World Music

Leave a comment Posted on Micronesia, Music, Oceania, World Music

F! S! M!

Nope, we aren’t worshiping at the altar of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (mad respect to all Pastafarians) – we are tripping to the Federated States of Micronesia, a scatter-shot nation founded in 1979 by the (figurative) joining of four discrete island-states in the west Pacific.  It is a place of tropical dreamscapes, floating on the fringes of the global radar and quite worthy of an authentic exploration.

Check out Chuuk– the most highly populated state in FSM with a whopping 48,000 human inhabitants.  Encircled by 225 km of coral reefs, it is one of the largest lagoons in the world:

Paradise Protected

Chuuk Lagoon – Paradise Protected

As you might expect from such an idyllic setting, the music of FSM is laid-back and smooth-like.  Most modern sounds are influenced by reggae and synth-pop, usually in tandem.  I can’t quite figure out why Pacific Islanders are so fond of digital drums and auto-tuned vocals, but it sure makes for ultra positive island vibes.  For all I known, they may actually be allergic to minor keys.

Sidenode: each of the four states in FSM – Chuuk, Yap, Pohnpei, and Kosrae – has their own indigenous language, and the locals still identify more with their own islands’ culture than with the nation-state that unifies them… something to keep in mind if your search for ‘Federated States of Micronesia music’ ends in a cul-de-sac.

And hay, happy Year of the Horse! (courtesy of the swingin’ 60s)

Leave a comment Posted on Carribean, Music, South America, World Music

French Ama-soniques

This week we visit the nation that never was but probably should be: Guyane, sur le bord du jungle amazone.

Devil's Island: the Alcatraz of South America

Devil’s Island: the Alcatraz of South America

French Guiana – the only piece of South America still held in custody by their colonial mother-in-law.  The other Guys have all been set free… qu’est ce qu’il y a la France?  Still bitter about losing Haiti?  Oh right, you needed somewhere to build a spaceport.  Politics aside, French Guiana is well worthy of a sonic exploration; and so we find ourselves back in the almighty Amazon, the sacred lungs of our momma Earth.

Though native South Americans still survive in pockets of the rainforest, the quarter-million humans in French Guiana are primarily of African or mixed ancestry, living either in isolated communities where drumming traditions are preserved, or in smallish coastal cities like Cayenne and Kourou, where the traditions mix with modern sounds to form a frenetic hybrid style called aléké.

Still, much of the music has a distinct Caribbean vibe.  Roots reggae is a powerful force in the region, and the best-known local musicians play some variation of it.  The biggest international star, Prince Koloni, plays both aléké and reggae.. perhaps they will one day fuse into a distinctly amazonian sound smash.

Hear drums of focused fury, laid back skankin’, and some unexpected twists on the French Guianese special.

1 Comment Posted on Current Episode, Music, North America, South Asia, World Music

Craig Aalders )-( Music as Mystery

{Live Sonic Manipulation}

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…

Try finding a photo of Singapore that doesn't include a skyscraper

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.

Leave a comment Posted on Eastern Europe, Europe, Music, World Music

Moldova~Flows

Looks like Italy, smells like Romania .. it’s Moldova!  A small, sparsely populated nation with a history of artistic censorship, but as usual there are musical delights that shine through the ages.  This week’s Moldovan soundscape features underground rock from the Soviet era, father-daughter folk & pop, Balkan-punk, hip hop, and amore.

Moldova: Yes, we've got castles

Moldova: “We’ve got big castles”

Here’s a sneak peak that comes with an odd slice of trivia.. the youngest pop star ever, Cleopatra Stratan:

I’m not even ashamed to say it; that’s a seriously catchy tune.

Hear the Moldovan Special HERE (part1) and HERE (part 2).

And also from this week’s broadcast, one of the most sublime re-issues of the year – 70s Zamrock band Salty Dog, hitherto unheard outside of Africa:

Leave a comment Posted on Carribean, Music, World Music

islands}} {{soundclash

sugar mill barbados

Barbados was created by 2 islands smashing together in the year 43,262,684 B.C.  But that’s fairly old news.  This just in: the easternmost Caribbean nation is a buzzing power plant of music.  This is largely owing to a stable economy (tourists!), and a proliferation of recording studios since independence from the British nearly 50 years ago.  Still, considering the island’s population is barely a quarter million, there’s something mysterious about the sheer number of funkin’ bands making interesting songs.  But Barbados also benefits from strong siblings that speak their language; Jamaican ska and Trinidadian calypso were wildly popular in the region, and by the 1960s Barbadians had melded these with local Creole (Bajan) to create a style called spouge music.  It’s heavy on the cowbell:

Another great element of Bajan music is the constant stream of whimsical lyrics, which is true to the spirit of calypso.  In Barbados, the juxtaposition of African ancestry with British customs makes for endless zanity.  In this track, calypso legend Mighty Gabby (he has been Calypso Monarch of Barbados 7 times, spanning 42 years!) sings about his futile attempt to impress a girl in a game of cricket:

Hear these sounds and other Bajan delights on {DE BARBADOS SPECTACULAR}

And also, the weekly SOUNDSPLASH.  Sweet-fuh-days..