Cibelle – The Shine of Dried Electric Leaves
August 13th, 2010 | by Tony Smith | published in female vocalists, folktronica, world music | 2 comments
A delightful Brazilian electronica album by Cibelle with a guest performance by Devendra Banhart.
world music
August 1st, 2010 | by Max Jacobs | published in world music | 1 comment
My knowledge of these musical styles is much less than that of sad men with guitars and beards, so “The Last Siesta” has been a refreshing reminder of the versatile music that can come from a traditional band format. What’s clear is that King City is talented and they are certainly having a ball. I can tip my cap to that.
Major Lazer & La Roux – Lazerproof
June 29th, 2010 | by Taylor Fife | published in hip-hop, reggae, remixes, world music | 1 comment
‘Lazerproof’ is a genius rework of nearly all of La Roux’s self-titled debut. The entire mixtape is entertaining, fun and hilarious in that very special Major Lazer way. Even though it seems Diplo and Switch didn’t do much writing or producing for the tape, it still shows off their eclectic taste and knowledge of various dance and island genres.
Madlib – Madlib Medicine Show No. 3: Beat Konducta in Africa
April 20th, 2010 | by J Meagher | published in hip-hop, world music | 4 comments
The music is interesting enough, using samples from popular African songs and coming from regional genres such as juju, highlife, afrobeat, and African flavored jazz and funk. Madlib provides his usual woozy production style with lots of fade ins/outs. If you listen to this with headphones you will likely loose your sense of equilibrium.
Madlib – Madlib Medicine Show No. 2: Flight to Brazil
February 24th, 2010 | by J Meagher | published in hip-hop, world music | 5 comments
This album really changed things for me in terms of appreciating and pursuing jazz music outside of Tribe Called Quest samples. He took sounds I was unfamiliar and uninterested in, and screwed them up in wonderful ways that made me want to listen over and over again (video for a track off this album will be included below). It’s safe to say that Madlib is NOT a one trick pony.
November 5th, 2009 | by Taylor Fife | published in etheopian, west african, world music | 2 comments
Fool’s Gold belts out their compositions with confidence surprising and refreshing for a group taking on a borrowed aesthetic. The lead guitar soars over the percussion-heavy beats. The Hebrew and English vocals fit in amazingly—rather than leading the group they fall into the mix as just another one of the nine or so instruments jamming together. The songs don’t feel as if they were crafted, but instead as if they fell together naturally or developed slowly through jamming and collective input.
November 3rd, 2009 | by Jason Grishkoff | published in live shows, west african, world music | no comments
Last night The Very Best sold out Washington, D.C.’s DC9 Club, in part due to a whole lot of hype from websites such as Pitchfork, as well as a few shining reviews in DC’s local newspapers. Perhaps my growing up in South Africa makes me biased on this one, but I’m pretty sure I’ve heard African music done well (whether it be from the North or the South), and this isn’t done well.
August 22nd, 2009 | by Daniel Surwit | published in instrumental, house, west african | 3 comments
This unique quintet hails out of the rolling hills of Asheville, NC with a sound that might as well be coming from several thousand miles around the world. Although all five members grew up in and began their music careers on the Appalachian Trail, most of them spent considerable time learning music on Africa’s west coast. Think Mississippi Delta meets Mali; Santana meets Amadou and Miriam.
Yonlu – A Society in Which No Tear Is Shed Is Inconceivably Mediocre
August 6th, 2009 | by Jason Grishkoff | published in acoustic, experimental, folk, world music | no comments
“Yonlu” was a Brazilian teenager who killed himself in his bathroom. He left a note for his parents telling them to listen to his music whenever they missed him. This album is constructed mostly of songs his parents found on his computer after his death.
