Alefa Madagascar - Salegy. Soukous & Sou

Originating as far back as the 15th Century through folkloric ceremonial music and an a cappella chanting style called antsa, salegy emerged as a fast-tempoed local dance style based on 6/8 and 12/8 rhythms. By the '60s, radio was bringing in new sounds from the Congo, Mozambique, South Africa and Kenya. The strong call-and-response dialogues, rich vocal choruses and rolling triplet feel in the rhythm sections all boasted a unique Malagasy sensibility and singles started selling tens of thousands of copies, rivalling any foreign music at the time.