There’s arguably no greater surprise internet music success story than that of Ata Kak.The Ghanaian rapper and singer quietly released a tape in 1994 that wasn’t rediscovered until 2006-at a time when the blog-driven online music collecting movement was at its peak in the pre-streaming era.The captivating blend of lo-fi house and sincerely delivered, powerful burger highlife captured the hearts of music lovers around the world in the mid-2000s.Supported by his London band, Ata Kak played concerts worldwide and performed on huge stages in front of thousands of fans.The seven songs on “Obaa Sima” have delighted and astonished listeners in equal measure since they first appeared on the blog Awesome Tapes From Africa.A well-documented, years-long search for the singer culminated in a reissue in 2015.Despite the meticulous work of longtime ATFA mastering partner Jessica Thompson, the sound quality of the source material was suboptimal-the original DAT tape was moldy and disintegrating.After years of searching for the best possible cassette, the “Obaa Sima Anniversary Remaster” version is now available.For the first time, we can hear this now legendary, unconventional dancefloor classic in crystal-clear sound.The original reissue of “Obaa Sima” sold over 10,000 LPs, and the cassette has been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times from the original blog post.Based on this legendary recording, Ata Kak played energetic shows in clubs and at festivals around the world.
