yawning and balafon

music from sudan (Emmanuel Jal & Abdel Gadir Salim)

2010-05-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

emmanuel jal & abdel gadir salim - ya salam.mp3A bit cringe-worthy, but still interesting collaboration between muslim and christian musicians during the brief 2005 ceasefire in Sudan. AGS's flow is pretty interesting.Buy the oxfam compilation on which this song appears from here.

Music from Tanzania (Remmy Ongala and Orchestre Super Matimila)

2010-04-19T04:43:00.000-07:00

Music shamelessly borrowed from likembe. You should probably read that blog if you want to learn about tanzanian music.

Remmy Ongala and Orchestre Super Matimila - Mariamu Pts 1 & 2.mp3

Abdalla Kwesa and Orchestra Vijana Jazz - Mama Njiti Pts 1 & 2.mp3

(I've also uploaded another vijana orchestra song here)

music from zanzibar (taarab)

2010-04-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

golden star taarab - unganihadaa.rar

Taarab is an ethnomusicologist's dream. It comes from a paradisiacal island off the coast of mainland Tanzania, which has a rich history of slave trading, involving arseholes from all over, and especially the middle east. Zanzibar is mainly muslem, and the people there often show signs of their arab ancestors in their mwafrican faces. My favourite was a waitress named Witness, but that's another story for another day. Any way, taarab sounds more like it comes from northern Africa than from a Bantu region south of the Saharan. It's full on!! Very intense, colourful sounding stuff. If the singing is rubbing you up the wrong way, sorry. Maybe just listen to the first 30 seconds of the last song. Amazin beats, and snakey instrumental lines.

The last song (B02) is definitely my favourite, but word up for having a remix of the title track on the same tape as well.

(To unpack this .rar. file you'll need to use winrar, available for free download here)

music from ethiopia (gadaa gabbinaa)

2010-04-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

A01.mp3
A02.mp3
A03.mp3

A04.mp3

A05.mp3

Oromo pop music. An African tribe making music with auto-tune and synthesizers. Almost as good as it sounds.

music from rwanda (sebatunzi)

2010-03-29T23:02:00.000-07:00

unknown.mp3

mama we.mp3

nyirabisabo.mp3

Rwandan traditional music: singing the inanga, a lyre-like string instrument. These tracks are very melow and full of rwandan folk-tales sung in Kinyarwanda. I bought this CDR from the guy to get Rwandan music from in Kigali. It was really expensive, and twice he got angry at me and took the discs away in a floral display of bargaining mastery.

music from ethiopia (chachi)

2010-03-15T02:43:00.000-07:00

Side A

1. Musica (feat. Steven Marley).mp3

2. Hoya Hoye (with Garnett Silk's children).mp3

3. Rambosa (feat. Sizzla).mp3

4. One Way Street.mp3

5. Hibret (Unity) (feat. Gaddiel & Daweh Congo).mp3

6. African Queen (feat. Prezident Brown).mp3

Side B

1. Gorraw (feat. Doniki & Lisa Danger).mp3

2. Warning (feat. Billy Mystic, Iqulah Rastafari, Doniki & Steady Ranks).mp3

3. Natty Dread (feat. Sister Carol).mp3

4. Mesgana (feat. Kulcha Knox).mp3

The title of this album refers to a childrens' chant, which is recorded and included at the beginning of the second song for added awesomeness, courtesy of Garnett Silk's children. The guy in the addis tape shop forced this one into my hands when i asked for the most beautiful tape he had. Wasn't exactly expecting a reggae record featuring one of Bob Marley's sons, but the first track, Musica won me over pretty quick. It's more chilled hip hop circa 1991, but the rest of the album gets its reggae hat on pretty quickly.

music from tanzania (vijana orchestra)

2010-03-08T03:55:00.000-08:00

H Manet - Bujumbura.mp3

H Manet - Pamba Moto.mp3

The title of this tape may translate as "second phase of music" which makes me think it's an anthology of the vijana orchestra. It features artists such as H. Manet, H. Kasala and A. Kwesa.
The tape is pretty damaged, and has its eric copeland sunglasses on. But 'bujumbura' is so warm and lovely, it shouldn't affect your enjoyment too much.

music from ethiopia (woubeshet feseha)

2010-03-01T03:27:00.000-08:00

track 01.mp3

Gorgeous ethiopian lounge music from 1976. Obviously I would have bought this tape even if the music was rubbish, but it turned out to be almost as good as the art work. Bonus.

music from tanzania (tamaris)

2010-02-22T22:58:00.000-08:00

Some lingala from, I think, Tanzania. But it could be from DRC, given that's where they speak Lingala. A bit cheesey sounding on first listen, but great to dance to, preferably with a Kilimanjaro beer in your hand. I bought this from a dusty market stall in Arusha. Strangely, both songs contain the same weird mambo chant, about two thirds through. both have a very typical lingala song structure, with hypnoitic loopic guitar lines. Focus on that.

Vigilance.mp3

Frein a main.mp3

music from the drc (carlito lassa and TP OK Jazz)

2009-12-19T06:02:00.000-08:00

TP OK Jazz feat Carlito Lassa - Maya.mp3

Lingala music sourced from a Rumba CDR i bought in Rwanda. So sweet. and I found a video of the song as well!

Music from Lebanon (Fairuz)

2009-10-09T00:59:00.000-07:00

track 04.mp3

track 03.mp3

Fairuz is crazy famous in the middle east. In Syria, she is the only voice you will hear on the radio from 6am until 9am, as people get ready for work. However, the songs they tend to play are more modern than the ones included here. In fact I didn't really like Fairuz at all when I was in Syria - her songs sounded garish, modern and too happy. Luckily I managed to blindly choose the right album (judging a book by its cover is always a good idea, and with this album art, I couldn't resist).

This album is Fairuz singing songs by Abed al-Wahib. They are all haunting and peaceful and just lovely. Perfect listening as I paw through legal documents in Arusha. If my internet was better I would upload the whole album, but for now I hope that these two gems will sate people's appetites.

P.S. I'm slowly learning about East African music from the people here in Tanzania, and will eventually share some great Lingala (Soukous) music from the Congo, and hopefully some good Kenyan stuff too. But as they say here, "pole pole" (slowly).

Music from Senegal (Djaly Ibrahima Seck & Fatou Mbaye Diop)

2009-06-29T17:28:00.000-07:00

Djaly Ibrahima Seck & Fatou Mbaye Diop - Forage & Moulin.zip

From Natari: "Another gorgeous album from the popular husband and wife singing duo of Djaly Ibrahima and Fatou. He is known locally as 'Jali Bu Ngul' - or the the 'Black Jali' - as he is rather dark and his wife bleaches her skin and powders herself to accentuate the difference. Percussion comes once again from Alle Nguer Mbaye and talmbatte from El Hadji Ndiaye with help this time from Gora Mbaye and Modou Fall on mbeung mbeung and tama respectively. Dara Guisse as usual tinkles away furiously on the lovely sounding xalam."

These guys are also responsible for the amazing Mberry release - available from awesometapes for free download.

music from ethiopia #2

2009-06-16T05:37:00.000-07:00

All songs very similar. inimitable rhythm. they imitate it every track, but we cannot imitate. Track five has this awesome razor wire synth just shreddin up EVERYTHING.

Side A.zip

Music from Benin (T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou)

2009-05-27T02:40:00.000-07:00

This is a cop-out post pulled from the inter-web. damn good though.

T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou: The Vodoun Effect Funk & Sato From Benin's Obscure Labels 1973-1975.zip

This video is from a related compilation "African Scream Contest" released on Analog Africa Records.

music from ethiopia (mana muuziqaa adil taangoo)

2009-04-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

Gav just brought back a bunch of tapes from ethiopia. we had a tape party in a park. the tapes will be featured on y&b in the next few months.

A01.mp3
B01.mp3
B02.mp3

This one is sexy and spooky.

music from thailand #4 (phongsi woranut)

2009-04-06T22:53:00.000-07:00

10. จีบสาวถึงบ้าน (chip sao thueng ban).mp3

12. รักน้องบ่ต้องแล้ง (rak nong bo tong laeng).mp3

From the maemaiplengthai label. Formulaic thai ballads, sometimes with cotton club horns. the start of track 12 sounds like a wu tang loop.

Peter, would mind giving us some song titles?!

music from nigeria: popular ishola adepoju and his native blues

2009-03-29T03:06:00.000-07:00

whole album.zip

Iwa re lenia.mp3

This one comes from John B. I was on his case to digitise it from the vinyl as soon as he played it to me. Beautiful Yoruba hand-drumming from Nigeria. Polyrhythms like nobody's business. I'd love to know what he yells at the start of his songs if anyone can translate.

p.s. That signature on the cover seems to have no relation to the artist at all.

sornkili meets ratanaruang

2009-03-24T00:13:00.000-07:00

Our man sornkili is all over Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's movie 6ixtynin9! I like the literal translation from the film's original thai trailer: "the turning point of fate on 69 number on one woman's one day-off".

music from ethiopia via america: neway debebe

2009-03-15T04:07:00.000-07:00

belay.mp3

Neway Debebe is still alive and kicking. He's moved to the US and is pumping out really garish pop songs. This one song (from new album "Amen") demands to be listened to, with patience and charity. It is amazing, despite your initial reaction to the high production values. Turn it up loud!!

music from japan: hirasakana oyogu

2009-03-05T02:51:00.000-08:00

My friends recorded Hirasakana in various outdoor locations in Kyoto last year. Here he is accompanied by Tatsuya Okabayashi on Mongolian horse head cello.

mountain climbing.mp3

Hirasakana Oyogu is a Japanese street musician who makes tribal and childlike folk music. He travels Japan playing songs on his djembe, ukelele and flute which combine African hand drumming with traditional Japanese folk and western pop. He writes his songs as he travels the Japanese countryside and each song is an expression of the environment and season in which it was written.

Mp3 and blurb courtesy of brothersisterrecords.org. You can buy copipes of the album here.

music from sudan: sadek metwali

2009-01-15T06:08:00.000-08:00

tensa keep ma'adna (how to forget our meeting).mp3

Another one from nick -- www.natari.com.

music from guinea bissau: super mama djombo)

2008-12-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

sociadade de melandros.mp3

Romanza? I like it.

From muzikfan.com:
"Guinea-Bisseau is a Portuguese-speaking country lodged between Guinea and Senegal but closer musically to Mali than to its immediate neighbour or even the Cape Verde islands which are culturally connected to it. Super Mama Djombo was formed at a Boy Scout camp in the mid-sixties and continued to evolve as the lads grew. Members were voted in and out, or left as they gained musical skill. After Guinea-Bissau's unilateral declaration of independence in 1973, the group became national favorites (many people prayed to the spirit of Mama Djombo for protection -- half the populace is Muslim, the other half animist) and had a string of hits. Their music, like many emergent sounds of that time in West Africa, was electrified folk music. They regularly toured to open for President Luis Cabral's speaking engagements and their concerts were broadcast live on the national radio. They took Cuba by storm at the 11th annual Youth Music Festival in Havana, 1978. In early 1980 the group traveled to Lisbon for its only recording session and filled 6 hours of tape, not even covering their whole repertoire. Their first album, NA CAMBANÇA, contained songs that were already well-known at home, but its release extended the fame of the band and the song "Pamparida" became a huge hit. When Super Mama Djombo played in Senegal (and a young unknown Youssou Ndour opened for them) a throng turned out to hear "Pamparida," and broke down the gates to get in. Their second album, FESTIVAL, showed them on their triumphant Cuban tour and presented six more songs including the dreamy "Júlia." This music is one of those African music Holy Grails. Even if the lyrics are sometimes just lists of the names of revolutionary heroes, there is a dreamy guitar floating across the stratosphere, played by Tundu, who carved out his own niche alongside "Diamond Fingers" from Guinea (which also has Manding culture). The lyrics are in Crioulo, which mixes African languages with Portuguese, sung by a young Dulce Neves."
Another one from nick -- www.natari.com.

music from mali: zani diabate

2008-11-15T22:47:00.000-08:00

zani diabate - monaitheban.mp3

this one's more of a happy go lucky malian guitar stomper. cool hat. zani is also an accomplished percussionist and has been in full swing since the 60s. note the way the drums are constantly stuck in this weird poly-rhythm.

This is one of many songs that were given to me by Nick, who runs a crazily extensive african music catalogue from the UK. Visit http://www.natari.com/ to buy tapes, CDs or vinyl of a million artists you've never heard of before, and which aren't available through any other western outlet.

music from ethopia: neway debebe & the roha band

2008-11-03T18:09:00.001-08:00

neway debebe & the roha band - maebel new fikrua.mp3

first i thought of ariel pink. then the bass reminded me of the sea & cake. the next 5 minutes made me so happy. i have no idea what neway and his crew are singing about, but it's some of the best african pop music i've heard.

music from vietnam: tam su loai chim bien

2008-10-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

listen

weird traditional story-telling or something. A lot of this sounds pastoral and probably isn't that interesting if you don't speak vietnamese like myself. Cover art's good though.

74 Chlangden Albums

2008-09-12T00:59:00.000-07:00

Y&B is probably going to ease off the Cambodian CDs for a while. Plenty of other stuff to share. For those who simply need more, i direct you to this japanese google groups page which has 74(!) albums to tide you over until we enter phase two.

Pjoeu Korng Chorng Dai (chlangden production #105)

2008-09-05T07:21:00.000-07:00

Pjoeu Korng Chorng Dai.zip

This album art really represents the recording.

the countryside is the original music
guy in suit = singing
colourful titles represent the keys recorded over the top, drums, bass etc.

Basically these are awesome pop songs. The original tape has warped, making it out of tune with the subsequent instrumentation added by Son Theoung and Co in California decades after the fact. It still works though.

Music from cambodia #7 (Chlangden Production #100)

2008-08-27T05:12:00.000-07:00

Sin Sisamouth - Veal Srey Sronoh

Veal Srey Sronoh.mp3

The Greatest.

Y&b on the radio

2008-08-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

y&b_radioset.mp3

Thanks to Declan from Against the Artic for having us on.

I mis-pronounce Sin Sisamouth's name twice.

Track Listing to follow.

unknown music from cambodia #6 (Chlangden production #085)

2008-07-23T04:28:00.000-07:00

Movie Soundtrack: Tum Teav

Sin Sisamouth & Ros Sereisothea - Yeung Kom Plich Knear (We Won't Forget One Another).mp3

From wikipedia: Tum Teav is a classic tragic love story, that has been told throughout Cambodia since at least the middle of the 19th century. It has been a compulsory part of the Cambodian secondary national curriculum since the 1950s.

The tale relates the encounters of a talented novice monk named Tum and a beautiful adolescent girl named Teav. From the first sight, Tum, the monk, was in love with Teav, a very beautiful young lady. It is reciprocated and Teav offered Tum some betel nut and a blanket as evidence of the feelings she had for Tum and prays to Buddha that the young monk will be with her for eternity.

Tavaree Meas Bong (Tavaree My Dear) (chlangden production #082)

2008-06-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

Artists: Sin Sisamouth, Rous Sereisothea, Dee Saveth (famous Cambodian actress in the older days, still currently living), Ted Sambath.

Sinn Sisamouth & Rous Serei Sothea - Snaeh Doch Tuk Pliang (Love is Like the Raindrops).mp3
Rous Serei Sothea - Saen Klorchpsar (Extremely Hurtful).mp3

entire album.zip

oh the drama. Love is like the Raindrops has a real moment at 01:10. then builds up into super emotion before starting all over again. Also, apparently it is sung in Thai, rather than Khmer.

all this chlangden stuff is strangely delivered, as though many hands have altered the original work. the rough cut cover art seems to echo the shoddy noise-reduction effects, and new fangled drum machines and yamaha keyboards try to drown out the richness of the original recordings, which were made sometime before Sin Sisamouth's death in 1975. Fortunately the drama and tension remain, as fresh as the day they were sung.

* thanks to Yo Yo for helping translate song titles and identify artists.

unknown music from cambodia #4 (chlangden production #071)

2008-06-13T05:45:00.000-07:00

oh! ye ye.mp3
track 12.mp3

Celebrations are in order for the first known song title on this blog!

This album = the prom x ending credits x tango x california divided by cambodia

unknown music from cambodia #3 (chlangden production #063)

2008-05-31T00:44:00.000-07:00

track-01.mp3
track-09.mp3

no rival to sin sisamouth, but not without some charm.

Sin Sisamouth :: Heart and Soul of Cambodia

2008-05-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

From "Banh chaul somleng Barang" c 1950s. The Male Singer is Sin Sisamouth. The Female singer could be Mao Sareth, Sieng Dy or Keo Montha.

music from thailand #3: ๔๐ ปีทอง ตรามงกุฎ ("sisip pi thong tra mongkud" or "40 golden years of crown records")

2008-04-29T01:08:00.000-07:00

track 01.mp3

track 12.mp3

This one comes from 1968. Old-timey melodica-fueled jams with Directorsound pianos that never violate the age-old rule of pop music: no track is longer than 3 minutes 30 seconds. I particularly like the moment in track 12 when the drums kick back in (01:46). Awesome.

Here are some people who may or may not feature on this record. Note the excellent use of foliage.

Courtesy of the label's website: http://www.maemaiplengthai.com/

unknown music from cambodia #2 (Chlangden Production #060)

2008-04-07T00:59:00.000-07:00

track 01.mp3

Drama and a time-signature change worthy of a rocky movie.

unknown music from cambodia #1 (Chlangden Production #059)

2008-03-24T22:32:00.000-07:00

Artists: Sin Sisamouth, Ros Sereisothea, Pen Ran, Huoy Meas.
[Thanks to Bunthoeun for the info]

track 08 (unknown).mp3

track 09 (unknown).mp3

Hepped-up party cats swingin' with the best of 'em. Welcome to Chlangden!

music from thailand #2 (Sorn Kili - Thunder and Rain)

2008-03-20T23:17:00.000-07:00

On our first day in bangkok, we were walking through chinatown and spotted a music store; no lighting, no doors, just an old dude playing an old phonograph record. The record was really strange, like some sort of sqeuaky ethnic minority version of molam. Similar to the Burmese group Nat Pwe. Despite the full-on-ness of the music and the permanent traffic jam outside his window he seemed so calm and content.

This was the first time I spotted this CD, but he wouldn't let me listen to it, because it was wrapped in plastic. It wasn't until the last day of our trip that I got to hear and then buy this CD at a different place.

thunder and rain.mp3

even though you're ugly i love you.mp3

sorn kili - thunder and rain (entire_album).zip

The absolute highlight of my trip's plunder. Happy and sad all at once.

1. thunder and rain
2. I have not much luck
3. Even though you're ugly i love you
4. destination of love
5. woman shopkeeper with lovely eyes
6. flood
7. love flowers are blooming
8. field boys crazy love
9. field of love
10. is it enough?
11. elephant village
12. elephant village girl
13. sweet is poison bitten is medicine
14. watching heaven flowers

Sorn kili is also known as sonkhiri siprachuap.

chlangden production

2008-03-19T23:58:00.000-07:00

I know very little about Chlangden Production other than that it is/was a Cambodian recording label based in LA, probably in the 70s, 80s and 90s. They number each release, and oh so many of them are amazing: full of over-ornamentation and strange production values. Chlangden production releases will figure heavily in the next 15 odd posts about unknown music that I found in south-east asia.

some films featuring chlangden artists to get you in the mood.

Dara Vichai Malai Soriya

Orn Euy Srey Orn

Vietnamese Đàn đá (lithophone)

2008-03-18T01:43:00.000-07:00

The Đàn đá is a heavy tonal percussion instrument made from mountainous stones. it may have existed for over 3,000 years.

and we played one!!!

in a music shop in Hanoi last month. Although i just found out you're supposed to play it with two hands.

music from thailand #1: หงษ์ทอง ดาวอุดร (hongthong daoudon) and many other singers

2008-03-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

สาวชาวนาครวญ (sao chao na khruan).mp3

the coolest intro-to-main keychange ever.

Peter notes, awesomely, that "this record is a collection of legendary molam หงษ์ทอง ดาวอุดร (hongthong daoudon) and many other singers. the track you posted is สาวชาวนาครวญ (sao chao na khruan) by สุภาพ ดาวดวงเด่น (suphap daoduangden.. she is pictured on the bottom right of the album cover). interestingly, the original recording of this song did not feature the introductory fiddle! i wonder what was behind the decision to dub that in!"

AM magic

2007-11-29T00:29:00.000-08:00

side A.mp3

My grandma made this mixtape sometime in the last 15 years.

Apart from the fact that macky is clearly back in town, my grandma cuts with the best of em. radio palestine eat your heart out.

big ups to King, 3LO and Satchimo R.I.P.

2007-11-23T00:11:00.000-08:00

tastes, suicide, seasons

2007-11-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

three asian films that i like. watch them all!

The wayward cloud / La saveur de la pastèque / Tian bian yi duo yun
Dir. Ming-liang Tsai
(Taiwan, 2005)

The last life in the universe / Ruang rak noi nid mahasan
Dir. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
(Thailand / Japan, 2003)

Spring, summer, autumn, winter ... and spring / Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom

Dir. Ki-duk Kim
(Korea, 2003)

Verily, O! Lord!

2007-09-25T21:51:00.000-07:00

The six words written on this page are in Coptic (a language diluted with Greek) once the common tongue of Egyptian Christians. The Words at the top mean "Spiritual Music". Those below and to the left mean "sacred hymnsinger." Below these, a brief word states simply, "beginning," and one at the foot of the page reads "end." ilri

Coptic music originated in Egypt around two thousand years ago (maybe). It was passed through generations orally, before the first manuscripts were created. This one is from the 7th or 8th century AD.

In the 1960s, Folkways released a tape recording of blind master cantor Mikhail of the Coptic Cathedral of St Mark, entitled "Coptic Music." It was recorded by Ragheb Moftah, a devout & wealthy Copt, who dedicated his life to preserving this rejoiceful medium prior to radio's invasion of modern life. Master Mikhail was a centenarian at the time of recording. Blind cantors were relied upon by the copts due to the belief that blindness enhances hearing and the ablity to memorise.

'Verily O! Lord!' is the reason for this blog. Its slow, circular melody is my favourite.

Legal eagles: If you are unhappy with me posting this mp3, please let me know and I'll happily remove it.

a dog a panic in a pagoda

2007-09-24T23:16:00.001-07:00

this was drawn by Antonio Cavazzi, a Capuchin missionary, before his death in 1678.

balafons have a sweet buzz to their notes. this traditionally came from placing bat wings or spider webs over holes in the gourd/calabash that sits under the balafon's keys. these days they use cigarette paper. it's ok by me.