Borga Revolution! Ghanaian Music In The Digital Age, 1984 - 1999 (Volume 3)

Kalita is excited to present the third volume in their groundbreaking ‘Borga Revolution!’ compilation series, exploring the revolutionary phenomenon of ‘Burger Highlife.’ This unique style fused West African melodies with synthesizers, disco, and boogie, a sound that took Ghanaian airwaves by storm in the 1980s and beyond. With previous volumes receiving strong support by tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson, Antal, Tom Ravenscroft, and Hunee, Volume 3 takes a deeper dive than ever before into the world of Ghanaian digital dance music. This volume features rare, sought-after tracks from artists including Obibini Takyi, Osei Banahene, and Okyerema Asante, as well as Burger Highlife trailblazers George Darko and Lee Dodou. Borga Revolution! Volume 3 offers a curated mix of standout anthems and rediscovered gems, many of which are otherwise nearly impossible to find, making this collection a must-have for fans and collectors alike.

The 1970s and 80s saw Ghanaian musicians begin to incorporate Western sounds like funk and disco into their music, reflecting the changing global musical landscape. However, the country's political instability and economic hardships, marked by military regimes and curfews, forced many artists to leave Ghana in search of better opportunities abroad. In Europe and the U.S., these musicians fused their traditional highlife roots with emerging digital sounds, using cutting-edge technology like the DX7 synthesizer and drum machines to create the genre now known as Burger Highlife. With ‘Borga Revolution!’ Kalita offers a vivid exposition of this musical transformation, using rare interviews, archival photos, and detailed liner notes to bring to life the pioneering spirit of both well-known icons and unsung innovators of Burger Highlife, one of West Africa’s most exciting musical movements.

A1. Obibini Takyi - Aburokyiri Abrabo
A2. Lee Dodou - Mampong Dwa
A3. King Solomon (Nii Mantse) -  Dzen Ye Kokloo
B1. Okyerema Asante - Ateaa
B2. George Darko - Medo Menuanom (LP Version)
B3. Osei Banahene - Woanwaremea
C1. Osei-Osarfo Kantaka - Mansa (Special)
C2. King Solomon (Nii Mantse) - Dzoohee
C3. Classique Vibes - Sankofa
D1. Osei Banahene - Odo Nye Me Sa
D2. Obibini Takyi - Ohia Sei Abrantie
D3. Padmore Oware - Menkowu