Totally.
I got halfway through, and it was quite interesting, and evocative. But I already knew I was going to buy the record, because I liked the sound of the music 
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Agree entirely with those last 2 comments. I feel that the issue in the previously cited instances is that the sleeve notes were written (at least in part) for an audience who might regard listening to the music as being almost an exercise in ethnography. That’s also where the notion of ‘authenticity’ is relevant.
Personally, I find some context to be interesting, but I also like to allow the music to speak for itself.
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Second (or third) para is great. Lovely evocation of place.
Some priceless lines (attributed to hans, but obviously not his words):
Of course, no smartphones back then.
Gotta love those circumcision ceremonies. You know you’ve really arrived when you’re gigging out at those!
I think the difficulties of either writing in a language that isn’t your first or native or being translated by a less than gifted translator with no experienced editing are well known. I have some sympathy. However, the enthusiasm for the music shines through, both in this and the first example I posted, and perhaps that’s what really counts.
Easy for us sophisticates to make fun - I plead guilty, but as a sometime music journalist it was pretty difficult to write well about music in my own first language, English.
There’s that silly phrase attributed to Ellington and Costello, “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture,” which really glides off the point to become sort of nonsense. Why not dance about architecture? Both occupy space and time. Why not write about music? Both, at their best, illustrate complex emotional states and have their own structures to explore those states. Of course, much music writing is about the scenes surrounding the music, as above, but that is a legitimate and much used way to get people interested in a style. I am left wondering if much of what is presented as good writing about various western music scenes from rock’n’roll through rave wouldn’t sound a bit daft if an English speaker was writing in French or German or Arabic and didn’t have the help of a good translator and/or editor. I suppose, however, that in these examples there is primarily the intention of selling, rather than just explaining, and so there’s the added hype factor.
There’s no need to be snippy about it! 
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It’s a tough call for the copy-writers: how much ‘wank’ should you put into it. Obviously the records are a labour-of-love and a financial risk, and there’s so much noise to try and cut through.
I’m always disappointed when going down a list of new releases and almost all of the blurbs get truncated and I think “do you not look at where your record will be placed and how much of the guff is actually read?”
it ends up looking like:
“Pockets Of Booing - Pockets Of Booing EP - POB001
Pockets Of Booing are very proud to present their debut…”
Just give me a brief description please!
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An interesting thread.
I’m generally pleased that the music in these comps might get a bigger audience, and I don’t doubt that they were put together with love for the music and respect for the artists, but comps like these are not without some issues. At best they might allow the music to gain some greater appreciation and acknowledgement, but at worst they can reinforce a separation between ‘us’ and ‘them’ (why force music into a culturally-specific box? Why not allow music to simply be music?)
And a potentially more problematic and divisive point is that some care needs to be taken in order to avoid perpetuating unhelpful or inaccurate cultural stereotypes. That’s particularly true in the instance of cultures who have been subjected to objectification and oppression. This is respectfully and rightly alluded to in the liner notes for the AfroMagic comp, but the author also goes on to say this:
“new electronic instruments (synths, effects, etc.) were employed rather naively by local musicians who weren’t following default rules dictated by the industrial pop culture. It is in fact this that gives the AfroMagic compilation that special quality and uniqueness”.
So, logically, this implies that the “special quality” in the music results from the ‘naive’ (uncultured? clumsy?) employment of sophisticated technology by local indigenous musicians. Leaving aside the question of whether the same might conceivably be true in the case of a teenager in Wales or the US mid west (or pretty much anywhere in the world), this notion of ‘authentic naivety’ can play to some unhelpful colonial-era narratives about essentially ‘primitive’ peoples living in a semi-Biblical ‘State of Nature’, uncorrupted by civilization (in Victorian sociological discourse; ‘the noble savage’). The problem with this is that it causes the regard for these peoples to be contingent upon them remaining in a ‘primitive’ or somehow ‘uncivilized’ state. It’s also highly patronizing in its assumptions about ‘civilization’ and colonization and indigenous cultures, and ignorant to the fact that many peoples in some less highly developed societies might actually welcome some degree of ‘cultural corruption’ (such as freedom from constant daily toil or from early deaths due to preventable diseases, access to clean water, sanitation, health care, education, stable accountable governance, etc etc etc).
