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2.0, the next level

Etats de l’Afrique

I made a compilation of African music from the 60s and 70s. Stretching from Mali to Ethiopia, more or less along that latitude. The styles vary from really funky to really bluesy. The cover is a photo by the excellent Malick Sidibe.

Etats de l'Afrique

Etats de l’Afrique
Various Artists

1. Rail Band – Duga (Bambara Version)
2. Africa Show – Ritmo da Ilha
3. Le Rail Band feat. Mory Kante – Mariba Yassa
4. Orchestre Régional de Kayes – Tèrèna
5. Bokoor Band – Onukpa Shwarpo
6. Alemayehy Eshete & Hirut Beqele – Temeles
7. Bokoor Band – Maya Gari
8. Feqadu Amde-mesqel – Asmarina
9. Orchestre de la Payotte – Kadia Blues
10. Orchestre Régional de Kayes – Nanyuman
11. Rail Band – Fankante Dankele

Download and enjoy.

Seltles

Battles played here over the weekend, and it was swell.

Boogie to this, the video clip for Tonto, featuring work by United Visual Artists:

If you would like to see/hear an entire concert, check out this recording (30-3-07, Empty Bottle, Chicago):

Nothing is true. Everything is permissible.

Any time to bring up uncle Bill’s “Last Words Of Hassan Sabbah” is generally a good one. So here we go. A poem for today’s world.

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You can read a transcript here.
More spoken words by William Burroughs at UbuWeb.

Minor tones of The Black Keys

The Black Keys - Chulahoma EP

Just a quick post to bring the new EP of The Black Keys to attention. On it the two man band from Ohio travel through the mouth of the Mississippi Delta and sing the blues of Junior Kimbrough. Here’s a track called “Meet Me In The City” to enjoy.

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You might also enjoy this nice portrait by Bill Steber titled African-American Music from the Mississippi Hill Country: “They Say Drums was a-Calling”.

You can buy the mp3 album at emusic.com or from your local record farmer.

David Lange’s legacy

David Lange

It’s always refreshing to hear someone talk with great ability and passion. It’s equally refreshing to hear someone talk about our human society in a humane way. Former New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange did this on quite a few occasions. One most notable occasion being at the Oxford Union debate in 1985 where he argued that “nuclear weapons are morally indefensible”. A debate which he won and for which he was accorded a standing ovation from both sides of the house. This speech can be read and listened to online and if you don’t know who Mr. David Lange was and/or are up for a speech that was spoken both from the heart and from the mind, I suggest you do check it out.

Also, below you can listen to ‘Nuclear Weapons Are Morally Indefensible’, a derivative work incorporating audio from the recording of David Lange’s Oxford Union debate speech. The accompanying music was composed and produced by Andrew B. White, aka Tomorrowpeople.

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To download this MP3 file, please visit publicaddress.net.

A free ambient album by Module

Module: Dreams For The Sleepless

A person going by the moniker of Module and hailing from Wellington, New Zealand, has been so kind to put this excellent 73 minute ambient track online for all to enjoy. It’s called “Dreams For The Sleepless”. In his own words:

“A 73 Min 1 track ambient CD This is music for dreaming. Nothing more than a rich swirling ambient sonic textural soundscape, a electronic lullaby to drift away to.”

It’s nice and relaxing music indeed and you should go download it now.

More about Module: module.co.nz, myspace.com/modulelikesbeats

N.ational A.lbum R.ecording Mo.nth was May

NARMo magic dingo!

NARMo in short. Since it’s the end of May the project for this year is almost over. The last hours, minutes and seconds are ticking away for everyone to submit a 31 minute album that they’ve recorded during the past month. Of the 72 people that have signed up about half have submitted recordings, which I think is pretty spectacular already.

I’ve signed up, too, but I’ve been so stupidly busy with, well, stupid things, that I haven’t recorded anything yet. There’s a mad plan doing rounds in my head to record something in one go tonight after today’s freelance projects are wrapped up.

In any case, if you fancy listening to some freshly recorded audio, head over to narmo.org. I’ve found a few gems already. People should do this sort of impromptu stuff more often if you ask me. It seems to bring out niceties that otherwise maybe wouldn’t have come out.

Sylvie Vartan rocks the beat

Sylvie Vartan - Ne t'en vas pas (Comin' home Baby)

I recently rediscovered an old 7″ vinyl single that used to belong to my dad. The moment I heard the first few seconds of this track I was sold. So I decided to record it and put it here.

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Sylvie Vartan – Ne t’en vas pas (Comin’ home Baby)

Welcome

Welcome to the first post on my blog.
Hope you enjoy this tune and your stay.

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Dark Was The Night

Dark Was the Night is the twentieth compilation release benefiting the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS.

Buy on iTunes or Beggars Group.