Return of the World Music Thread: 2012

I keep getting emails about kizomba dance classes and a monthly kizomba dance night. All I know about this genre/dance is that I think it is an Angolan genre with its roots in French Caribbean zouk.

There was a thread about it lately:

What kind of music is this?

Cool. Thanks, I missed that. Will check it out this weekend.

So is the title of this year's thread scaring people away from it?

You know, sometimes I wonder about you.

How about we lock this one and you start a new one with world written as "whirled" and the magic buzz-word "sublime" in the title. That'll fool 'em.

I just haven't heard anything in 2012 that I'd consider world music yet! I'm sure I will. Just nothing has shown up on my radar yet.

I was referring to a comment by Rob in that kizomba thread about who reads international club dance threads versus ones like this. Nothing worked to enhance contributions so that's why I cut back to the also broad "African " thing last year... Whatever, this is fine Rudiph.

I posted this in the k-pop thread but no takers -- I'm dying to talk about Crying Nut with anybody....

They're a Korean punk band. Here are a few of the songs I like...

http://open.spotify.com/track/0QJdScYJuZDw0SgICqJpqO
http://open.spotify.com/track/4og6Qix8vofFvC8UdZobEb

http://www.youtube.com/v/NgkSTFbWGPg&fs=1&hl=en

Really not sure where to post this (Summer Jams??? African Dance???) but this is my favourite song today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuHMBze2B84

Wikipedia sez:

Logobi also written in French as Logobie is an urban musical genre accompanied with certain dance moves. It first appeared in Côte d'Ivoire in 1986 and became popularized initially in university campuses in Abidjan. It became an international dance trend that moved to other African countries and eventually continental Europe. The dance is based on Côte d'Ivoire's traditional Zouglou dance with new elements added and sometimes Zouglou and 'logobi are used interchangeably, although zouglou is more ancient whereas logobi is a more modern development.

I was referring to a comment by Rob in that kizomba thread

eh, don't listen to me, rusty allen never posted any kuduro to that African dance thread anyway. but I feel you: the dancehall thread has been pretty quiet--maybe it's too cold for tropical sounds.

otoh: nice track, seandalai

Where did RTC go, who used to post on the dancehall thread?

I missed this last night (yes it was posted in all caps):

CATCH ME TONIGHT FRIDAY 27TH| INTERNATIONAL NIGHT|
AT NECTAR LOUNGE 7926 GEORGIA AVENUE.. RIGHT ON THE DC LINE, ACROSS FROM MONTGOMERY COLLEGE, AND NEXT TO THE 7 ELEVEN GAS STATION. LOT'S OF FREE PARKING AT THE BACK OR ON EASTERN AVENUE.
FREE FOR ALL B4 11PM...
WE PLAY EVERYTHING ZOUK- COUPE DECALE-NDOMBOLO-MAKOSSA-NAIJA-KUDURU-AZONTO-REGGAE DANCEHALL-HIP HOP-HOUSE-TOP 40 AND MORE|LATE MENU| DRINK SPECIALS ALL NIGHT LONG...COME THRU.

I had to look up:

Naija which is Nigerian

Azonto is Ghanaian

Crying Nut - The beginning of that video on youtube is a bit like that scene from Dovzchenko's Earth and the rest of it has that restless energy on those Goran Bregovic soundtracks, maybe?

curmudgeon, that Sarkodie video i posted upthread is Azonto if you're curious.

I am. Thanks. Grrr, meant to catch up on lots of this stuff over the weekend but life got in the way. I did see DC based band Elikeh, whose singer/guitarist/founder is from Togo. He's also fond of Afrobeat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/30/opinion/the-mixtape-of-the-revolution.html

African and Arab rap

Cool article -- wish it linked to more than just 3 youtube videos tho...

afropop.org folks went to Egypt and I think you can find more stuff there.

Dovzchenko's Earth
Goran Bregovic soundtracks

i don't know either of these things, but i'll check them out

just posting this here to remind myself to read them later; two takes on Congolese artist Baloji: http://thequietus.com/articles/07845-baloji-interview-konono-no-1 and http://wayneandwax.com/?p=6175
have to keep an eye on that Afrosonic column on the Quietus; Perry seems to have very specific tastes but that might even be an advantage in some ways

baloji is doope btw

x-post
Cryin Nut remind me a bit of Stiff Little Fingers

woah, the Baloji w/ Konono is pretty fierce:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUVxhvjc5O0

I was less into the soukous track (at both links), though both videos were pretty great.

Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux has a new album out

she is fucking good as well and a pip live.

eh, don't listen to me, rusty allen never posted any kuduro to that African dance thread anyway

^^ been kinda busy. i'll try to post some today.

lol, thanks man, sorry to passive-aggressively force you into doing that

Instead of checking out various stuff on Fader or elsewhere last night, I streamed Brooklyn folkie indie-rock Sharon Van Etten on NPR. Eh, what was I thinking. Saw Red Baraat live recently. Fun horns and percussion combo.

Interesting Wayne and Wax post on Congolese rapper Baloji upthread

http://www.montrealmirror.com/wp/2012/02/02/cover-melody-mediator/

Ethiopian-American singer Meklit Hadero is gonna be in DC Wednesday. This is an interesting Montreal newspaper piece on her and her various musical directions:

The three of us made a hip hop space opera where we use metaphors of galaxy distances and space travel to talk about diaspora and cultural connection. It’s a really exciting project. We got star sounds from NASA to use in our beats and I’m also playing an electro mix of star sounds on the guitar in live shows.

The next album after that will be a duo collaboration between myself and Quinn DeVeaux. Quinn is a soul singer based in Oakland and we’re doing covers of indie rock and art rock songs, but also some originals. But we are looking at the soul roots of indie rock and art rock. And I’m also working on new songs for my next solo record, which will be more like 2013.

Rolling African Dance / Urban Music Thread

Got an email regarding kizombo dance lessons, but the time won't work for my schedule (and I am still learning what the Angolan style kizombo is!).

Pete Margasak list of his 2011 international fave:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2012/01/27/my-last-year-end-music-list-from-2011-i-promise

afropop.org has another Egyptian podcast.

Are you New Yorkers going to Rebel NYC

Hot African Music by Hottest African DJs: Pinguiss, Azonto, Ndombolo, Coupe Decale, Nigerian, Zouk, Reggae, Mbalax, Ethiopian, Rumba, Makossa, and more..
.
From 11pm to 4am
251 West 30th St, btn 7th and 8th Ave, Manhattan, NY 10001
.
http://www.neptix.com/events/3524/

That's on Fridays.

So both Margasak in the Reader and ILX's fastnbulbous like Brazilian singer/guitarist Marcelo Carmelo.

So much music, so little time to listen these days.

Hey world music folks, my wife loves this sound way records comp 2cd ghana special, ghanian ” high life”, I'm sure you're familiar..want to get her more in that vein, recommendations?

these are also on soundway so you might already know them: Ghana Soundz 1 and 2 are a little more afrobeat inclined that Ghana Special; Nigeria Special might be my favorite release on soundway. Lagos All Routes and Lagos Chop Up on Honest Jon's are nice and have more highlife type stuff than some other west african 70s comps which tend to go for funk or psych rock stuff.

I don't think it would be too much of a stretch to think she might like the Francophonic and Tabu Ley Rochereau (The Voice of Lightness) comps on Stern's. They're Congolese but I feel like the mood is similar and they're just beautiful.

Thanks I have nigeria special, did not know they had more ghana ones, will also check out the other suggestions, cheers :)

tabu ley seconded. it's not entirely analogue and sorta remedial matt, but have you done the ethiopiques thing?

No I don't know what that is, series or something?

Yes, Ethiopian music from the 60s and 70s. Some might be more of an acquired taste though (in my opinion)

imo, Ethiopiques #4 is the easiest one to get into first

oh shit matt, if you haven't done Ethiopiques you've got some joy in store.
4 is mulatu astatke, right? yeah that's a great inroads.
Sadly not on spotify but you can buy or pirate online easily.

yeah 4 is astatke and is sublime. I'm not sure what's on it, but iirc there's a best-of set too.

I am still behind on listening to various items highlighted in this thread. I have been listening to Persian singer Homayoun Shajarian (plus rock stuff--Cloud Nothings and old albums from the Jam). Shajarian starts his 6 city US tour in NYC at Town Hall Friday

http://www.arabist.net/blog/2011/6/22/sarah-carr-on-amr-haha.html

http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/507531

I am just catching up on DJ HaHa from Egypt who mixes chaabi, hiphop and other electro genres

the 3rd hour podcast from the afropop.org folks on Cairo covers him as well

His name is based on the breathing/words one has to say when the Egyptian police decide to ask you if you have been drinking