[engl] The cover tells you everything you need to know about this stomping double-sider. It’s as white as Travolta’s Saturday Night Fever suit with the band’s name emblazoned in gold across the front. We’re talking early 80’s sophistication here, with a killer groove designed to let you show off all your moves and still look as classy as hell. By the late 70s and early 80s, disco was king in Nigeria and BLO were under pressure to follow the trend. Typically, they did it their own way, with slinky bass lines, Nile Rodgers guitar licks and a beat guaranteed to make you move. The Afrobeat and psyche rock stylings were gone, but the tightness and funkiness that comes from laying down rock hard grooves for over a decade remains. Long out of circulation, with copies going for silly money on Discogs, this killer 12” is back through PMG. You know what to do. Whack it on your turntable, ‘Go Back In Time’ and ‘Dance In A Circle’.

[engl] In opposite to other Nigerian acts which hardly got known beyond the borders of their homeland, BLO were always very popular in the Western world. Accompanying Ginger Baker of CREAM fame was the first step to break them into the western popular music market of the 70s and what followed could be called an African fairy tale. Still this, their fifth album from 1979, waited a long time for a proper reissue, especially on hot black wax with originals in good conditions fetching prices of 300 € and more. EVERLAND MUSIC had merci with the fans of pure late 70s disco funk who adore such killer units as EARTH, WIND & FIRE or HOT CHOCOLATE or probably the then modified TEMPTATIONS which all were leading figures of the real music department in the disco scene. If you say tight, you gotta mean „tight“. Every groove, every note, every harmony sits where it should sit to drive the tune itself further and further with an everflowing energy that hits the legs and the soul of the listener. The tunes are all memorable and you will find yourself humming along those melodies even if the black vinyl is not spinning on your turntable. A goal hardly achieved by the masses of late 1970s disco funk projects. You see, these cats are a real unit, real musicians with an aim aside from just making money. Still this is music to escape harsh reality to. The slick and crisp production helps to make each song swallowing your thoughts and refilling your mind with a flush of colours. The feeling is glamourous and silky, the music ensnares your spirit and cloaks you while your body moves constantly on through the whole time this record spins and spins. Technically well performed, written with a great hand for catchiness, these potential hit songs should be known by each and every fan of 1970s disco funk.

[engl] Phase IV is BLO at the height of their not inconsiderable powers. Buzzing after a hugely successful tour of Denmark and Norway, the Afro Funk trio returned to London in 1975 and headed straight into the Orange Studios to get the magic down on tape. BLO had been fixtures on the Nigerian scene since they started out as Clusters International in 1970. The original ‘O’ in the band, bassist Mike Odumosu, had left to join Osibisa by Phase IV, (although he appears on the cover and gets a vocal credit) and was replaced by velvet-voiced keyboardist, Otu Udofa. Berkley Jones’s guitar work is still immense – have a listen to ‘Scandi Boogie’ and ‘Music Make You Happy’. And the sweet breakdowns by drummer Laolu Akins on ‘Number One’ made it an instant B-Boy Breakdance classic. Rightly regarded as the holy grail of Afro Boogie, Phase IV is an extraordinary blend of highlife, rock, blues and soul that sounds just as good through headphones as it does on the dancefloor. Turn it up loud. - Peter Moore, www.africanrevolutions.com / "These guys were known as CLUSTERS INTERNATIONAL when I was their lead singer in Lagos in 1970. We then moved with TEE MAC and started THE AFRO COLLECTION under a new management. They later changed the music scene in Nigeria when they started a very funky three piece band known as B L O. They were very tight and played Nigerian funk which is a blend of highlife, rock with a trace of blues. It wasn't a surprise when they quickly conquered Lagos and other parts of Nigeria with their unique style of music and performance and moved to London where Phase 4 was recorded. Before this they had several hits in Nigeria. After a very successful tour of six cities in Denmark and four cities in Norway, they returned to London and straight into Orange Studios where Phase 4 was recorded. This vinyl in your hand is that very Phase 4 album. It is the accumulation of many years of experience with their unique style of music. It is dancable, you can also sit down and listen to it, you can party with it too. Which ever way, B L O Phase 4 is sure to blow your mind.