New World Africa is the first volume in the System Recordings "world" series. As such it features soft-mixed, "Africa-inspired" selections from only three artists, chief among them Kimikumana, who blend Fela's Afrobeat, deep funk, downtempo, and/or electro. The act is featured on eight of the album's ten tracks. The other two are by the Brazilian keyboard whiz, conceptualist, and composer Corciolli, and digital dub act Edson X. Kimikumana's tracks, especially the chant-driven opener "African Fields," the glitchy, loose-limbed funk and African rap of "The Master," and the horn versus keyboard and bass orgy of "Celebration Day" are standouts. The hand drumming loops are killer, as are the angular guitar breaks amid the noise. There are a pair of remixes added to the set by Kimikumana to round it out. A curious if not compelling disc, it will be interesting to see what System Recordings does with the series from here. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
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