Rolling Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2016 Thread Once Known as World Music

Thanks

My quick look at the year-end 2016 thread shows very few non-Western world albums...

I think I saw Bombino on one list & maybe Noura Mint Seymali on another, but no afropop/afrobeats, nothing from Central or South America....

Ben Ratliff, former NY Times writer, usually includes a Brazilian album in his list, but his 2016 list (in Esquire) doesn't have any.

Maybe I'm not looking in the right places.

NPR picked A-WA as their #23rd best album of the year!

I like some of that Yemeni pop, but not sure about the whole album

they put on a fantastic show. i really like them.

Noura Mint Seymali at #76 on Quietus list. Hoped she would have finished higher. I think the guitar playing on her album is as or more interesting than that on many of the rock and experimental albums that finished above it on that list

Afropop.org "stocking stuffers" list

The complete list of this year’s recommended records, and where to find them:

Bitori, Legend of Funaná: The Forbidden Music of the Cape Verde Islands (Analog Africa)

Elage Diouf, Melokàane (DEP)

Tiwa Savage, R.E.D. (Mavin)

Bisa Kdei, Break Through (BLMC)

Yishak Banjaw, Love Songs Vol. 2 (Terenga Beat)

Debo Band, Ere Gobez (FPE)

Various Artists, Bobo Yeye: Belle Epoque in Upper Volta (Numero Group)

Various Artists, Urgent Jumping! East African Musiki Wa Dansi Classics (Sterns Africa)

Le Tout-Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, Madjafalao (Because Music)

Vaudou Game, Kidayu (Hot Casa)

Bossacucanova The Best of Bossacucanova (Six Degrees)

Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, Dois Amigos: Um Século de Música (Ao Vivo) (Nonesuch)

Elza Soares, A Mulher do Fim do Mundo (Mais Um Discos)

Los Hacheros, Bambulaye (Chulo)

Ibrahim Maalouf, Black Light (Impulse)

Tiken Jah Fakoly, Racines (Universal)

Vieux Kanté, The Young Man’s Harp (Sterns Africa)

Bombino, Azel (Partisan)

Noura Mint Seymali, Noura Mint Seymali, Arbina (Glitterbeat)

Mohamed Abozekry, Karkadé (Jazz Village/Harmonia Mundi)

Osei Korankye, Seperewa of Ghana: Emmere Nhyina Nse (Akwaaba Music)

Richard Bona, Heritage (Qwest)

The Pedrito Martinez Group and Román Díaz, Habana Dreams (Motema Music)

Harold Lopez-Nussa, El Viaje (Mack Avenue)

Zomba Prison Project, I Will Not Stop Singing (Six Degrees)

Fatou Seidi Ghali & Alamnou Akrouni, Les Filles de Illighadad (Sahel Sounds)

Sahra Halgan Trio, Faransiskiyo Somaliland (Buda Music)

Aziza Brahim, Abbar el Hamada (Glitterbeat)

Rocky Marsiano, Meu Kamba Vol. Dois (Akwaaba)

Graveola E O Lixo Polifônico, Camaleão Borboleta (Mais Um Discos)

La Yegros, Magnetismo (Soundways)[i]

I couldn't give it my full attention, but this Digital Zandoli comp sounded great: https://antillesseries.bandcamp.com/album/digital-zandoli

― rob, Monday, November 21, 2016 3:25 PM (two weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

love this

Los Hacheros, Bambulaye (Chulo)

This is fun retro Latin dance music (from NY I think)

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/photography/finding-indias-lost-musicians/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_tw20161210travel-indiamusic&utm_campaign=Content&sf45735326=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe7-MYliEzM

Got the Music of Morocco box yesterday finally and don't feel like I've come up for air since -- disc 1 on repeat, read the deets of disc 1 contents while waiting for band practice, learned tons already. And the package itself is pure delight to look at and anticipate. I'm saving the major essay for later.

Yeah, it's an astonishing collection. Worked my way through three times and each time a different disc is my favourite.

Haven't dug into Music of Morocco yet, but I did dig into some albums on that afropop.org list--

Vaudou Game, Kidayu (Hot Casa) was a fun listen. This is a band based in France I think, led by a guy from Togo who go for a Seun Kuti meets Orlando Julius afrofunk-afrobeat sound most of the time, but suddenly sound Ethiopian on a track or 2.

