Review: Raz & Afla - Remixes Of Resistance (Wah Wah 45s)

WAH WAH 45s could not resist themselves as Raz & Afla's 'Echoes Of Resistance' from last year becomes Raz & Afla's 'Remixes Of Resistance' this year - but your can't resist this.

We're long term fans of the label and the singles previously released, 'What's Going On', 'Ebo Be Me' and the awesome 'Shikor Shikor' that were just three of the highlights on the original album (see review HERE).

Of course, we were hopeful that the Hectic Extenson of 'What's Going On' would make the cut but you can't argue that Lumberjacks In Hell's Marcel Vogel (he of 'Real Love - see review HERE) and Seamont's remix is a great opener.

But they're not the only ones stepping up to remix tracks by Raz Olsher (electronics) and Afla Sackey (percussion and vocals) that Dom Servini, the label's head honcho, was/is enormously proud of.

I was kinda taken aback with the Jamz Supernova and Sam Interface remix of 'Shikor Shikor' as talk about bassbin wobble!  And add to that, JKriv's remix of 'Stefana' gets us moving like his other recent releases on his own Razor-N-Tape label a (see review HERE of his 'Intuition' EP and HERE, the JKriv & Megatronic 'Out Of Time' that's out this week too!)

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Even a track with a multiple repeated chant of 'On Da Fone', Davin Varda & Buscadora don't put the breaks on "the run-a-way double headed freight train" and DMX Krew gets busy on  'We Taya' (big tune) and the "haunting re-work" of 'Mo Ni Fere' by Maxxi Soundsystem (massive tune!).

We said last time that, "There are moments of pure euphoria and unadulterated joy too though, as tracks like 'Mon Ni Fere', 'Voodoo Zeezee' and 'Baby Moo' inspire elated, tribal dance floor pleasure" and whilst I still prefer the 'Voodoo Zeezee' original, Lawne (Joe Martin and Joe Nicklin) meld 'Ano Be Mumu' into some prog-OST! 

This is a fantastic album that's not as 'compilation' as many a remix album even with such a range of remixers on the case, including the warp of Motion Kin's 'Eno Be Me' doesn't seem out of place.

Artist: Raz & Afla

Release:  Remixes Of Resistance 
Release Date: 1st August, 2025
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHDIG21
Format: Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Raz & Afla - Windowlicker / Going Back To My Roots (Wah Wah 45s)

This is great for all fans of the cover version: two absolute classics done by Raz and Alfa - get ya orders in now on Wah Wah 45s.

More Wah Wah madness!  Who would have thought that Raz Olsher and Afla Sackey, the guys who brought you 'Echoes Of Resistance (that interestingly on my itunes comes up as 'unknown genre') could turn their fusion of electronic and African rhythms to two absolute classic tracks from both ends of the spectrum.

Raz & Afla (see review HERE) have, "made it their own", Aphex Twin's iconic 'Windowlicker' (check out the fantasic cover) with the multi-versioned 'Going Back To My Roots' - not only Odyssey but also Hugh Masekela, Orlando Julius, Richi Havens that was first performed and written by Lamont Dozier in 1977!

So two tracks that span nearly 25 and 50 years ago match incredibly well and it's set big for the whole of 2025; don't go home before you check this out.

Dom, big fat 12" required?

"Ohhh whaouuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" Laurent Garnier (Worldwide FM)
"Love this cover and it hits the spot!" Phat Phil Cooper (Nu Northern Soul) 
"Version excursion!!" Rob Da Bank (Camp Bestival)

PS. Don't forget Alfa is featured on Medlar's 'Islands' album (see review HERE) and there's news of a Raz Olsher solo project coming soon too!

Graphic designer Michael Sallit 

Artist: Raz & Afla
Release: Windowlicker / Going Back To My Roots
Release Date: 18th April, 2025
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHDIG200 
Format:  Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Raz & Afla - Echoes Of Resistance (Wah Wah 45s)

It's worth repeating, the label that is WAH WAH 45s is in its 25th year and the anniversary celebrations are ongoing and one such highlight is the full album release of Raz & Afla's 'Echoes Of Resistance'.

We're long term fans of the label and the singles previously released, 'What's Going On' (the Hectic extension being very exclusive at the moment), 'Ebo Be Me' and 'Shikor Shikor' (see review HERE).

Of course, the worry would be that is there any more gems left on the album?  Well, in short there is!

Raz Olsher (electronics) and Afla Sackey (percussion and vocals) have produced an even better album than Dom Servini was telling me at We Out Here Festival early in the year; Mr. Servini being the head honcho who has been almost everywhere for the past 25 years promoting the label.

Even a track with a multiple repeated chant of 'On Da Fone' sounds like a run-a-way double headed freight train - going down hill with a great wobble to it. And just when you think there's a rest on its way, 'Stefana' and 'We Taya' get busy - as we've just had Fela Kuti's birthday, 'We Taya' is a reminder of his influence and legacy.

It's been said, "There are moments of pure euphoria and unadulterated joy too though, as tracks like 'Mon Ni Fere', 'Voodoo Zeezee' and 'Baby Moo' inspire elated, tribal dance floor pleasure" and I'm not going to argue against that (especially 'Voodoo Zeezee') but when they really get down, 'Ano Be Mumu' is like a dirty dubstep verson of their sound and I can't wait to hear that on a proper sound system - I'm betting 'friend of Dele Sosimi' Medlar's already had the call! 'Voodoo Zeezee' too! 

Their debut album from 2022, 'The Cycle' was great but 'Echoes Of Resistance' is even better, [I can't overstate how good it is] and it's going to be the icing on Wah Wah 45s birthday cake this year.

Artist: Raz & Afla

Release:  Echoes Of Resistance 
Release Date: 25th October, 2024
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHLP031
Format: Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Raz & Afla - Shikor Shikor / Eno Be Me (Wah Wah 45s)

As you'll have noticed, the WAH WAH 45s 25th anniversary celebration is at it's peak this month and here's a couple of party tunes from the label.

We're long term fans of the label as you can tell from the many reviews on YATM and this is another excellent release.

Raz Olsher (electronics) and Afla Sackey (percussion and vocals) have settled nicely into the Wah Wah 45s Afro-beat section along with Shrine 'legend', Dele Sosimi, Soothsayers / Youthsayers, Eparapo, Léa Mondo and more.

'Ebo Be Me' (nothing to do with the former Roxy Music/producer/ambient family) has some heavy 80s pop synth in it which makes it ideal for radio plays whilst 'Shikor Shikor' is the run-a-way train percussive groover with Afro-Anglo vocals, its dancefloor ready.

Both tracks are in original and vocal formats which is ideal for the DJ community and there's a little bird that tells me a certain Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s top man, Jazz FM, Soho Radio and many more) has been playing out the Hectic Extension of the previous single, 'What's Going On' at special times in his set.

These tracks are taken to the follow-up to their debut album from 'The Cycle' in 2022, 'Echoes Of Resistance' is due out next month so stay tuned.

Artist: Raz & Afla

Release: Shikor Shikor / Eno Be Me 
Release Date: 27th September, 2024
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHDIG193
Format: Digital / BANDCAMP