Leave a comment Posted on February 16, 2014February 16, 2014 Asia, Eastern Europe, Europe, West Asia, World Music

The Devil Went Down to Tbilisi

Downtown Atlanta: this is not

Orient your cochleas towards the Caucasus, here drifts a wave of sublime sounds from Georgia. Not the southern American state, but rather the magical country on the far east of Europe – or if you prefer, the western fringe of Asia (continents are surprisingly nebulous entities). The rugged Georgia-Russia border is only a few dozen kilometres from the current Sochi Winter Olympic Games taking place in the deep south of Russia, but Georgia is still light years removed from the global cultural spotlight. And so we dive…

Sonically speaking, Georgians are best known for their age-old mastery of polyphonic vocal harmonies. This is a technique that has spread to all corners of the planet, yet Georgians have been doing it for so long that they still seem to do it better; this effortless layering of voices has found its way into non-traditional genres as well.. like throw-back choral swing!:

Stream the Georgian broadcast [[HERE]], featuring some of the world’s most potent vocalists, with sides of prog, folk, hip hop, and mystery beats.

Leave a comment Posted on February 9, 2014February 9, 2014 Africa, Current Episode, Music, World Music

Avant-Garde Africa

Gambian pioneer of electric wizardry, Bai Janha

In celebration of Black History Month, we feature an hour of experimental music from Africa and the African diaspora. Yes, African musical traditions run incredibly deep, but there is also a pressing need to acknowledge the amazing contributions that Africans have made to modern music around the world. Blues, jazz, samba, cumbia, rock, funk, reggae, hip hop.. all globally dominant styles that originated in the struggle for freedom that Africans have faced since being forced from their ancestral homeland. As we all try to make sense of the modern age of mixing, the African quest for cultural and creative freedom has indeed made the universe a much richer place.

Hear samba-funk, mystic chants, saharan-disco, bizarro-rap, interstellar jazz, and much more on…

AVANT GARDE AFRICA: {{STREAM HERE}}

Also on the program, a late-night interview with the wonderful UK-based singer/accordionist Anja McClosky, who discusses her victorious first tour through snowy BC and Alberta with guitarist Dan Whitehouse in support of their sublime new Still EP. Hear the interview with Anja {{HERE}}

Leave a comment Posted on February 1, 2014 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:

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 January 24, 2014January 24, 2014 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

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 January 15, 2014January 23, 2014 Current Episode, Music, North America, South Asia, World Music

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…

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.

WANDERING RHYTHMS RADIO