After two decades of travelling the world as a DJ and VJ, Babani's head honcho, Avneesh, ventures into music production with his debut collaborative EP, SEGA XPERIMENT #001.

This project was born out of a series of creative experiments with friends and fellow producers, allowing the Mauritian artist to craft his own distinctive sound. Avneesh focuses on the traditional Sega music of Mauritius, collaborating with UK-based Mauritian DJ/Producer K. Monday for this first EP. The two raw tracks on SEGA XPERIMENT #001 capture the vibrant energy and groove that define Avneesh’s DJ sets. While deeply rooted in traditional Mauritian music, these tracks seamlessly blend with contemporary club beats, creating a unique hybrid sound.

SEGA XPERIMENT #001 is a standout addition to the Babani label, offering two powerful tracks that immediately captivate with their innovative take on electronic Sega music.

AVNEESH x K. Monday - B◉L◉M SŮNGA

Misrav field recordings / Written and composed by AV Amini

Singers:
AV Amini, Mohamed Navas PM & Mohammed Aboosalih KK

Recorded in Amini Island, Lakshadweep

Adhipathi Moulave / അധിപതി മൗലാവെ — AV Amini, Mohammed Navas PM & Mohammed Aboosalih KK

Alivode Ahmadil \ അലിവോടെ അഹ്‌മദിൽ — AV Amini, Mohammed Navas PM & Mohammed Aboosalih KK

‘Kaattu vili paattu’ is a performative ritual originating from Kiltan Island in Lakshadweep. It was traditionally performed by women to ensure the safe return of odams (traditional sewn boats of Lakshadweep) from the mainland. During the ritual, people gathered at the northern end of the island, where food was served. Women would then approach the sea, call the wind (kaattu vili) and pray to Allah through the names and deeds of holy souls. They would symbolically draw the wind by their head scarfs and set it free into the sea.

With the decline of odams and their traditional usage, ‘Kaattu vili paattu’ is no longer in practice.

Performed by Madurapoo teacher in Kiltan Island.

Kaattu vili paattu / കാറ്റുവിളി പാട്ട് — Madurapu Teacher, Kiltan Island

Diaspora sounds with Foxy Neela

World travelling photographer, director and DJ Foxy Neela takes on a journey of diasporic sounds and frequencies.

OROKO

DIASPORA SOUNDS • FOXY NEELA | 25OCT 2024


There are few tourists on the Nyali Beach in Mombasa, but you can see beach camels looking for riders. The recorder sat on the sand with its tripod, avoiding the dirty seaweed washed up on the beach, facing the Indian Ocean and recording its breath. The wind is very strong, so it is difficult to isolate the friction of the wind in the recording.

Recorded on the Nyali Beach, Mombasa 
Recordist: Ou Ning
Recorder: ZOOM H8
Date: October 30, 2024

The Breath of Indian Ocean

Who would have thought the best trip that would captivate your love so much would be the unplanned trip to a destination you hardly searched about? Do you happen to have any idea what that feels like? In the words of a renowned American rapper, “…things don’t happen to you, they happen for you.”  Yes, even the unplanned things. Ever enjoyed an unplanned trip so much? Well, here is Abdul's story. 


Abdul is an enthusiastic and adventurous traveller who loves to create enthralling and eye-sticking content everywhere he travels to. From Europe to the Middle East, to Africa, here is a little insight into how he does it and how the Nigerian came to fall so much in love with Madagascar.

Discovering the Magic of Madagascar: A Nigerian Travel Lover and Content Creator's Journey - Part2

An excerpt from Yousuf Qissa, a poetic masterpiece by AI Muthukoya Thangal Androth.

Comprising 1839 lines across seven ishals (melodic frameworks), this work, embodying timeless imagery, is based on “Ahsanul Qasas” (The Best of Stories) from Surah Yousuf in the Holy Quran.

This passage, traditionally sung by women during the Aattam performance, was beautifully sung for Misrav by Hafza Hasbi on Kiltan Island.

Yusuf Qissa / യൂസുഫ് ഖിസ്സ — Hafsa Hasbi, Kiltan Island

Listen to ഇഹ്ദിന സ്വിറാത്തൽ മുസ്തഖീമ് / Ihdina al-Sirat al-Mustaqim, a soulful piece written and composed by AV Amini. Performed by Lilaar Amini. 

Ihdina al-Sirat al-Mustaqim / ഇഹ്ദിന സ്വിറാത്തൽ മുസ്തഖീമ് — AV Amini & Lirar Amini

The Africa Institute in Sharjah, an entity of Global Studies University, organizes a "Country-Focused Season" as a way to start conversations on the continent, through various scopes, looking at its past, present and future.

Associate Professor of African History Professor John Thabiti Willis joins us to talk about the latest season focusing on the African islands and territories bordering the Indian Ocean, and its latest symposium "Thinking the Archipelago: Africa’s Indian Ocean Islands."

Africa’s Indian Ocean Islands with Professor John Thabiti Willis

Babitaaa

Fikira

Soma

Zamani

Mila Rady

Soma (Jay Mitta Remix)

Zamani (anyoneID Remix)

Bilambou (DJ Dja Remix)

Bilambou

‘Eyes On’ is all about the significant happenings and events taking place in the Emirate of Sharjah. Covering the major aspects of life in the Emirate such as real estate, health, education, culture, and more. Be it a corporate exhibition or a family funfair. Be it for the professional or the child in you... Tune in before the weekend to find out how to plan your weekend in Sharjah.

Field recordings | Sufi cosmos of Lakshadweep Islands

We are Melanin Travels Magic, an award winning online travel agency specialised in Cultural and leisure experiences in black nations for the black diaspora. 

We can help you from planning your next trip to Africa or the Caribbean to find the find flight & hotel packages globally to curating unique Travel experiences in Africa & Europe.

Find out more : https://www.melanintravelsmagic.com/travel-with-us

sound & visual arts

electrocaïne
Midnight Shift
Babani Records

Ou Ning is the director of the documentaries San Yuan Li (2003) and Meishi Street (2006); chief curator of the Shenzhen & Hong Kong Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (2009); jury member of 8th Benesse Prize at 53rd Venice Biennale (2009); member of the Asian Art Council at the Guggenheim Museum (2011); founding chief editor of the literary journal Chutzpah!(2010-2014); founder of the Bishan Project (2011-2016); a visiting professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (2016-2017); and a senior research fellow of the Center for Arts, Design, and Social Research in Boston (2019-2024). His collected writings Utopia in Practice: Bishan Project and Rural Reconstruction is just published by Palgrave Macmillan (2020).

https://columbia.academia.edu/OuNing

An unexpected seduction. An instinctive call where it is impossible to resist percussive and bewitching melodies.

Babani is the state of trance reached during a ceremony invoking ancestors’ spirits leading to a multigenerational gathering with a common denominator: The rhythms of the Indian Ocean helped by the ravane, this percussion instrument made of goat skin and which has its roots on the island of Mauritius.
Babani Records is the music label bringing together a collective of artists from around the world connected by a universal goal of fusing electronic sounds and music from the islands of the Indian Ocean.

Electronic beats and sound waves blend with traditional rhythms. It is a natural connection with the past with an eye on the future!

A sound mix first… with roots in it. Let it brew.

New tracks tagged #Indian Ocean