Such has been the seemingly endless flood of Fela Kuti reissues threatening to sweep us all away over the past decade one might forgive even the most diehard fan for seeking refuge at the sight of another album from the Afrobeat icon. Don't build the ark just yet though, as this is a quite essential 1968 document for converts and heathens alike insofar as it captures Fela on the road to becoming Fela. In fact, the use of the middle name Ransome, as opposed to Anikulapo, and the picture of an African figure blowing a trumpet rather than a sax really makes it clear that we are in a pre-Afrobeat world. What all of this means musically is that Fela is still mostly using the High Life template that was prevalent in West Africa throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. And it's by no means a bad thing because this much softer, gentler sound is boldly energised by a good band and stirring arrangements that show the strong link between African popular music, calypso and big band jazz. Fela's adequate trumpet playing draws heavily on American icons such as Kenny Dorham and Clifford Brown and the overall vibe of the performances is engrossing. This three-disc package includes two albums of singles and Fela's first album as well as a live set, and it is invaluable for the way it shows the ensemble voice gradually hardening into what became Afrobeat.