Richard Bona, Heritage (Qwest) -- he's a studio vet from the Cameroon who has played bass with African, Latino and jazz groups alike. He has played with a who's who of artists in Paris and NY. Also plays balafon and guitar. Its pleasant and sometimes more. A few cuts play up the clave beat more.

Listened to these too: Elage Diouf, Melokàane (DEP)-- kinda all over the map, I need to hear it again; one song sounds like Springsteen kinda

Tiwa Savage, R.E.D. (Mavin)-strong afropop/afrobeats that I listened to earlier this year and again recently

Bisa Kdei, Break Through (BLMC)--Ghanaian funky afropop sorta. I like it and need to hear again

Thanks to folks on this list for some of the great finds throughout the year. I've only been lurking on this thread, but I appreciate it.

http://fastnbulbous.com/lucky-16/#breakdown

01. Thiago Nassif – Três
02. Dele Sosimi Meets Prince Fatty & Nostalgia 77 – You No Fit Touch Am in Dub
03. Noura Mint Seymali – Arbina
04. Abayomy Afrobeat Orquestra – Abra Sua Cabeça
05. Anthony Joseph – Caribbean Roots
06. Fumaça Preta – Impuros fanáticos
07. Bombino – Azel
08. Alma Afrobeat Ensemble – It’s Time
09. Mark Ernestus’ Ndagga Rhythm Force – Yermande
10. Saulo Duarte e a Unidade – Cine Ruptura
11. Mulatu Astatke + Black Jesus Experience – Cradle Of Humanity
12. Ukandanz – Awo
13. Céu – Tropix
14. Elza Soares – The Woman At The End Of the World
15. Rokia Traoré – Né So
16. Imarhan – Imarhan
17. Negro Léo – Água Batizada
18. A-Wa – Habib Galbi
19. Tom Zé – Canções eróticas para ninar
20. Metá Metá – MM3

didn't realize there was a new mulatu astatke project! thx for heads up.

Nor did I. The other Ethiopian pianist legend Girma Beyene has been sticking around on the east coast of the US for a bit. He's gonna do a January showcase gig in NYC for US arts promoters I think, plus more gigs there and a New Years Day one with Feedel band again backing him in DC. Someone needs to get them a show up your way Mordy.

i guess it's the time of making lists so i think this is my top world albums 2016 list:

1. A-WA - Habib Galbi (shocking I know) (Israel)
2. Noura Mint Seymali - Arbina (could've been #1 easily) (Mauritania)
3. Fatou Seidi Ghali, Alamnou Akrouni - Les Filles de Illighadad (Niger)
4. Imarhan - Imarhan (Algeria)
5. Sahra Halgan Trio - Faransiskiyo Somaliland (Somalia)
6. Volta Jazz, Coulibaly Tidiane & Dafra Star - Bobo Yéyé: Belle Epoque in Upper Volta (Upper Volta)
7. VA - Space Echo: The Mystery Behind the Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde Finally Revealed (Cape Verde)
8. Luka Productions - Mali Kady (Mali)
9. Aziza Brahim - Abbar el Hamada (Algeria)
10. Sunburst - Ave Africa: The Complete Recordings 1973-1976 (Tanzania)
11. Bombino - Azel (Niger)
12. Afrobeat Makers - Nu Guinea: The Tony Allen Experiments (Paris)
13. VA - Turntables on the Caribbean (Caribbean)
14. Debo Band - Ere Gobez (Ethiopia)
15. Naftule's Dream - Blood (Boston)
16. Africaine 808 - Basar (Berlin, Lagos, NY)
17. Ukandanz - Awo (Ethiopia)
18. Hailu Mergia, Dahlak Band - Wede Harer Guzo (Ethiopia)
19. Abayomy Afrobeat Orquestra - Abra Sua Cabeça (Brazil)
20. Malawi Mouse Boys - Forever is 4 You (Malawi)

subject to change, order is loose, etc etc, apologies for any errors, did not split original releases + reissues this year

With you on Noura....

x-post

Ah, So Astatke recorded with an Australian band

that mouse boys album is a quiet heatseeker it's true
they're secretly one of my fave live shows of all time

Osei Korankye, Seperewa of Ghana: Emmere Nhyina Nse (Akwaaba Music)

Nice, pleasant acoustic Ghanaian music

Was also listening to the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra - Too Much Information - Laolu Remix on Spotify. That's a Dec. 2015 afrobeat goes club thing that is popping up on some 2016 year-end track lists.

