Soundway Records
{{Short description|British independent record label}}{{Infobox record label
| name = Soundway Records
| image = Soundway records logo.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| parent =
| founded = {{Start date|2002}}
| founder = Miles Cleret
| fate =
| defunct =
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| distributor =
| genre = African, Caribbean, Latin, and Asian music
| country = United Kingdom
| location = London
| url = {{URL|soundwayrecords.com}}
}}
Soundway Records is a British, London-based independent record label, founded and run by English DJ and music producer Miles Cleret. Since its initial release of a collection of Ghanaian music in 2002, it has released compilation albums of African, Caribbean, Latin, and Asian music from the 1950s to 1980s.
History
The label started in 2002 with the release of Ghana Soundz: Afrobeat, Funk & Fusion in '70s Ghana. Composed of Ghanaian music from the 1970s, the release was compiled from a hoard of dusty LPs and 45s that Cleret discovered whilst on a search mission to Ghana.{{Cite news|url = http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/music/soundway-records-marks-10-years-of-reviving-tropical-treasures|title = Soundway marks 10 years of reviving tropical treasures|last = Champ|first = Gemma|date = 19 May 2012|work =The National |access-date = 16 September 2015}} With immediate critical acclaim from Joe Tangari, writer for Pitchfork Media and creator of Africa 100, Cleret was encouraged to set off again on a number of expeditions around the world.{{Cite news|url = http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/2000-ghana-soundz-afrobeat-funk-fusion-in-70s-ghana/|title = Review: Ghana Soundz|last = Tangari|first = Joe|date = 15 June 2003|work = Pitchfork Media|access-date = 16 September 2015}}
As a result, the label has released a series of critically acclaimed compilation albums and re-issues of African, Caribbean, Latin, and Asian music from the 1950s to 1980s.{{cite web|url = http://www.discogs.com/label/32575-Soundway|title = Discogs Catalogue for Soundway Records|access-date = 16 September 2015|publisher = Discogs}} These include the Nigeria Special, Ghana Special, and Kenya Special compilation albums, as well as Doing It In Lagos: Boogie, Pop & Disco in 1980s Nigeria, and a retrospective from Ghanaian disco legend Kiki Gyan.{{Cite news|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/nrn8|title = Review of Nigeria Special|last = Lusk|first = Jon|date = 2008|work =BBC |access-date = 16 September 2015}}{{Cite news|url = http://www.residentadvisor.net/news.aspx?id=18020|title = Soundway Records preps Kiki Gyan retrospective|last = Lynch|first = Will|date = 24 October 2012|publisher=RA News |access-date = 16 September 2015}}
Highlife on the Move (2015) features one of the earliest recordings of Afrobeat founder Fela Kuti. Fela recorded the song "Fela's Special" in London in 1960 for the Melodisc label with his band Fela Ransome-Kuti & the Highlife Rakers.{{cite web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/09/fela-kuti-hear-his-long-lost-debut-recording|title = Fela Kuti: Hear his long-lost debut recording|date = 9 February 2015|work =The Guardian |access-date = 16 September 2015}}{{Cite book|title = Arrest the Music!: Fela and His Rebel Art and Politics|last = Olaniyan|first = Tejumola|publisher = Indiana University Press|year = 2004|isbn = 9780253110343|page = 9}} In the sleeve notes, Markus Coester adds that "Even though [the recordings] had been discographically tracked and people interested in Fela's musical life knew of them, they kept hiding for more than 50 years. Before I came across them, I was even in doubt whether they had been released at all. These are amazing first recordings, however".{{Cite news|url = http://www.okayafrica.com/news/fela-kuti-debut-recording-felas-special-unearthed-1960/|title = Fela Kuti's Unearthed Debut Recording 'Fela's Special' From 1960|last = Tambini|first = Kam|date = 9 February 2015|publisher=okayafrica.com |access-date = 16 September 2015}}
Since 2012, the label has issued a series of original contemporary releases as well as re-issued older music.{{Cite news|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/c3b6|title = BBC Review – Batida|last = Katz|first = David|date = 2012|work =BBC |access-date = 16 September 2015}} These include releases from acts such as Batida, Ibibio Sound Machine, Debruit & Alsarah, Fantasma, Fumaça Preta, Ondatropica, The Meridian Brothers, Los Miticos Del Ritmo, Chico Mann, Bomba Estereo, My Panda Shall Fly, KonKoma, Family Atlantica, and Dexter Story.{{cite web|url = https://www.soundwayrecords.com/Shop/catalogue?ProdTitle=ALL|title = Soundway Website |access-date = 16 September 2015|publisher = Soundway Records}}
The Guardian included Soundway Records on its list of the "10 British recording labels defining the sound of 2014".{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/apr/19/10-best-record-labels |title=The 10 British record labels defining the sound of 2014 |last1=Beaumont-Thomas |first1=Ben |display-authors=etal |date=19 April 2014 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=11 November 2015}}
In January 2017, Soundway Records was awarded 'Label of The Year' by Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards held at Koko London.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/worldwide-awards-2017-the-winners/|title=Worldwide Awards 2017 // The Winners | Gilles Peterson|date=4 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204145604/http://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/worldwide-awards-2017-the-winners/|access-date=2 September 2020|archive-date=2017-02-04}}
Notable releases
- Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968–1981 (2009, SNDW016)
- Doing It In Lagos: Boogie, Pop & Disco in 1980s Nigeria (2016, SNDW087)
- Ghana Special 2: Electronic Highlife & Afro Sounds In The Diaspora, 1980–93 (2024, SNDW148)