Anything You Sow

Starting in 1977, Nigeria’s William Onyeabor recorded and self-released nine albums, capped by 1985’s high peak Anything You Sow. (Afterword, he gave his life to Christ and turned his back on his own music.) Utilizing a wide array of synthesizers (as featured on the cover), Onyeabor delivers primitive-futuristic tracks that would go on to inspire a slew of 21st century electronic music producers. Over a joyous splutter of a beat on “When the Going is Smooth & Good,” Onyeabor couches a bitter pill about people around in good times, only “to help in knocking you down down down.” But the underlying beat tells you that Onyeabor just kept dancing.