraint of the musicians ever so well-judged. Less is more, perhaps: individual egos subsumed for the sake of the song. It’s a beautiful way to kick things off.

Night Express is an engaging highlight: the bass leading the charge again, sinuous and coiled, moving and shaking. Vocal chants colouring the vibe: sax runs plaintive and emotional. This is late night meditational music for messed-up minds and magical moments. Soweto soul music, essentially. Beautifully timeless.

I’m Organised comes on like a Sly Stone outtake, drum machine clanking, horns wielding muscular riffs to the chassis of the organ stabs. Circular motion, the poetry of the dispossessed, forever calling the faithless to the dancefloor. Free your mind and everything else shall follow: this is music to wallow in, to zone out to, to forget the crap and enjoy the ride.

Yasmeen’s Blues is a mid-tempo stroller, haunting and hallucinatory with the melody declaimed over and over on the sax. The players are in the pocket, the sun’s coming up, the night has been long and tortuous: the blues are always there, always moaning in ecstasy, always lightening the load we all have to bear.

A sure-fire antidote to the killings and the heartache served up daily by the media, Black Disco know that there is a better, more peaceful way. The musicians know it, the artists know it, the people know it: we just need to get the message to the young men with guns and the old men with murderous intent behind them. Hate hate and love love, every time. Peace go with you all.

Black Disco’s Discovery 1975 – 1976 is out now on As-Shams / The Sun Records.