I’m not seeking to be controversial or whatever, just that it’s a potentially complex subject, and it’s worth reiterating some points that have been the subject of debate within the so-called ‘world music’ community over a number of years.
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It’s already a complex subject, nothing potential about it! There is a lot to unpack and, as with going to the loo in weightless space, “no graceful way.”
You’re right that the issues have been debated near endlessly within the world music community (when there was one - or two - or three). I was an enthusiastic participant! And remember those days and nights with affection. Charlie Gillett’s Sound Of The World forum in the late naughts was a place for spectacular and heated discussion. Nothing was ever resolved. Authenticity was always up for grabs.
My thinking on cultural “otherness” comes and goes like waves on a beach. Ever changing and never ending. Sometimes frothy and sometimes with a deep undertow. Bringing in flotsam and jetsam, eroding sand and coast, revealing ancient hidden forests and collapsing cliffs with the houses teetering over the edge. (Hah! I should be writing copy for a compilation of music dredged up from the cultural depths!)
Back in the early days of the world music “movement,” the early ‘80s, long before it becoming “just a box in a record shop,” to quote Ian Anderson of the late lamented fRoots, the concept of “otherness” was completely inherent to the thinking. We wanted news from other cultures. We were tired of punk, prog rock, disco, whatever else was on the musical menu at the time. We wanted something not only new, but we wanted the news - to know what was going on in Africa, the Caribbean, South America, the Middle East, and other places. - just as musicians in those places had borrowed ideas from the west and north. We wanted to reverse the cultural currents. Well, it was somewhat naive and idealistic - but if you think back to the early ‘80s that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Fucking nuclear winter was over our heads, the right wing was beginning to flex its muscles with Reagan and Thatcher, South Africa was still an apartheid state, the shit was generally just starting to hit the fan. And we wanted to dance our troubles away without losing our minds. At the same time, we were pretty damn cognizant of living in one interconnected world.
When David Byrne starting whining about world music having a problem ‘cos it reinforced the “otherness” of non-American, non-European cultures, I was rather amazed and annoyed. David Byrne, one of the most “other” musicians of the late twentieth century! Gimme a break! It’s just a rubbish idea. Other cultures are inherently other - and that is their charm and value. We don’t want some sterile global monoculture. Strength through diversity is a decent operating principle.
What I do see is that one must be careful not to be condescending towards other cultures. Definitely a challenge given the propagandizing of any culture and certainly not restricted to westerners’ attitudes towards the rest of the world. Wade Davis states it well with his famous quote “The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.”
Plenty more quotes worth reading of his on the general subject of cultural uniqueness if you’re interested at
If I decide it’s appropriate - and I have time and energy, I’ll dust off my Secret History Of World Music and post it here.
All I’m going to add right now is that anyone who says “woke” will be taken out back and shot! There’s a limit to this strength through diversity!
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For a change of pace, here’s a reasonably competent piece of product hype. I can only hope that it meets the high standards of @hans!
Globe trotting and much loved DJ and producer Nickodemus, is back with his fifth album, “Soul & Science.” Known in many circles worldwide for his own inimitable style rooted in the many cultures of New York City, Nickodemus mixes influences from the Latin, African, Middle Eastern and Caribbean diasporas, blending them with homegrown sounds like House, Disco, and Hip-Hop with style and finesse. This new album is no different in it’s genre and influence fluidity, taking listeners on a journey of self-discovery through Nico’s eyes, exploring the relationship between humanity and technology in a rapidly changing world, weaving together a vibrant tapestry of musical genres from his time spend criss-crossing the globe as an artist the last two decades. “Despite our fears of being taken over by evil-intelligent robots or imploding from our own internal turmoil, human beings endure, converting joy and pain into expressions of art. The voices on this album lead us to the realization: we share more in common with each other than modern media would like us to believe. It’s solid science!”, says Nico. And like with every one of his albums, the title track “Soul & Science” offers us a Hip Hop lyrical summary on the theme of the record. “Artificial Intelligence is irrelevant to my artistry.”, Malik Work rhymes, “I’m an outlier, true outsider, not the average. Can’t be computed and booted for data gathering.”
