people with soul are the greatest

The above is what the sleeve to this 7″ reads. The great and elusive Mississippi records began a small series entitled the North Portland Music Series late last year. They aim to release four 7″s per annum. The Cavaliers Unlimited’s Soul Vein/The Nasty was the first to emerge, and the second was released recently.

The Cavaliers Unlimited make a mess of afro-garage-funk, crammed into one channel and all turned up to top distorting volume. It’s got an afrobeat thing a lot like The Daktaris…

The Cavaliers Unlimited – Soul Vein

The Daktaris record sleeve reads “The Daktaris is a well-disciplined army of two hundred African Bull Elephants marching relentlessly up your business to the beat from Funky Drummer”

The Daktaris – Super Afro Beat

But The Daktaris were a hoax. They have Nigerian pseudonyms, but were actually Brooklyn-based musicians. They released their debut Soul Explosion in 1998, not the 70s (as it might seem from the packaging). Nonetheless they roll immaculate, scuffed sleeves carried on the light feet of brass, slow stepping in a swamp of marshy grooves. This is an afro-funk virus.

The Daktaris – Eltsuhg Ibal Lasiti

The hoax was suspected when someone worked out that “Eltsuhg Ibal Lasiti” reads ‘it is all a big hustle’ backwards.

Honest Jon’s are the only stockists I know of which stock Mississippi Records. If you’re in London, visit their shop and ask them about it, they’ll wax lyrical you into buying them all. You won’t regret it.