RADIO IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY groove mixe world

Radio transmissions and sound recordings from Indonesia, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, Syria, Algeria, Niger, Iraq, India, Thailand, and Sumatra. An earlier version of this episode originally broadcast on Resonance 104.4 FM (London, UK) January 3, 2018 nd on  Delgado's Dolphin Radio - WXDR 99.1 FM (New Orleans, Louisiana) September 9, 2018.

RIAFC 001

The End of Dreams is the Dream of the System (RIAFC 001)

A special guest mix from Alan Bishop featuring his 40-minute radio collage Lo-Pacific followed by a selection of tracks from his SUBLIME FREQUENCIES radio series, including Radio Myanmar (Burma), Radio Vietnam, Radio Thaliand, and Radio Sumatra. Lo-Pacific contains radio broadcasts from Burma and the U.S., field recordings from Burma, Sumatra, India, Hawaii, and the U.S., one Sun City Girls performance, and an odd track from a reel of tape found in a Los Angeles dumpster. This mix originally broadcast on Resonance 104.4 FM (London, UK) March 30th and April 2, 2018 and on Delgado's Dolphin Radio - WXDR 99.1 FM (New Orleans, Louisiana) September 16, 2018.

Guest Mix by Alan Bishop

Asian Radio Mixtape (RIAFC 003)

A deep dive into the Aural Archipelago archive, featuring field recordings from Sumatra, Java, and Kalimantan. All field recordings by Palmer Keen (Aural Archipelago, 2014-2017) except for “Simalungen Rayat.”  To hear more, please visit http://www.auralarchipelago.com. This episode originally broadcast on Resonance 104.4 FM (London, UK) May 7, 2018 and on Delgado's Dolphin Radio - WXDR 99.1 FM (New Orleans, Louisiana) September 23, 2018.

RIAFC 004

The Aural Archipelago Archive (RIAFC 004)

A curiosity cabinet of cumbias, including a mixtape of vintage “arabesque” novelty recordings, “slow” cumbias (i.e., rebajada, meaning a record played at a lower pitch and/or speed), cheesy but irresistible pop songs, and more of our favorite cumbia sounds from Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. RIAFC 005 originally broadcast on Resonance 104.4 FM (London, UK) August 11, 2018 and on Delgado's Dolphin Radio - WXDR 99.1 FM (New Orleans, Louisiana) September 9, 2018.

A Curiosity Cabinet of Cumbias (RIAFC 005)

A great selection of Indian filmi songs & instrumentals, Iraqi choubi, and Thai molam. RIAFC 006 originally broadcast on Resonance 104.4 FM (London, UK) October 1, 2018 and on Delgado's Dolphin Radio - WXDR 99.1 FM (New Orleans, Louisiana) October 7, 2018.

India | Iraq | Thailand (RIAFC 006)

RIAFC 007 - Shortwave Radio Surfing
A mesmerizing mixtape of lo-fi shortwave radio transmissions arrived in our mailbox today from the Italian tape label Artetetra. And it’s a doozy! Produced exclusively for Radio is a Foreign Country, Italian scavengers of obscure exotica, Luigi Monteanni and Matteo Pennesi, explore the surreal world of shortwave radio.
 
“As a mix of functional signals and sounds, incomprehensible codes and intrusive skits, which rely entirely on the technical efficiency and power of the machine as a catalyst, not to mention the capacity and experience of the listener-user to tune into different frequencies, shortwave radio is a continuous adventure into undisclosed territories of sound that literally becomes, at any given moment, an unrevealed foreign country.

Historically, shortwave radios have been used mostly for communication, commercials, propaganda and illegal broadcasting, which is often related to political needs that require evading the normal laws of censorship and intellectual property. Unable to listen uninterrupted, one must hunt continuously for tunes, acrobatically zapping through jungles of white noise and wastelands of abandoned frequencies. Shortwave radio is therefore a kind of shadow box containing part of our sonorous heritage in the form of haunting and recurring uchronia, where different geographies, eras, and technologies fuse in a polymorphic structure of displaced signals and sounds – for example, Guglielmo Marconi and the Cape Verde islands, jungle from the 90s and Latin radio plays from the 70s. If there is anything that illustrates Artetetra's concept of Quinto Mondo, it is without a doubt shortwave radio.” 

