S I N G L E S

African world

M O T I O N

NEW ZEALAND

Jscottrazoky

All of the artists featured on this unique Rough Guide present distinctive, original sounds emanating from Africa, selected exclusively from groups entering World Music Network’s ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition. Check out Tani Diakite’s brand of Afro-funk, Simo Lagwani’s Moroccan gnawa grooves and Wayo’s South Sudanese trance percussion.

For more information, visit www.worldmusic.net/store/item/RGNET1312

This compilation presents a grassroots approach to the music of the moment emanating from Africa and its Diasporas. Gaining recognition through World Music Network’s ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition – an exciting and revolutionary competition for up and coming world music acts – all of the artists featured on this album present new, original sounds, most of which you are unlikely to have ever heard before. This album gives you a true snap-shot of African music today, taken straight from the source, maybe even presenting some of Africa’s music stars of tomorrow! Unlike most other African compilations, which focus on the usual suspects and established royalty of African music, this fresh approach allows you to delve deeper into the musical treasure chest of African music. Several of the featured artists have gone on to release albums on World Music Network’s award winning artist label, Riverboat Records, to much critical acclaim, including Krar Collective, Monoswezi,Wayo and Annansy Cissé. In keeping with the theme of music from the source we have included an incredible bonus disc by Sotho Sounds from Lesotho, who quite literally are turning junk into funk.

Annane Sy Cisse rolls the album open with his track ‘Bala’. Here he is joined by Zoumana Tereta whose sonorous sokou (mono-chord violin) solos enter into a riffing question and answer session with Cisse’s electric guitar. Zoumana’s sokou is also heard on Djama Djigui’s track ‘Djimé Foly’.

Simo Lagwani is a Moroccan musician whose involvement in an eclectic mix of projects has seen him become a regular on the UK’s live circuit. His track ‘Baniyorkoy’ is anchored by the rich, resonant tones of the guembri (a plucked lute) decorated by vocals, handclaps and krakeb hand cymbals.

Noumoucounda Cissoko is a Sengalese griot who plays his kora viviciaously on ‘Nomou Koradioulou’. Illuminating the string vibrations of another kora master, the track ‘Cora’ features guitarist Giuliano Modarelli alongside Sura Susso’s intimate playing.

Ethiopian minimalist rockers, Krar Collective contribute their swirling, heady mix on track ‘Ambassel’. Lead-singer Asseda’s spine-tingling voice soars atop the bluesy tones of the krar lyre, kebero drums and a one-string masenqo fiddle.

ANerGy Afrobeat contribute their spacious ‘vaudoo-jazz soul-funk’. The big band line-up spotlights their brass section on this track who take freeform solos before the vocals refrain for their ‘Great King Fela’. Later we hear from another big band, Mozambican Sigauque’s live track ‘Alertos Da Vida’ is an unstoppably positive song with pan-African inspirations. 

‘Yaye Boye’ was presented to World Music Network by Teranga Beat, a label working to bring back the life of the 1970s Senegalese super band Le Sahel. This laid-back track features Cheikh Tidiane Tall, Idrissa Diop and Thierno Koite. Also hailing from Senegal is the Batch Gueye Band whose Baye Fall religious beliefs inform his evocative track ‘M’beugel’.

Party tracks from Sudanese collective Wayo and kamale ngoni troubadour Tani Diakite raise the heat in the final few tracks of this Rough Guide, before Monoswezi’s mbira-led ‘Ndinwe’ gently closes the album.

Anansy Cisse: Baala (taken from The Rough Guide To The Best African Music You've Never Heard)

World Music From Africa  Ethnic Music, Percussion, African Tribal Music

This collection of piano and strings shorts are dedicated to advertisement agencies, directors, and producers looking for concisely written music created for the sole purpose of sentimental ads. Can e found on Pond5.com. For additional edits to any of these scores, please contact.

GOLDEN | FIELDS

This collection of piano and strings shorts are dedicated to advertisement agencies, directors, and producers looking for concisely written music created for the sole purpose of sentimental ads. This track not available on Pond5.om. For inquiries of licensing this track or additional edits to any of these scores, please contact.

FOUND

South African jazz is a pertinent reminder of the intrinsic link between music and the dismantling of oppression. This Rough Guide celebrates the legacy of many of the great players and showcases the wealth of burgeoning jazz talent emerging from the Rainbow Nation.

More information at http://www.worldmusic.net/store/item/RGNET1341

Abdullah Ibrahim: Soweto (taken from the Rough Guide To South African Jazz)

V I D E O G A M E S || Overwatch Legacy - Free Download

The orchestrated version of Coldplay's "Fix You" stretched out by 4 times. Enjoy.

HALCYON - Free Download

Demonstrating 8dio's Adagietto strings while utilizing Valhalla Shimmer.

THE LAST CRUSADE - 8dio Adagietto Strings Demo - FREE DOWNLOAD

A piece designed for uplifting and inspiring.

S E R E N I T Y

Alduin returns from the dead to the land of Nords.

V I D E O G A M E S || Alduin's Return

L A S T | S T A N D

E D G E

Alrighty, so this piece was written for a client out in Atlanta, Georgia...hopefully their client likes it as well haha! But I wanted to shared this piece because it was truly a fun piece to write!!! Sure I had less than a weekend to write 8 minutes of music. I wrote up a quick 1:30 demo to them and the director liked it but hadn't heard back from their client as for a green light yet but said I should go on anyway. So Friday, Saturday Night (because of work eating up my entire day) and all day Sunday up until about 3 am and even this morning I was writing this piece....The toughest part about this piece was trying to keep the momentum going for 8 minutes long and still retain that feel and style

When I was first approached about the project, I saw the video and instantly thought of two composers - Hans Zimmer's "Time" and "One Simple Idea" from the Inception soundtrack and also Philip Glass' Metamorphosis album. So I went to town with a simple piano segment which then was introduced to the guitars with their repetitive patterns. The strings were going to be a major factor in this piece as well. I also wanted to add in some electronica elements as well but at a minimum so that the listeners could be sucked into with the strings and piano.

Some obstacles along the way aside from trying to keep the momentum going for 8 minutes was the many modulations and key changes to get to a certain key I wanted. There is a 30 second bit found at 6:03 that frustrated me for a good hour on how to land it in a certain key....the key where the guitar and drums come in. That whole modulating segment took a great deal of time because there were many variations to go but none of them went as smooth as the one you hear.

Some other tidbit information to listen for: at 5:12, the guitar segment there.....I didn't realized it at first because I thought it sounded cool, but those three notes that play there are actually similar to the three notes you hear on the Spiderman cartoon theme haha!!! Also at 6:26, that key change from a G major to a B major was an idea that I had hard on a few Danny Elfman soundtracks.

The drumming found at 6:35 was a lot of fun to do! In the film, it's just clips of a time lapse sequence of downtown Atlanta at night....really cool looking, so to give a feeling of excitement and thrill of downtown I decided to try out this Coldplay kind of feel. It wasn't easy as I'm not a drummer by any means, so I had to figure out what a real drummer could do while I performed the recording on the keyboard haha!!! That last segment is also my favourite due to that sense of accomplishment you feel...I dunno if it's the drumming or the strings or what, but somehow it just feels like this motivation to keep doing the best you can.

Anyway, so there you go! Unfortunately due to this project, it will not be a downloadable piece. But feel free to comment or ask or anything!!! Since this is still being under review, there might be changes needed....if anything I'm assuming the last segment where the drums come in at 6:36. So until then, enjoy the piece!!!

Also check out my youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/jscottrakozy

Also check out my blog as well: http://theinsightfulcomposer.blogspot.com/

Also check out my website (in production): http://jscottrakozy.com/

If you want to ask me about my compositions in how I write them or anything, feel free to send me a message via soundcloud, and for any director or producer wanting to contact me to discuss projects, feel free to contact me as well via soundcloud!

Thanks again and hope you enjoy the piece!!!

~ J Scott Rakozy

T I M E | L A P S E

T H E | S A I N T

D R E A M I N G - Reimagined

This Rough Guide spotlights the front-runners of an explosive revival of African roots music. Listen to world-class artists, such as Staff Benda Bilili and the Bedouin Jerry Can Band, mix it up by infusing traditional sounds with the ultra modern, and by using ingenious homemade instruments, many of which are built from junk-yard materials. These are the sweet sounds of a movement which has not simply preserved, but truly reinvented musical genres with outstanding results.

Kenge Kenge - Piny Agonda (Taken From The Rough Guide To African Roots Revival)

S T A R S | Revised

L O S T | B U T | F O U N D

A neat little chillout tune I wrote after touring the Coromandel a bit.
It would be awesome if you could share! Every little share counts!

Hopefully there will be a vocal edit soon, as well as remixes. 
Anyway, enjoy this. Have a cup of tea, and some toast. Relax.

Sean Mackey.
Auckland, New Zealand.

Free Download

New Zealand Sprawl (Original Mix)

Composer for Hogwarts Legacy

For inquiries of licensing or projects, please contact at jscottrakozy@gmail.com


F O L L O W || L I K E || E N J O Y