Infinite Late Junction by BRITify.com - 12

Witchdoctor's Son

Magwaza (feat. John Tchicai, Dudu Pukwana, Alfredo do Nascimento, Luez "Chuim" Carlos De Sequaira & Mohamed Al-Jabry)

The innovative, radical soul of Guadeloupe explored across thirty years of contemporary gwoka music.

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As Guadeloupean vocalist and composer Marie-Line Dahomay writes in her liner notes to the compilation, gwoka is more than a style of music, it is “a way of living and thinking.”

Rooted in the social, musical and ritual practices of enslaved African people and their descendants on Guadeloupe, gwoka has always sought to express the spirit of independence and resistance authentic to the island.

Building on its traditional call-and-response form and the ideas of pivotal figures like Gérard Lockel and Christian Laviso, modern gwoka evolved throughout the second half of the twentieth century to include funk, jazz and electronic influences.

Defined by its propensity for innovation and experimentation, this compilation charts the most radical changes to modern gwoka, capturing a sensory riot of traditional répertoires, rhythms and makè techniques fused with a rich seam of genre-defying experimentation.

Whether heard in the deeply cosmic, spiritual music of Dao, Freydy Doressamy and Gaoulé Mizik, or the jazz funk inflections of Gui Konket and Horizon, the music here is united by the feeling of santiman ka, crucial not only to gwoka music but the identity of Guadeloupe at large.

As co-curator Cédric Lassonde writes: “What unifies these selections is the depth of the compositions, the experimentation around the santiman ka, and the spirit of resistance and liberation against slavery, be it modern or ancestral. With a thirst for innovation typical of the island’s creole culture, the ka spirit is deeply rooted in collective history and in a quest for identity.”

Co-curator Brandon Hocura continues: “The creative energy of these musicians is powerful and demonstrates a universal pursuit of resistance, freedom and identity. Their voices are distinct, but the chorus rises high and carries their message far across the sea.”

Released on double LP, L’Esprit Ka: New Directions in Gwoka Music from Guadeloupe 1981-2010 is the first compilation of its kind to bring the sound of modern gwoka to a wider audience, with many of the musicians features still active today.

Presented with typical attention to detail, the release features a specially commissioned essay by Guadeloupean musician Marie-Line Dahomey, and extensive liner notes from Cédric Lassonde and Séance Centre’s Brandon Hocura. 

True to the hybrid nature of the music, the compilation seeks not to provide a definitive sound, but express the variety of contemporary forms gwoka has grown to take. Just as Guadeloupean trailblazers Kassav fused gwoka with funk and cadence to create zouk, so did the musicians on this collection push gwoka in new directions rarely heard beyond its shores.

In the words of Gérard Lockel, “gwoka is the soul of Guadeloupe”.

Lèspri Ka : New Directions in Gwo Ka Music from Guadeloupe 1981-201

Horizon - Ti Malo

Omar_Be_Thankful_Remix(BernardoBK & Jairo BsB)

STRIKE

Here I Am

Marina Herlop - Pripyat
Label: PAN
Cat.No. PAN 128
Format: DL
Release Date: 20 May 2022
Purchase: pan.lnk.to/Pripyat

Marina Herlop is often described as a pianist, a lingering remnant of her classical training. But what strikes the listener on Herlop’s breakout track miu is the intricate trickery of her voice, tracing rhythmical clusters around the subtlest of musical beds, in a technique inspired by Carnatic music of Southern India. 

miu, the opening track of Herlop’s new studio album Pripyat, was among the first songs that the young Catalan artist made on a computer, after two albums - 2016’s Nanook and 2018’s Babasha - that brought spectral elegance to the sound of piano and voice. This spirit of adventure continues into Pripyat, Herlop’s first full album produced on a computer, and her most intensely emotional work to date. 

Listening to Pripyat you can feel the emotional toil and creative endeavour that went into the record. Fans of Nanook and Babasha will recognise the combination of melancholic piano and elegant vocal lines that is found on Pripyat tracks like abans abans. But Pripyat has a far fuller, almost chaotic sound when compared to Herlop’s previous work, with the addition of electronic drums, electric bass lines and a wealth of sublime production effects. 

Added to this production expertise are songs of incredible grace and poise. Kadish is a spectral torch song rendered in emotional 3D by Herlop’s gorgeous voice; ubunto has a feeling of deep longing and lingering sorrow; and shaolin mantis is like a pop song refracted through disorienting production effects and percussive vocal cut ups. Pripyat is the perfect combination of computer production trickery and intimate emotional release. 

Songs composed, produced and performed by Marina Herlop. 
Mix: James Ginzburg 
Mastering: Joker 
Mix and mastering of 'miu (choir version)': Borja Ruiz 
Ukulele and ending synth in 'shaolin mantis': Adri González 
Electric guitar in ‘lyssof’:Òscar Garrobé 
Electric bass in ‘ubuntu’ and ‘miu’: Òscar Garrobé

shaolin mantis

Timmion Records adds new talent to their ranks with Rosettes’ latest 7” vinyl single, introducing two tracks by the group that seamlessly blend elements of soul and jazz with a smooth pop sensibility. As a group that some have coined “Khruangbin of the North” Rosettes bring a fresh cinematic perspective to contemporary soul music. 

On the A-side, “Souvenir”, offers a mellow and introspective deep soul experience, showcasing lead singer Tytti Roto’s knack for emotive storytelling and displaying the band’s versatility and melodic depth. Meanwhile, the B-side’s “Green Ray,” they deliver a psychedelic soul groover propelled by a funky backbeat, inviting listeners on a rootsy sonic journey that might be best observed behind color-tinged 1960s sunglasses. 

Faithfully drawing inspiration from innovators like Cymande and Isaac Hayes the band infuses their sound with experimental elements, but still ensure that the songs remain catchy and accessible. These two understated bangers will surely win the hearts of anybody, who likes their soul raw and independent.

Souvenir

Girl Next Door

Jayé (Dance Dance Dance)

Flamenco as we know it was “born” in Spain in the mid-19th century. But for centuries before that, Roma (Gitanos, Gypsies) had been living in Spanish cities, often rubbing shoulders with the descendants of Africans (Moors), who had been there as both citizens and slaves going back to Medieval times and earlier. This overlooked pre-history of flamenco is explored in Miguel Angel Rosales’s groundbreaking film Gurumbé. In this program, we meet Rosales and learn to hear flamenco in a new way. We also meet maverick flamenco artist Raul Rodriguez, inventor and master of the tres flamenco. Rodriquez’s solo concert, sampled in this program, is a tour de force and an anthropology master class, all in one. Poduced by Banning Eyre.

APWW #792

The Hidden Blackness of Flamenco

This week we celebrate the 50th episode of Too Much Information! Your host decides to clean out his drawers and air all the recordings he hasn't yet used. Peter Choyce explains why some of his problems are first world problems while others are third world problems. Laura Mayer tells us about her history with Weather Problems and Pierre-Louis Colin takes us on the streets of Paris to pass time watching girls. PLUS we hear from two cartoonists: <a href="http://maakies.com/">Tony Millionaire</a> and <a href="http://www.nbmpub.com/comicslit/blain/blainhome.html">Christophe Blain</a> (the oldest recording of the bunch - July 2009). 



Be Thankful For What You've Got

“All I’ve known is wanting to sing – it’s like a choice that was already made for me.”

Hailing from Croydon, South London, and bringing neo-soul into the future, Kemi Ade delivers a melting pot of sounds; an effortless infusion of alternative neo-soul, jazz, hip-hop and folk.

From celebrations of love to mixed feelings and healing, it is clear that Kemi’s song-writing is an honest reflection of herself and where she is in her environment. There is a shared sense of liberation as her thoughts and feelings are emptied out, laid bare and served up over luxuriant melodies.

Kemi’s music takes you on a journey; one which seemingly ends too quickly and yet continues to unfold new and relatable truths with each listen. Inflections of her inspirations, genre-creators Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild and Erykah Badu, are evident, yet Kemi is able to make every offering completely her own.

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Miriam Makeba

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