But enough bs! Just dive right into this medianic lo-fi mix, carefully crafted by the Italian scavengers of calembouristic sonic paradises.

Shortwave Radio Surfing (RIAFC 007)

Beautiful old field recordings of xylophone orchestras and electric thumb piano from the Congo; a selection of radio recordings featuring hypnotic thumb piano master Ekuka Moriss Sirikiti from Uganda (courtesy of Nyege Nyege Tapes); and a mixtape of the phenomenal balafon magic of Molobali Keita from Mali.

RIAFC 009
Misengu (Salampasu) recorded by Jos Gansemans (Congo, 1973)
Mutomboko and Luwendo (Luba) recorded by Hugh Tracey (Congo, 1957)
Kutomboka Dance, Mulopwe Ensemble (Lunda) recorded by Jos Gansemans (Congo, 1970)
Unknown, Orchestre “Bana Luya” Niengele Tshibangu recorded by Bernard Treton/Guy Level (Kinshasa/Congo, 1978)
Ekuka Rework, Ekuka Moriss Sirikiti (Uganda, 2018)
Kwon Otino Anyira, Ekuka Moriss Sirikiti (Uganda, 1978-2006)
Omaro Cil Pacu, Ekuka Moriss Sirikiti (Uganda, 1978-2006)
Pwoc Bot Lira Dpi Miyo Pikipiki, Ekuka Moriss Sirikiti (Uganda, 1978-2006)
Molobali Keita Mixtape (Mali, ca. 1990s)

Radio is a Foreign Country

African Xylophone Orchestras & Thumb Piano (RIAFC 009)

Kompa guitar gems, 1969-2014

PLAYLIST
Fe'm Confiance (Tropical Treats Edit), Les Difficiles de Petion Ville (1984/2012)
Espoir/Composition X, Les Dificiles de Petion-Ville (1980s)
Haiti, Les Gypsies de Petion-Ville (1971)
Cafe Au Lait, Shleu-Shleu (1969)
Pere Manno, Dodof et Ses Amis (1979)
Compas 2, Les Gypsies de Petion-Ville (1971)
Pale Kréyol - Rodrigue Millien (1980)
Min Rat La, Coupe Cloue (1987)
Michel Martelly - ‎Konpa Foret Des Pins (1989)
Guest Stars Martino, Robert Martino (2010)
Platinum gerim (feat. Bann'D), DJ Platinum-D (2014)
Ou Pa Ka Fè Sa, DJ Platinum-D (2014)
Déchire kilot - Top Digital (2011)

RIAFC 010

Haitian Kompa (RIAFC 010)

"Imagine yourself trapped into a cheap hostel located somewhere in a far out obscure small town, with only a portable radio in your pocket and you find yourself switching through the radio stations" - Dragoș Rusu, the Attic Magazine
 
This special episode of the Attic Magazine's Into the Archives podcast comprises radio transmissions and vintage records from around the world (China, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Iraq, Lebanon, Algeria, Ethiopia, Somalia and Tanzania), original Balinese gamelan recordings, Ghazal classics, film soundtracks, radio broadcasts from Kashgar, bootleg cassettes, shortwave radio recordings and more.

From the Archives: The Attic Magazine Mixtape (RIAFC 011)

A selection of mesmerizing Kink Gong remixes created & compiled by Laurent Jeanneau.

PLAYLIST
Example #1 Cambodia
Example #2 Indonesia
Example #3 Vietnam
Example #4 Yunnan China
Example #6 Thailand
Example #10 Tibet
Example #6 Mouthharp
Example #7 Space (Kink Gong plays accordeon)
Example #12 China
Example #13 Xinjiang/Syria/Japan

Kink Gong (RIAFC 012)

A sago beetle mouth harp from 1960s Papua New Guinea; beautiful night recordings from the forests of old Borneo ca. 1950s; a rare pareret orchestra from Bali; vintage Thai shadow music & Malaysian pop; amazing recordings made off the radio in India; a stunning field recording of what the Amazon, Gran Chaco & Patanal sounded like in the 1950s; and some great psychedelic chicha from Peru.

PLAYLIST
“Live Beetle Jew’s Harp,” Mahisu. Recorded by Robert MacLennan [Papua New Guinea, 1963] 
“Joueur de Sampey.” Recorded by Guy Piazzini [Borneo, ca. 1956-1957]
“Joueuses de Lotong” [Borneo, ca. 1956-1957]. Recorded by Guy Piazzini.
“Kapeng Dateng” [Borneo 1953-1954]. Recorded by Pierre Ivanoff. 
“Pinakang” [Borneo, ca. 1970s]. Recorded by Guy Saint-Clair. 
“Sewagati (Bersama),” Suling Pereret [Indonesia, Year Unknown]
“Jew's Harp (Juring Rangguin) of the Temiar.” Recorded by Hans Oesch [Malaysia, 1963)
“Pone Tala Pone,” P.M. 7/Jupiter [Thailand, year unknown]
“Sakura,” D'Venus [Malaysia 1968]
“Jog,” Zia Mohiuddin Dagar [India, ca. 1996-1997]
“Sote Sote Aadhi Raat,” Salma Agha [India, 1983]
“Psychedelia,” X'lents [India, 1970/1971]
Excerpts from Radio India, Alan Bishop
“Animaux Sauvages d’Amerique du Sud (excerpts). Recorded by Richard Chapelle [South America, 1963-1975]
“Chinito en onda,” Los Mirlos [Peru, 1974]
“El sabor de mi selva,” Grupo Selva [Peru, 1970s]
“Bola bola en el tres,” Los Wemblers de Iquito [Peru, 1970s]

Stranger Things (RIAFC 014)

A surreal and jarring train ride through contemporary India and Nepal. In 2012, Pablo Picco, from the Argentinian psychedelic folk/experimental drone group Ø+yn, and María Victoria Arener travelled through the chaotic Hindu faith city of Varanasi, the strange, mixed cultural landscape of Bhubaneswar, the lonely and romantic woods of Darjeeling, the introspective cityscapes of Kathmandu, the Buddhist temples of Pokhara, and many other vibrant and unknown places in between. This mixtape features cuts from their experimental travel film (Kalinga Utkal) and accompanying soundtrack, released by Power Moves Library & Sonido Atmosférico Ediciones, and their field recordings (The Bombastic and Repetitive Sound of Tashi Ling Buddhas in Pokhara, Nepal on the Greek label More Mars).

Kalinga Utkal Express [RIAFC 015]

Cut-ups and layered sounds of radio, field recordings, and a stray cassette assembled for Radio is a Foreign Country by visual/sound artist and musician Jesse Paul Miller. You will hear ceremonial and other music, radio playing and re-recorded on location, direct radio captured using a small portable “shortwave,” and a bit from a purchased audio cassette, some un-altered and others cut up and layered combining multiple locations. Source recordings gathered in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Thailand, 2008-2017, and assembled now 2019. You can find more of Jesse’s extensive collection of field recordings from Southeast Asia here: https://jessepaulmiller.bandcamp.com/ and here http://www.sublimefrequencies.com/products/576333-a-distant-invitation-ceremonial-street-recordings-from-burma-cambodia-india-indonesia-malaysia-and-thailand.

Leftfield Asia (RIAFC 016)

Radio transmissions and vinyl records from the Andean highlands (mostly Peruvian huayno music and Ecuadorian sanjuanito), including a 1980s pirate radio broadcast, cows, old Quechua records, radio streams of huaylía (sometimes spelled waylía) recorded off the internet (and associated with the end-of-the-year ritualized fights called takanakuy pictured on the cover), Ecuadorian slide guitar and carnival music, and a casio keyboard track.

Radio Andino (RIAFC 018)

Sublime radio transmissions, field recordings, records & tapes from some of the least known corners of the Arab world, including excerpts from Mark Gergis’ mesmerizing audio expose I Remember Syria (ca. 1998) and Alan Bishop’s head-spinning radio montage Radio Palestine: Sounds of the Eastern Mediterranean (ca. 1985), both on the Sublime Frequencies record label, and much more. Intrepid listeners can expect everything from Syrian dabke, Jordanian reverb guitar, and Arabic pop music from Beirut to the traditional Nubian sounds of southern Egypt. Cover Image: Gamal Abdel Nasser listening to portable radio.

RIAFC 019

Transmissions from the Eastern Mediterranean (RIAFC 019)

A hypnotic mix of field recordings, samples of 78 records, modern exotic pop & electronic music from the visionary collector Fabrice Géry (aka Cheb Gero) from the Paris-based independent label Akuphone. Photo credit: Kink Gong/Laurent Jeanneau.

TRACK LIST
Dharma Shanti Orchestra: Pemungkah 
VA - The Gamelan Of The Walking Warriors : Gamelan Beleganjur and the Music of the Ngaben Funerary Ritual in Bal (AKU1007, 2017)

Kink Gong & Li Daiguo: Cello Zheng Pacoh
Dali China (AKU1019, 2019)

Kiki Hitomi: Gain And Lose
VA - Seitō: In the Beginning, Woman Was the Sun (AKU1016, 2019)

Tati Saleh: Sinden Sohor
VA - Malam Minggu : A Saturday Night In Sunda (AKU1012, 2019)

Ko Shin Moon: I-XIII
78 Fragments (AKU1017, 2019)

Tamayugé: Komeito
Baba Yaga (AKU1013, 2019)

Ramuntcho Matta: Au Fond Du Fond
96 (AKU1014, 2019)

Unknown Artist: Lao Lam Saravan
Music of Southern Laos (AKU1009, 2018)

Praed: Embassy Of Embarrassment
Doomsday Survival Kit (AKU1011, 2019)

Ko Shin Moon: Zaffa
Ko Shin Moon (AKU1005, 2017)

Akuphone (RIAFC 020)

Random, precious things recorded off the radio (shortwave & FM) over the past 4 or so years, including a mesmerizing didgeridoo recording & cut-ups of a surreal & absurdly funny documentary film about cane toads; fuzzy modern Arabic pop music & a quirky food/cooking show from Radio Kuwait/Radio Bahrain; great shortwave radio recorded on location everywhere from India to the Western Sahara (courtesy of Myke Dodge Weiskopf/Shortwave Music); raw & beautiful radio & cell phone recordings from the Maghreb & the Sahel (courtesy of Matthew Lavoie from the great WALLAHI LE ZEIN! cassette blog).

RIAFC 021

Radio Digs (RIAFC 021)

Vintage Pakistani film music from the extraordinary vinyl collection of Danish collector Mads Nimann Jensen. Expect some great records from Noor Jehan, M.A. Shad, M. Ashraf, Mohd Rafi, Mehnaz Begum, Tafo Brothers, and LOTS of Nahid Akhtar.  

PLAYLIST
1. Noor Jehan - Char Chofere Naqli Chehre (1975)
2. Bumper/ID/Title Music (Na Chhura Sako Ge Daman), M.A. Shad (1974)
3. Dance Music (Man Ki Jeet), M. Ashraf (1972)
4. Main Hoon Tash Ki Rani, Mehnaz (1977)
5. Jan Pahechan Ho, Mohd Rafi (1964) 
6. Bumper/ID/Bura Honda Juwariyan Da, Tafo Brothers (1976)
7. Aankh Meri Tum Se, Nahid Akhtar (1978)
8. Akh Jadon Kardiye, Nahid Akhtar (1976)
9. Banto Mintan, Nahid Akhtar (1978)
10. Bolo Kuchh Munh Se Bolo, Nahid Akhtar (1977)
11. Bumper/ID/Some Love One, Some Love Two, Nahid Akhtar (1979)
12. Koi Dilbar Koi Qatil, Nahid Akhtar (1978)
13. Pyar Ka Koee Shola, Nahid Akhtar (1976)
14. Pyar Se Mukj, Nahid Akhtar (1976)
15. Yeh Aaj Mujh Ko Saya, Nahid Akhtar (1975)

RIAFC 22

Pakistani Film Music (RIAFC 022)

Retro Minangkabau folk & electronic pop music, Sundanese psychedelic pop & beat music, Malay pop & dangdut classics, and more! 

Special thanks to Luigi Monteanni (Artetetra) for contributing a killer electronic kalason/Pop Minang cassette, Uda Sjam (aka Samsom Pho) for first treating my ears to that Lies Embarsari record, superhuman digger Henk dem Toon (Madrotter), Laurent Jeanneau (Kink Gong) for sharing that beautiful saluang cassette, Palmer Keen (Aural Archipelago) for the great instrumental dangdut recorded off Radio Jawa just for us, chOOn!! for the mixtape (more on that to come), Alan Bishop/Sublime Frequencies and Sham Palace for the amazing radio recordings and compilations. 

“To the People Far Away, So They Will Come Home Soon” is from the Minang song “Rabad.”

PLAYLIST
Bumper: Maulid el Rasul, Og al Wathan LOOP
Allah's Hit Explosion (excerpt), (Alan Bishop/Sublime Frequencies)
Arok Dek Pinang Sabatang, Asben featuring Melati
Borondong Garing, Bimbo (Sham Palace)
Rarakitan, Yanti Bersaudara (Polydor, 1971)
Gumbira, Yanti Bersaudara (Polydor, 1971)
Ngajuh Hudjan, Lies Embarsari Bersama Zaenal Combo (Irama)
All Hit Music (excerpt), (Alan Bishop/Sublime Frequencies)
Ginyang Gynang, Group Yunita (chOOn!!/Subcity Radio)
Lasuah Loo Yee, Melati & Asben (chOOn!!/Subcity Radio)
Baralek Gadang (excerpt), Tambo Group Jo Ernie Djohan
Banda Aceh Sumatra: Before The Tsunami (excerpt)
Mak Inang, Adjis Sutan Sati (Popsound)
MINANG KABAU saLuang songs (Kink Gong, 1994)
Indang Pariaman, Samsimar (Sublime Frequencies)
Pariaman, Fetty (Sublime Frequencies)
Radio Jawa (radio recording by Palmer Keen/Aural Archipelago for RIAFC)
Termenung, Elly Agus (aka Ellya Khadam) & Orkes Kelana Ria
Djangan Tjemburu,  Orkes Melaju Sinar Kemala (VoIda Layla)
Pudjaanku, Djuhana Sattar with Orkes Kelana Ria
Datang Untuk Pergi, Elvi Sukaesih
Endenk2an, Otih & Kliningan Bintang Terang

RIAFC 024

To the People Far Away, So They Will Come Home Soon (RIAFC 023)

chOOn!! is an arts collective that began life as a notoriously wild radio show on Subcity Radio (Glasgow, Scotland), 2012-2019, and is now about to launch as a newly formed reissue label. Radio is a Foreign Country is thrilled to share chOOn!!’s warped take on a bewildering range of retro folk and popular styles spread throughout the Indonesian archipelago. Prepare your earballs for loads of gamelan funk, Javanese electro, discoid degung, queasy quasidah modern, Sumatran devil-synth, hyper footwork jaipong, cosmic calung, plasmic pop-Sunda, and drum-machine dangdut. You can hear the extended version of this mix at https://soundcloud. com/radio-choon.

chOOn!! would like to thank Romain de Ferron for generously sending his wonderfully curated tape of Sumatran gems culled from his journeys throughout Indonesia; VK and his generous gifts from Malaysia; the digging savant Herpi and his expertly curated selections; and to the ever-reliable grotto of Indonesian delights that is Madrotter - thanks Henk!

PLAYLIST
Break Pong Medley, Yayah Ratnasari & Karawang Group
Jalma Dengki, Darso & Detty Kurnia
Wening, Becky Wilson & Nano. S. Kasmaran
Disco Medley Jaipong (Extract), Nus. S.
Tari Pasambahan, Sanggar Syofyani
Pariaman,  Fetty
Asih Can Laas, Detty Kurnia
Kunci 2 Asmara, Ety Yulianty
Tahun 2000, Nasida Ria
Jangan Putus Asa, Orkes Gambus Al Hadid
Imut Nu Ngajalanan, Detty Kurnia
Ginggiapeun, Titin K. Somantri & Odang Sundara
El Sahara, El Sahara Group
Bonus Cinta, Becky Wilson & Nano. S. Kasmaran
Cucu Deui, Darso
Instrumental Jaipong (excerpt), Nus. S.

RADIO IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY groove mixe world

Amine Laidia