VA - The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto, Vol. 1

The Indestructible Beat of Soweto, later repackaged as The Indestructible Beat of Soweto Volume One, is a compilation album released in 1985 on the Earthworks label, featuring musicians from South Africa.

This anthology of South African artists surprised everyone by becoming a best-seller. It introduced worldbeatniks to Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Mahlathini, and Moses Mchunu and paved the way for Paul Simon's "Graceland". It was the winner of The Village Voice's Jazz and Pop Poll for Best Record of 1987, it's an essential sampler of modern African styling, a revelation and a joy.  

The album was conceived by white South African expatriates Trevor Herman and Jumbo Vanrenen and released in 1985 on the British-based Earthworks label. The following year it was released in the USA by the Shanachie Records label. It features twelve tracks by artists from South Africa. The sleeve notes state that all songs are in the mbaqanga style, a guitar-based style popular at the time in the townships of Johannesburg and Durban, but the tracks actually cover four different styles, mbaqanga, mqashiyo, maskanda, and isicathamiya. The former two are the least traditional-sounding of the styles, while the latter two styles incorporate elements of urban and more rural music. Released prior to the more commercially successful "Graceland" by Paul Simon, it was one of the first albums of contemporary South African music to be widely available outside the country.
The album has been re-released several times and also spawned a succession of later volumes in the Indestructible Beat series, released by the Earthworks label.  


VA - The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto, Vol. 1
(320 kbps, cover art included)