As is the case with every Nickodemus record, “Soul & Science” is a collaborative effort between old and new friends, recorded in his home studio / record room / memorabilia museum.
Please note that I have no comment on the music, not having listened it to yet.
There it is!
I also had “eclectic mix” on my bingo card, as well as: “from genre A to genre B and everything in between”
(FWIW, I strongly believe that exploring the relationship between humanity and technology is a noble endeavour. And I think Nickodemus’ music is pretty good.)
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But you gotta give Wonderwheel something for that “influence fluidity,” don’t you? Or is it too woke? Aaargh, I must go out back now and shoot myself.
Meanwhile,I’ll keep my eyes open for an “eclectic mix” for your bingo card.
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Special effort here to appeal to @hans (and anyone else with high standards of hypeness). Surely, “a controlled bit of beautifully chaotic collision that makes for an emotional ride as undulating as the grooves” covers some square on someone’s bingo card. And there’s subtle use of the E-word!
Funki Porcini has seen recent success remixing Richie Culver and now reaches new heights on Glasgow label Ampoule with Incredible Vinyl. He does it all from film scores to surreal live shows and brings all those skills and many more to this first collection of sounds. He manages to fuse a broad array of styles here from downtempo to eclectic jazz cuts, big horns with b-boy Latin funk breaks to elements of lush strings and dreamy melodies. It’s a controlled bit of beautifully chaotic collision that makes for an emotional ride as undulating as the grooves.
Taken from the Juno listing. Funki Porcini’s own Bandcamp is restrained. I can’t find a word of hype! Looks like the vinyl is all gone anyway.
Ah… It’s kinda reassuring to see that the art of the hype sheet has survived into the digital era.
Edit: i used to love Ninja Tune roster BITD. Haven’t heard anything from Funki Porcini in years!
Yup, while I’m happy enough to mock some of the excesses I’m quite fond of the form. As you can probably guess. I read a lot of them - but I also read cereal boxes, so make of that what you will.
There was a time I was absolutely crazy for Ninja Tune. Bought anything I saw without thinking about it. They were also quite generous to me with the promos - back when transatlantic postal costs weren’t insane and I was an actual writer about such things. To this day, I keep ‘em all together on the shelves regardless of the artist’s name. Coldcut’s Journeys By DJ remains a firm favourite - as it should. Arguments could be made that it’s the best mix CD ever, although I read somewhere in the past few months that there’s a lot more cut’n’paste involved than straight ahead mixing.
You didn’t think I was going to leave you without a link to the article about Coldcut, did you? Great interview about the times.
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To this day, a friend and I will occasionally make reference to some dialogue from the intro to 70 Minutes of Madness (which, in turn, came from the intro to an early Depth Charge 12"):
“I am Hando Jin - Han Wong’s Son!”
“Ah… And you ask for death by my hand, Han Wong’s Son…??”
Great mix, and Solid Steel was such an influential radio show. I felt that they lost their way a bit around the time they released Timber, but what a great back catalogue overall. My friend and I used to go to a monthly night they ran in the mid-90s called Stealth. It was just a warm up act, then them on stage with 4 decks for about 3 or 4 hrs.
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You’re lucky to have had such a worthy recording to make your references to when you were at an appropriate age.
