Waer, Drum Cirkill Mixtape MP3
Perhaps spelling it “circle” was too touchy feely, but Waer’s new mixtape definitely kills (wah wahhh). Mixing lots of African-inspired hand-drum tracks (roots of funky?) with the occasional irregular dancefloor electro and focusing entirely on A) unceasing heartbeat-like rhythm and B) lasering his way into your mind. Basically, this is the kind of collection we wish we heard more frequently in the cluhhhb in New York. It is both visceral and entirely corporeal, not too heady either. Waer, if you are reading this, please give us your weblink in the comments, some fronting-ass fronters in Syracuse are making you very difficult to google. Tracklist after the jump.
Download: Waer, Drum Cirkill Mixtape (via Dutty Artz)
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posted on Sep 24, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS
Ghetto Palms 65: Kuduro pt. 3 / Akwaaba Sem Transporte / Broadcasting Live From Angola (actually)
- story Eddie "Stats" Houghton
Last year I did two kuduro columns and subtitled the second Broadcasting Live from Angola, but in truth it was more like downloaded live (and DJ Znobia interviewed via complicated email and phone translations). I should have held back on the hyperbolic title because now Ben Lebrave, proprietor of the digital label Akwaaba music, factually went to actual Angola and filed the following Ghetto Palms report. He also laced me with a heap of kuduro selections from the brand new Akwaaba Sem Transporte compilation—in Ben’s words “the very first legitimate Angolan kuduro release outside of Angola”—for this week’s blend.
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posted on Aug 5, 2009 in GHETTO PALMS
Ghetto Palms 63: Nas & Damian Marley / Weapon Riddim / Ethiopia Soul
- story Eddie "Stats" Houghton
In a perfect world every Ghetto Palms should connect at least three disparate dots on the map, and today’s multi-colored thumbtacks are puncturing the dread capitals of New York, Kingston and Addis Ababa.
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posted on Jul 24, 2009 in GHETTO PALMS
Oumou Sangare, “Seya” MP3
- story Matthew Schnipper
“Seya,” the title track from Oumou Sangare’s recent album, is a Malian squealer. “Seya” translates to “joy,” and its lyrics include the brief line I like to look good. This is not the main focus of the album—one that hinges on the rights, independence and autonomy of women—and it’s not even the seeing part of “look good” that exemplifies Sangare, but the blunt force of harsh aesthetics. Though much of Seya’s songs are flanked by Malian instruments, prickly strings, handdrums and wiry flutes, they almost entirely sit as basic accoutrements to Oumou and her chanting back ups, cutting hoarse fire. “Seya”’s tone is much chirpier than the rest of the album’s, and maybe it is a hopeful tone, one to look forward to with Sangare, but the meditative, often grim anthems of her choruses are the best incantatory hook. Not that bad times are anything to aspire to, but “Sukunyali,” the album’s second track and an “homage to Soninké emigrants, who are working abroad so they can help to build their home country,” is maybe the album’s strongest moment, replacing joy with strength. That track is streaming on her MySpace page if you want to see if you agree.
Download: Oumou Sangare, “Seya”
Q+A: Youssou N’Dour on I Bring What I Love
- story THE FADER
For four years, Senegalese singer, Youssou N’Dour let cameras follow him. The resulting documentary, Chai Vasarhelyi’s I Bring What I Love is an intimate portrait of the international superstar, one of the most compelling and important figure in the huge slice of culture we call world music. In town for a performance at Brooklyn’s BAM to coincide with a screening, N’Dour sat down with FADER contributor Simon Greenberg at a recording studio where they spoke about the importance of African music’s evolution, of making the film and what makes N’Dour such a fiery performer. I Bring What I Love is playing in cities through the summer, check their site for screening information.
Freeload: Lil Kenny and the $hebangs, “Straight to Your Head” MP3
- story THE FADER
Lil Kenny kind of resembles Little Richard and since that dude once wore a mullet wig and a bejeweled suit on stage, we’re gonna take a chance with the sparkle this kid brings to the table. Hailing from either Zimbabwe or Atlanta– we’re still piecing it together – Lil Kenny and the $hebangs is similar to doing karaoke on crack with a bunch of disco goth kids while listening to old house records.
Download: Lil Kenny and the $hebangs, “Straight to your Head” (via Spoek Myspace)
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posted on Jun 5, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS
