2018 was a year. There was more humanity in the world than ever before. It was wild. But the people made some brilliant sonic documents that just might outlive their creators. Here is a supremely subjective best-of-2018 music mix, blatantly ignoring all other best-of list. Mostly obscure music from far away that I think is exciting. Hope you hear something fresh (PLAYLIST HERE). Bless the creators out there!
And look here, an uncut dance mix!
Check out this funky fresh ode to environmentalism…
Here’s to less waste and disposable containers! More love for the land and a return to sustainable living!
The sparkling city of Ashgabat
Welcome to Turkmenistan, the oddest and most mysterious of the Stans. East of the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan is a strangely modern and strangely administered nation. Hear some of the classic folks sounds (thanks dutar.com), some freaky prog jazz, hip hop, and more:
The door to hell is inconveniently located in the middle of the Karakum Desert
Who built the nuraghes? Probably ancient humans using anti-gravity. Or dinosaurs.
The mystical Mediterranean island of Sardinia is covered with over 7000 megalithic rock sites that date back at least 3000 years. If the magical people who made these structures had electric guitars and distortion pedals, I bet this is the kind of slow and heavy music they would have played in those temples…
It’s a metal stereotype to be associated with pre-Christian paganism, but somehow it just feels right. Like a protest against the single-minded pursuit of forward progress, time dissolves in a musical trance. May the earth-shaking riffs wake the ancient wizards!
Hear Sardinian rock amidst many other local and global sounds as we visit the secret music scene of a singular giant isle:
Elephamily in Serengeti
I went to Tanzania; for real~! After a whirlwind trip of music and discovery in Africa, Wandering Rhythms is back making waves of radio:
The second hour of this week’s show is a musical safari through Tanzania, showcasing some of the musicians I encountered on my trip. One of the clear highlights was the Sauti za Busara Music Festival in Zanzibar City, bringing bands from across Africa together for one of the most exciting annual gatherings on the continent.
Msafiri Zawose and band – Sauti za Busara Festival 2018
I had the honour of speaking with one of Tanzania’s finest musicians, Msafiri Zawose, whose brilliant new album Uhamiaji bridges Wagogo traditions with electro futurism!