In the first half of 1971, one of my disreputable friends and I would roam the streets of Ipswich doing bits from Captain Beefheart’s Trout Mask Replica for the unsuspecting public. Then I left town. I hasten to add by my own free will, although with the impetus of my soon-to-arrive A-Level results being about to arrive. My sense of self-preservation thought it advisable not to be around my father at that time.
“It’s in there, isn’t it? You can feel it.” (Not Captain Beefheart for any of you who are wondering - and I hope my memory got the words right.) I just bought another copy of Coldcut’s Journeys By DJ on eBay for an absurdly low price - not that there’s anything wrong with the copy I already have. Just good to enjoy the abundance.
Some good lines in this promo. I leave it to you to find your favourites. But “a sackful”?
Coco María and Bongo Joe reunite for the second edition of Club Coco, featuring a sackful of Latin inspired tracks from international bands and producers. All the songs were selected by Coco María, who in recent years has gone from a promising up-and-comer to an ever-present and influential figure in the music industry, widely known for her tireless work shining a light on contemporary, pan-Latin roots music around the world, through both her live DJs sets and eclectic radio sessions.
This compilation brings together several of the most respected and innovative artists on the frontiers of tropical music today. Those who take the energy, melodies and textures of classic Latin music and turn those gems into songs tailor-made for a new generation of music lovers. Simply put, it’s a record for those diggers who jump with excitement when they find a vinyl reissue of some Latin star of the past, be it Joe Arroyo, Los Mirlos or Aniceto Molina and then wonder, "This classic music sounds amazing, but where are the bands that are taking these sounds to new places?”.
Whilst the first volume of Club Coco was loaded with groove, cumbia and a proper party-starter feel, this new edition explores the sounds of the pan-Latin post-digital music community in a broader and more eclectic sense (but without straying too far from the dance floor). Featuring emotive cuts, such as the track by Las Mijas, Coco María opens the audience’s ears to new twists and innovations in the Latin American song tradition. By including Ronald Snijders’ eighties funky eerie hit, Coco also gives us a taste of the wide range of influences that inspire this community of artists and music lovers, which go far beyond the more expected tropical styles. All of this is tied together through tracks and interludes from Los Pirañas, Juan Hundred, Candeleros, Acid Coco, Dip In The Dub, Iko Chérie, Lola’s Dice, Guess What and Raz Olsher, which feel as if those Latin music idols of the late seventies have been reborn and are on a mission to conquer the dancefloors.
Once you pick up this album, you will realize that what you have in your hands is much more than a tracklist of incredible songs. It’s actually a cultural representation and treasure from a community of artists, DJ’s and music lovers who use music to express the pride they have for their Latin and Afro heritage. It’s a soundtrack for a music community who travel back and forth between Europe and Latin America, looking for songs that explore new frontiers of tropical music, without losing sight of their roots.
That’s quite nicely done isn’t it. I’m interested in this release now. Seen it around a bit but not listened yet.
Couldn’t resist this write up. Elegant, informative and impassioned.
The first ever release of electronic Jaglara, an obscure dance music being innovated in an area near the Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea border called Fashaga.
Among the most raucous, hypnotic, addictive, and celestial dance styles being made anywhere in Africa, this heavy, mysterious sound is being led by one man: Jantra, which translates as “craziness,” a moniker bestowed to celebrate both his personality and sound. Jantra is a rather unknown quantity even in Sudan, outside of the circles which have granted him cult status to perform at their humble gatherings or at street parties far from the gaze of the cities.
Jaglara, which roughly translates as improvisation, has no songs. Jantra simply freestyles a combination of his melodies incessantly for hours on end, acting as a live producer and DJ for emphatic crowds, where the energy of his 155 - 168 BPM music is known to inspire the odd gunslinger to raise and fire his pistol in the middle of the dance floor. His music is hopeful in a hopeless world, uplifting in spirit, ancient and new, childish and mature, familiar yet refreshingly obscure, fueled by the hypnotic Sera rhythm. His Yamaha keyboard is specially tweaked to achieve what you’re hearing — the perfect, sweet key tone, literally universal in its appeal.
