The first African Scream Contest compilation, an electrifying set of obscure soul and funk tracks recorded in Benin and Togo during the '70s, originally appeared in 2008, and has remained one of the most popular releases on the Analog Africa label. Its sequel finally arrived a decade later, after musician Lokonon André managed to track down all the artists on cratedigger Samy Ben Redjeb's wish list and license their songs, and was well worth the wait. Like the first volume, this one focuses on heavy funk grooves laid down by supremely disciplined musicians, with styles ranging from the slightly jazzy pop of Ignace de Souza & the Melody Aces' "Asaw Fofor" to hypnotic shakers with call-and-response vocals, such as "Nounignon Ma Klon Midji" by Antoine Dougbé. The album lives up to its title on a few occasions, such as Picoby Band d'Abomey's "Mé Adomina," which is punctuated by piercing howls, particularly at its joyous finale. Even when it isn't quite as abrasive, the album's energy level never lets up. Stanislas Tohon's "Dja Dja Dja" and the more percussive, keyboard-driven Cornaire Salifou Michel's "Gangnidodo" incorporate more of a Latin influence, particularly in the horn arrangements. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou's giddy "Moulon Devia" is a sprightly disco shuffle, and one of the most undeniably fun tracks here. Of course, it's impossible to deny the influence James Brown had on the music of this era, and Super Borgou de Parakou's "Baba l'Oke Ba'Wagbe" is filled with ecstatic wails that could be mistaken for samples of Brown himself (if sampling were common back in the '70s, that is). A few songs cool down a bit, such as the reggae-like sway of Elias Akadiri's "L'Enfance" or the wavy shimmer of Gnonnas Pedro's "How Much Love Naturally Cost." The extensively detailed liner notes feature interviews with the musicians as well as plenty of gorgeous photos, but the music itself is the main attraction, and it all sounds uniformly incredible.
