Soul sok séga

The tiny volcanic island nation of Mauritius lays proud claim to séga (or “Indian Ocean blues”), where creole rhymes and West African rhythms have joined up since the 18th century. But this essential collection by UK crate-diggers Strut dives directly into the heart of the electrified ‘70s, when the nation first discovered American funk and plugged-in guitars. Basking under an explosion of local stars—Harold Berty, Ti L'Afrique, Yoyo—the results frequently transcend category. Just dig Claudio’s hard qawwali beats meshing with Afrobeat (“Bonom Chinois”), or the wigged-out garage organ of Les Stardust’s “Séga Lenoir.”