Dónal’s search for the perfect summer dancing soundtrack takes him to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe where he takes a deep-dive into the ancient Gwo Ka sound. The journey begins and ends in land-locked Zimbabwe however where we tune into the emotional sound of The Movers who are just about to have a comprehensive retrospective released by the ever-brilliant Analog Africa label.

We stop-over for another blast of Cape Verdean magic from Manuel Gomes before making land on Guadeloupe and immersing ourselves in the percussive trance-like sound of Gaoulé Mizig. We bed in to hear a raft of other examples of what is essentially participatory music born out of a spirit of resistance to French colonial rule from renowned exponents like Michel Laurent, Béloka and Jocelyn Virapin.

There’s also a couple of crossover classics to contend with from local heroes Les Vikings de Guadeloupe and Ti Céleste who brought their take on the Gwo Ka sound to a wider audience across the Caribbean.