Plymouth by the sea, under the volcano
Oh what a world of surprise isles! Of the many Caribbean beauties, Montserrat has a history unlike any other. Irish-speaking Africans, a world-class rock’n’roll recording studio, a devastating volcano that destroyed the capital and keeps half the island covered in ash and lava flows.
But the music never quits! Sample the good ol’ days of soca, string bands, and the new post-volcanic underground.
Always a strange time of year in the north hemisphere – when people give in to the disappearance of the sun and fully embrace the dark side. To please the festive spirits, here is a non-stop playlist of many delightful horrors! All your favourite monsters stop by for the jam: chupacabra, sasquatch, vampire, zombie, gnome, baba yaga, gremlin, mosquito, non-carbon life form… Yes, you loveable critters make the underworld a much richer place.
Strummin’ on the Kumuz
Where the Caspian sea meets the Caucasus mountains lives the Republic of Dagestan. The most ethnically diverse corner of Russia, Dagestan is a place rarely explored by outsiders and only minimally administered by the national government. As ethnic Russians make up less than 4% of the population, Dagestan is a mix of dozens of different cultures and languages singing and fighting for respect.
The rocky terrain impedes modernization and helps preserve these traditions, but also provides shelter for guerrilla groups, whose drawn-out battles for independence have haunted the region for decades. Here we explore the many colours of Dagestani music, incorporating Central Asian and Middle Eastern melodies with a view to the north and the west. May these myriad rhythms help bring the people together, and make it known to the government that diversity should be celebrated.
Lezgians have learned to levitate in the thin mountain air
La Société des Ambianceurs et Personnes Elégantes (SAPE!)
The smaller, less-troubled Congolese Republic (often called Congo-Brazzaville after its capital city) is bursting with style and grace, thanks in large part to its amazing musical heritage. Sample some classics and unheard gems right here:
One of the most exciting Canadian collabs to manifest in many moons right here! Throat-singing, abstract hip hop, sublime production, and hallucinogenic animation. Artists at the top of their game. (hey same goes for Canada’s hockey team)
WANDERING RHYTHMS RADIO 