After cutting his teeth in Atlantic-signed jazz-fusion band Kabasa in the early 1980s, vocalist and bassist Tata Sibeko briefly pursued a solo career. He only ever released two 12″ singles as Tata, but one – the 1985 double A-side treat “It’s A Mess/Afro Breakdance” – has gone on to become something of an in-demand item amongst collectors of South African dance music. Here Sharp Flat has given it the reissue treatment. A-side “It’s A Mess” is a fine chunk of breezy, lo-fi electrofunk in which Sibeko sings cheerily – despite the downbeat lyrical content – over colourful synths, bubbling machine drums and a thickset synth bassline. Arguably even better is “Afro Breakdance”, which sounds like a superior, slightly deeper South African take on teapot-dance innovators Break Machine.
