To mark the 20th edition of Dubwise Vinyl on Test Pressing I put together a mix using the 20 records I’ve written about so far. Full tracklist on the Test Pressing website and Dubwise Vinyl Instagram.

Test Pressing Dubwise Vinyl Turns 20

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

Emboule Jean-Claude, Louison Gerome et Le Groupe Kako - Enjafann Kannn

Dao - Chen'n La

Today's episode brings back @stevesandwich to do a deep dive collaboration into the Afro-Colombian sound of the Caribbean Coast. I consider this one a sequel to this mix we made together a couple years ago for Late Feelings https://soundcloud.com/late-feelings/baile-y-sangre-de-mi-tierra-mix, 

Steve holds down the first 40, and the rest is from myself. With a focus on Cumbia, this one also goes into some Bullerengue, Palenque, Champeta & more. Tracklist forthcoming, in the meantime feel free to comment for IDs, enjoy!

Island Time Radio  Mix 37 With Steve Sandwich & Xela

Mister Swing Easy and Dubplate Pearl returned with another instalment of the Camberwell Connection show. They brought a stack of soul, roots and lovers gems from the likes of Arnold Blair, Angie Stone, Lloyd Parks.

Camberwell Connection w/ Mister Swing Easy and Dubplate Pearl - November 2021

Catch Maiden Voyage avec Kiala Ogawa two Fridays of the month, from 11h to 12h [CET] on rinse.fr

Rinse France Podcast

Download

Maiden Voyage avec Kiala Ogawa - 25 Mars 2022

Live from Echobox Radio providing the Thursday morning soundtrack. Monthly residency, 24th episode, March '22. Music by, among others, Mystic Harmony, David Jahson and Linton Kwesi Johnson.

Circus Underwater #24 w/ Jouko [Echobox Radio]

Josh Banfield is joined by Zoltan for 120 mins of relaxed bits for a Monday morning.

Lounging w/ Josh Banfield and Zoltan - May 2022

Jeen Bassa spins 1 hour of Jazz and Reggae on this months show. 

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Sunny Alleyway Records w/ Jeen Bassa - August 2022

In preparation for our next J.A.W on November 9th at Festsaal Kreuzberg in Berlin, the L.A. beat master Justin McNulty aka. Kutmah delivered a well-crafted mixtape, juggling Brazilian influences next to smoked out beats and a whole lot of Funk. 

Save the date and catch him dj’ing alongside our two live acts for the night: Makaya McCraven, who just released his new album ‚In These Times‘ (International Anthem / Blue Note / XL) and Àbáse, who will exclusively premier material from his forthcoming album with his full band present.

More info:
jawfamily.com

Kutmah :: JAW Family mix

1) Jazzbois - Blunted Again
2) Butcher Brown - 777
3) Waldo's Gift - Flowerbed
4) Spirit Of Sundaze Ensemble & Wayne Snow - Mine To Give (Extended Version)
5) Sunbear - Mood 1 "L.O.V.E. Love"
6) Nate Mercereau - Flying Together
7) Oscar Jerome - Berlin 1
8) Daedelus - Special Re: Quest
9) The Alchemist - Bone Thugs N' Haifa
10) Kenny Beats - Parenthesis
11) Yoni Mayraz - Ram Don
12) Brandee Younger - Reclamation
13) Amon Tobin - Nova
14) Dwight Trible & The Life Force Trio - Otherworldly
15) Moses Yoofee Trio - throwback
16) DOMi & JD BECK - WHATUP
17) SW2 feat. Yoni Mayraz - Twin Carbon
18) Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange - Prayer For Peace
19) Vels Trio - May as Well Be
20) STR4TA - When You Call Me
21) Chic - Good Times

RADIO.D59B / ROUGH CUTS #15 w/ Yoni Mayraz

The space between the beats defines our time

Dao - Chen'n La

Time Capsule