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COS 028LP
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"The Caribbean has long been an incubator for the sounds that will animate and shape the culture of the rest of the world for decades to come: From the rhythms of Cuba helping to shape American jazz, blues and rock n' roll, to Trinidadian calypso introducing a bouncy lightness and gaiety to American party music, to Jamaica's reggae showing a new way to rebel against convention. But what about the music of Belize, the Caribbean nation that holds the odd position of being a former British colony on the coat of Spanish-speaking Central America? Most people don't know about the country at all, let alone about the rich sounds it has to offer. Bredda David Obi set out to change that in 1984 with the release of his debut LP No Fear, and the introduction of a new Belizean groove he called kungo (or cungo). A mélange of traditional Belizean brukdown music and sprinklings of the rock, funk, calypso and reggae he had played in various bands during his years as a journeyman musician in the United States. He would further develop this modern tropical sound on subsequent albums, integrating more and more elements from Belizean niche genres like sambai and paranda. Cultures of Soul is proud to take part in documenting Bredda David's journey into the soul of Belize with an anthology of his early recordings including tracks from No Fear, Cungo Musik (1987) and We No Wa No Kimba Ya (1990) albums. Bredda David's kungo is hard to describe exactly -- its various ingredients make it feel somewhat familiar, but the recipe with which he blends them is slightly strange, fresh and intriguing. But one thing is for certain, it is sure to electrify the dance floor and make everybody jump up and bruk down! Housed in a gatefold jacket with extensive liner notes by Uchenna Ikonne."
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ERGODOS 028LP
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Seán Mac Erlaine's richly-textured woodwind sound meets an expanded palette on Music For Empty Ears, the Irish musician's breathtaking new album. Having honed his distinctively-shaped soliloquies over his first two solo records, Mac Erlaine's work now bears the mark of collaborations with Norwegian luminaries Jan Bang and Eivind Aarset to reveal a fresh, variegated musical language. The album journeys through a splendor of musical shades: from the gently insistent minimal grooves and hushed invocations of tracks such as "The Melting Song"; to slow pans across dark, saturated vistas on tracks such as "Winter Flat Map"; to a warm, celebratory treatment of the Irish traditional tune "An Buachaill Caol Dubh"; and to moments of visceral, splintered abstraction in "Love The Way They Sing" and "The Alchemist III". Whether it's the elusive vocals of Galway singer Sadhbh Ní Dhálaigh or Mac Erlaine's sublime clarinet melodies that catch you, Music For Empty Ears is an album that reveals more and more with each listen. Bespoke print by Dublin design studio Destinctive Repetition. Comes on heavy-weight vinyl.
Seán Mac Erlaine is a Dublin-based woodwind instrumentalist, composer and music producer, recognized as one of Ireland's most forward-thinking creative musicians. Mac Erlaine works in a variety of settings from free improvisation, contemporary jazz, folk music and experimental theatre, and is a member of the groups This Is How We Fly and the Quiet Music Ensemble. "One of the most interesting and adventurous musicians of his generation" --The Irish Times.
Electronic musician/producer Jan Bang has worked with such luminaries as Jon Hassell, David Sylvian, Brian Eno, and Arve Henriksen. From his work as a pop producer in the '90s, his pioneering work in developing the concept of live remix has led to him being constantly in-demand as producer and performer today. "[Jan Bang is] defying all misconceptions about the vast potential of electronic composition." --All About Jazz
Eivind Aarset is a guitarist with a unique musical vision that absorbs and reflects all manner of music while retaining an enviable individualism and high quality craftsmanship that can span from quiet intimacy to searing intensity. As one of Norway's most in-demand guitarists, Eivind Aarset has worked with Jon Hassell, David Sylvian, Bill Laswell, Jan Garbarek, and many more. "Norwegian Eivind Aarset is in a class of his own proving that lyricism and raw noise aren't contradictory." --The Guardian
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OS 028LP
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Palais des Bauzards pursued an industrial and electronic variant of the sound that swept into vogue during the first half of the '80s. This compilation digs into the original material provided by the band and offers an amazing selection from start to finish. The sometimes rudimentary though gripping tracks on the first side are emblematic of their early period; for example, "Money" is driven by a screeching rhythm box, distant guitar lines, and a nonchalant voice. Cabaret Voltaire comes to mind. They're not afraid to experiment and to explore new horizons ("Lies"). The second side shows a more developed dark wave sound with "In the Grassfield" and "Knowing Too Much," both produced by legendary Belgian producer Ludo Camberlin. There are even two dark goth-rock stompers hidden in the selection -- "My Life Is a Sin" and "Eat Out of My Hands." Overall it's a broad selection of tracks that show the capability of the band to do something different with the new wave genre. The group was formed in 1983 in the Belgian city of Leuven by Danny Jacobs, Dirk wan Regenmortel, Chris Serré, Frank de Wit, and Rudy Stuyckens. In 1983 they released two tracks on the Mask Promotion LP alongside Front 242. In the three following years many of their home-recorded tracks were published on a bunch of cassette labels. Since the beginning of the 21st century, many Palais des Bauzards tracks can be found on playlists around Europe and the USA and are being re-released on compilations, including Underground Wave Volume 4 (Walhalla Records, 2014) and Distant Waves (Dead Wax Records, 2014).
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