Another mystery tape from Morocco

We have Joachim to thank for providing us with this wonderful music.  The cassette came without a cover and the print on the case has worn off over time leaving both sides illegible bar the words 'Production Al Afrah'.  Thankfully, the beautiful music is still magically captured on the magnetic strip of tape. The music is from the south of Morocco, possibly the Souss Valley or  High Atlas region. The sound is urgent, insistent and it worms its way into the brain very nicely.

Get it HERE.

Does anybody know who we might be listening to?

Lisandro Meza y su Conjunto - Mamando Gallo (1988)

Its been far too long!  I fear I have neglected this little corner of cyberspace over the past few weeks - I've been far too busy to post anything.  By way of apology, please accept this storming selection of Columbian party tunes from one of the key figures in the evolution of the modern cumbia sound.

Lisandro Meza has been involved in the Columbian music scene since the late '50s and was a founding member of Los Corraleros de Majagual, one of the country's most popular groups of the '60s.  He left that group to forge a career playing his accordian and singing songs for the hard-living farm workers and ranchers of rural Columbia. This is exciting stuff I'm sure you'll agree:



Tracklist:

01 Rodeado de Pillos
02 Amor Lindo
03 Mamando Gallo
04 Rin Rin
05 Esta Navidad
06 Tutaramacara
07 Mi Companera
08 Jilguerito
09 Azulito Bonito
10 Aguila Del Ecuador

Get it HERE.

Ensemble Gabusi Des Iles - Les Comores (1984)

This beautiful record is another of the treasures sent by Joachim from Germany.  Thanks Joachim!

The Comoros islands sit in the Indian Ocean off the North Western coast of Madagascar and have long been an important stop on the trading routes of African and Arabic sailors.  The music of the islands reflect the diverse cultural influences of the islands visitors, settlers and colonial powers.  Traders, Hadhrami sailors and Malagasy pirates came to the islands and found precious corals, ylang-ylang, spices and gold and among the things they left were rhythms, sounds and songs.

The gabusi is a small lute played in the Comoros isles that has its origins in the Yemen but which can be found (with a variety of names) across East Africa, the Arab peninsula and the islands of the Indian Ocean - a testament to the travels of the Hadhrami traders.



Tracklist:

01         Tari        
02         Gabusi        
03         Sambé        
04         Ndzédzé        
05         Dedé        
06         Firimbi        
07         Ndzédzé        
08         Danse Biyaya        
09         Chigoma        
10         Yimbiyo        
11         N'Kandza

Get it HERE.

Años Psicodélicos - Various Artists

This is an incredibly strange record - a Peruvian compilation of (mostly) Brazilian music from the 1970s, the Psychedelic Years.
Side one consists of jazzy, funky, synth heavy MPB.  There are some wonderfully heavy breaks to be heard here.
Side two, on the other hand, presents us with five choice cuts of Brazilian psyche, progressive rock and good old fashioned rock 'n' roll.
All things considered, I'm preferring the funkier side at the moment, but that could change with my mood.

Here are a couple of tasters:



Tracklist:

01     Dudziak – Mosquito     
02     H. Belardi – An American In Paris     
03     Lott – Baby         
04     Orlandivo – Tem De Ser (Tiene Que Ser)         
05     Grupo Arco-Yris – Coisas Da Vida (Cosas De La Vida)         
06     Ary Lobo – Nego São (Nego Sano)         
07     Terço – Ilusão De Ótica (Ilusión Ôptica)         
08     Light Reflections – Send It For Tomorrow         
09     Mutantes – Tudo Bem (Estás Bien)         
10     Tutti Frutti – Nessa Altura Dos Acontecimentos (A Estas Alturas De Los Hechos)         
11     Karma – Depois Do Portåo (Después Del Portón)

Get it HERE.

A Lattice of Coincidence - A Snap, Crackle & Pop Mix

A Lattice of Coincidence by Mr Tear on Mixcloud

Hello people! Here's a new mind-manifesting mix of pan-global sounds from the Snap, Crackle & Pop archive.  Specially programmed for your personal entertainment and home listening pleasure, I hope you enjoy this short trip.

Tracklist:

1  In A Landscape - Jan Steele
Unknown Poem by Alexander Trocchi   
3  Aman Ya Dnine Aya - Oudaden   
A Lattice of Coincidence   
5  Guaracha UFO - Meridian Brothers
6  Tunisian Sufi Music - Unknown Artist
7  Militant - Ruts DC
8  Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense - Fela Kuti & Africa 80
9  An American In Paris - H. Belardi   
10 Unknown - Akiko Nakemura
11 Blue Panther - Edgar Froese

If you want a copy to keep HERE is the download link.

Edgar Froese - Kamikaze 1989 (1982)

Tangerine Dream mainman Edgar Froese scored the soundtrack to this weird cyberpunk science fiction thriller, which starred Rainer Werner Fassbinder, in 1982.  The album is a lot of fun, offering some paranoid sounding proto-techno alongside some lush soundscapes like this one, Blue Panther:


The album as a whole really got me hankering to hear some of my favourite old Detroit techno:




Tracklist:

01         Videophonic         
02         Vitamin C        
03         Krismopompas        
04         Police Disco        
05         Intuition     
06         Police Therapy Center         
07         Blue Panther        
08         Snake Bath         
09         Unexpected Death         
10         Flying Kamikaze         
11         Tower Block         
12         The 31st Floor

Get it HERE.

Authentic R&B - Various Artists (1963)

Here we have a fantastic compilation of swamp blues from Louisiana.  The album comprises songs originally released on the Baton Rouge label, Excello Records during the '50s and early '60s, and there are some real raw footstompers from some of Louisiana's best blues, soul and R&B artists.

Check out this 1958 classic from Lazy Lester:


Tracklist:

01     Lightnin' Slim –     I'm Evil       
02     Lazy Lester –     You're Gonna Ruin Me Baby       
03     Slim Harpo –     I Got Love If You Want It       
04     Jimmy Anderson  –     Going Through The Park       
05     Lightnin' Slim –     I'm Warning You Baby       
06     Lonesome Sundown –     Lonesome Lonely Blues       
07     Leroy Washington  –     Wild Cherry       
08     Silas Hogan –     You're Too Late Baby       
09     Lazy Lester –     I'm A Lover, Not A Fighter       
10     Slim Harpo –     I Love The Life I'm Living       
11     Jimmy Anderson  –     Naggin'       
12     Silas Hogan –     I'm Gonna Quit You Pretty Baby       
13     Lonesome Sundown –     I'm Glad She's Mine       
14     Slim Harpo –     I'm A King Bee       
15     Whispering Smith –     Mean Woman Blues       
16     Lightnin' Slim –     Loving Around The Clock

Get it HERE.