Syliphone

[4] With the new-found independence, the elected Guinean government headed by president Ahmed Sékou Touré to instil a sense of national identity by reigniting the arts and cultural practices of Guinea.

Guinean musicians were encouraged to create modern versions of the traditional songs of their respective regions [5] and the authenticité policy produced many outstanding recordings.

It influenced musical development and originality outside of Guinea, too, with Mali and Burkina Faso adopting similar programmes in the creation of their regional and national arts troupes and orchestras.

Graeme Counsel describes what made Syliphone stand out from other post-colonial African record labels: "A lot of care had gone into their production: the cover art was high quality glossy colour; the lyrics of the songs were often provided; the musicians were named; and lengthy annotations providing a musicological analysis were featured on many of the back covers.

The sound engineer’s positioning of the microphones, the subtle use of echo effects, and the fidelity of the production were of the most exceptional standard when compared with recordings of a similar type.

Such high quality audio captured Guinea’s musicians at their best, and they clearly rivalled, if not surpassed, the great singers and groups from neighbouring Mali and Senegal.