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)
North America
sounds of the home grown
June 21st marks not only the beginning of summer in Canada – it is also our National Aboriginal Day. In honour of the 20th anniversary of our country’s re-awakening, Wandering Rhythms this week presents an hour of diverse and sublime aboriginal music from Canada (first half) and worldwide (second half). From traditional drumming to hip hop and many burgeoning scenes in between, these cultures are reclaiming their power and moving into the new age with power and purpose.
Pioneering Women in Music
In all styles, in all places, there are strong women who craft songs just as well as the fellas. In celebration of International Women’s Day 2016, we present a playlist of great female composers and performers – from the big band era to the present – who breached the status quo to share their art, and in the process have divined a more equal world:
Introducing my bizarro cumbia band.. MNGWA!
Dear far out friends,
Even though posts on this site have been infrequent, the Wandering Rhythms weekly radio show has never missed a beat. Recent trips through the soundscapes of North Korea, North Ireland, Dominican Republic, and the Cook Islands have kept me inspired in this weekly journey of ever-changing musicians.
But this is something personal, the project that has been my other musical obsession for the past two years. This band is the embodiment of the music I like to play most on this show; a wild multicultural mashup of styles that never settle into a single rhythm. We are nine musicians from Mexico, Russia, and Canada that play progressive latin music, jumping from dub to rock, funk to reggaeton, but always settling back into cumbia. We are Mngwa, and we call our music Vancumbia.
Here is our first music video, shot entirely on Kingsway, home to many immigrant communities and also the oldest strip in Vancouver:
And here is our debut record, the first ever Wandering Rhythms production.
Craig Aalders )-( Music as Mystery
Live Sonic Manipulation!
No one can resist the almighty beat, but on the fringes of the modern musical landscape there is an entirely different beast that defies the comforting confines of rhythmic repetition. Vancouver-based composer and sound-sorcerer Craig Aalders descends upon the studio this week to share his sublime shifting soundscapes and discuss the rich world of electro-acoustic music — where listeners are encouraged to rethink the boundaries of music and embrace the entire sonic spectrum. Beautiful vibrations are everywhere, we just need to tune our ears to them.
Stream the broadcast [[HERE]] And check out Craig Aalders’ bewitching new LP [[HERE]]
For the second part of the show, we travel to the digital shores of Singapore…
a magical land of old-growth skyscraper forests
Singapore (aka Lion City) is a place of open mixing between Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, and British culture. This has produced a rich ecosystem of mutant styles and singular vibes. Among the most interesting was a wild and flourishing rock ‘n’ roll scene in the 1960s. More than simple mimicry, Singaporeans were taking cues from American musicians and adding their own genuine south-east Asian flavours. Fascinating; an entire parallel universe of music happening alongside the psychedelic rock movement in America, yet entirely hidden from Western listeners. For a good introduction to the vibrant 60s scene, check out the Sublime Frequencies compilation Singapore A-Go-Go.
The Stylers were one of the best and most prolific bands of the independence era, producing over a thousand records in at least five languages. Ya ho! This track mixes Hokkien vocals with surf guitar solos and handclaps:
Craig Aalders joins us on the trip through Singapore, as we uncover Singlish hip hop, sitar jams, experimental modern rock, Malay-style funk, and … French pop?
Stream the Singapore special [[HERE]]. Long live local music.. and the local reinvention of global music.
WANDERING RHYTHMS RADIO 