A hybrid reissue-contemporary album, Ostinato combined extracted individual melodic patterns, rhythms, and MIDI data from Jantra’s Yamaha keyboard with his older cassette and digital recordings to recreate his lengthy sessions into individual dance tracks for a worldwide audience to reach the enviable frenzy of Sudanese crowds. This promising new dance music emerging from the deepest reaches of Sudan has never made its way outside of Jantra’s parties, let alone outside of the country.
This record is confirmation that the many electronic styles being exported from Africa have a worthy sibling and rival—Jantra’s signature electronic Jaglara from the Fashaga underground. It is a privilege of the highest order to be exposed to this unheralded, incredibly well kept rural Sudanese secret.
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Top quality here. Informative, personal, not over the top. On the mark for our particular forum!
2017 saw Colin Curtis celebrate his 50th anniversary as a DJ, a career that started out in his mid-teens at Newcastle-Under-Lyme’s Crystal Ballroom, before making his all-nighter debut at Stoke’s hallowed Golden Torch, one of Northern Soul’s foundation venues, eventually becoming one of the scene’s leading figures as a result of his legendary '70’s partnership with Ian Levine at the Blackpool Mecca.
This is Colin’s own story:
By 1979 the development of Jazz rooms at major Soul / Funk Alldayers was providing a much-needed outlet for the more discerning collectors and the fanatical Jazz dancers. The UK Jazz Funk scene began for me in earnest in 1978 when I moved from the Blackpool Mecca to Manchester’s Rafters nightclub on Oxford Street. The clash of new imported Soul, Funk and Jazz music coming out in the USA and being shared with a fresh new audience in clubs like Rafters Manchester, Chaplains Birmingham, Locarno Birmingham, Rufus Manchester, Cassinellis Standish Leeds Central and Nottingham Palais was creating a potpourri of music fashion and dance styles.
I had started to experiment with the jazzier side of dance tracks at Blackpool Mecca in around 1976 with artists like Patrice Rushen, Bill Summers, Azar Lawrence, Charles Earland, Johnny Hammond, Donald Byrd etc, all artists I had discovered using the inner sleeves of Blue Note, Fantasy, Prestige and Mercury labels. As a collector of all styles of black music including Soul, Funk and Jazz my interest was being drawn more to albums and particularly Jazz albums as my brain, as proven with 60’s and 70’s soul, had an unquenchable appetite for knowledge and unearthing new music. I was thriving on searching out more of this amalgamation of Jazz styles adding fusion, percussion, vocals and tempo to this burgeoning genre.
As the Jazz room identity increased within this environment for me Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester all became prominent in their enthusiasm for Jazz Dance. The fashion, passion and dance began to take on almost a religious aura combined with the unique camaraderie and respect. Out of this grew a passion amongst certain dj’s in the midlands and the north of England to start digging a lot deeper for music in the Jazz Fusion / Dance category. Baz Fe Jazz, Chris Reed, Shaun Williams, Simon Mansell, Jonathan Woodliffe, Paul Murphy, Eric & Floyd, Hewan Clarke and many others were willing to push the barriers. This Jazz Dance explosion spread across the country with Dj’s like Dr Bob Jones, Colin Parnell & Boo Sylvester adding to the London connection via clubs like The Electric Ballroom and The Horseshoe. This scene thrived for me featuring club nights devoted to Jazz Dance and an increase of Jazz rooms and Jazz breaks on the AllDayer circuits drawing in both interest in the music and the voyeurism of watching the dancers and their individual interpretations.
So this compilation acts as an introduction to this electric, cool and uplifting music that was affecting so many enthusiastic dancers and Dj / collectors. All the tracks on here are taken from one of the most prolific and emerging labels for this genre Muse Records that offered the complete spectrum of styles to fit in with this emerging scene crossing over with Jazz Fusion, Be Bop, vocals, electric keyboards, and percussion.
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