Elza Soares – The Woman At The End Of the World

This seems to be the Brazilian effort getting the most crossover attention. But sometimes this is too avante-noisy for my tastes, and she sometimes shrieks too much. Romulo Froes who I like, wrote a song on this and Soares is hailed by many, so ignore my nitpicking if you want.

yeah I listened to a bit of that and it was pretty good, but it seems obvs that her life story is key to the attention it's getting. This is a reissue from 1970 but it was on bandcamp's list and is quite nice: https://josemauro.bandcamp.com/releases

Was also listening to the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra - Too Much Information - Laolu Remix on Spotify. That's a Dec. 2015 afrobeat goes club thing that is popping up on some 2016 year-end track lists.

It makes no sense to me to list that rather than the dub album, but it's good -- I found a FLAC version from some comp and just appended it to the dub album.

Afrobeat Makers - Nu Guinea: The Tony Allen Experiments (Paris)

Is this a compilation of the two volumes, which came out in 2012 and 2014?

Abayomy Afrobeat Orquestra - Abra Sua Cabeça (Brazil)

I love this and am trying to find a way to officially buy it (lossless files or CD) with no luck so far.

Here's a few others that were just outside my top 20 or on other genre lists:

Mohammed Lamouri – MOMOstLAMOURI tape (Lamouri) | Algeria
Baaba Maal – The Traveller (180 Proof) | Senegal
Konono No. 1 & Batida – Konono No. 1 & Batida (Crammed) | Congo
Douglas Germano – Golpe de vista (Digitalize) | Brazil
Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band – Wede Harer Guzo (ATFA) | Ethiopia
Susso – Keira (Soundway) | UK
Wardruna – Runaljod: Ragnarok (Norse Music) | Norway
Steve Lehman – Sélébéyone (Pi) | US & Senegal
The Eternals – Espiritu Zombi (New Atlantis) | US
Melt Yourself Down – Last Evenings On Earth (Leaf)
Luisa Maita – Fio de memória (Cumbancha) | Brazil
Horse Lords – Interventions (Northern Spy) | US
The Dwarfs Of East Agouza – Bes (Nawa) | Egypt
Laraaji & Sun Araw – Professional Sunflows – Professional Sunflow (W.25th) | US
Shabaka and the Ancestors – Wisdom Of Elders (Brownswood) | South Africa
Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids – We Be All Africans (Strut) | US

Ah, it's actually Volume 3:

https://afrobeatmakers.bandcamp.com/album/nu-guinea-the-tony-allen-experiments

yeah i like it a lot

Was also listening to the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra - Too Much Information - Laolu Remix on Spotify. That's a Dec. 2015 afrobeat goes club thing that is popping up on some 2016 year-end track lists.

It makes no sense to me to list that rather than the dub album, but it's good -- I found a FLAC version from some comp and just appended it to the dub album.

They sound different-- the "Too Much Info" single is faster-tempoed and more funky goes clubbing while that album is dub. They both have their virtues.

César Lacerda & Romulo Fróes – O Meu Nome é Qualquer Um (google translate says that means in English): My Name is Anyone

Nice, quiet & folky yet bossa-samba-mpb inflected duo effort from Brazil

― curmudgeon, Saturday, December 3, 2016 6:23 AM (two weeks ago) Bookmar

This is really growing on me. Froes wrote a song (or more) on the Elza Soares album that gettting lots of love. He and Lacerda can do straight-ahead Brazilian samba stuff with nice melodies, and sometimes they add rock aspects to it.

They sound different-- the "Too Much Info" single is faster-tempoed and more funky goes clubbing while that album is dub. They both have their virtues.

I was just thinking in terms of it's a single 7:13 track (no one seems to be including the Rainy City Music Version) released in 2015, whereas the dub album is a full album from this year.

The Folk Roots magazine "world" and folk music critics poll is in their new issue, but is not on their website

that Dhafer Youssef album is growing on me, maybe a bit jazz for this thread but it does feature a Tunisian oud master.

Anyone hear some 2016 Congolese music you can recommend?

Was kinda underwhelmed by Brazilian rock group Meta Meta album on only listen, but I see it got nominated on ilx poll. Maybe I should give it another shot

this was a great podcast about congo music and NGOs: http://www.afropop.org/26411/congo-goma-music-conflict-and-ngos/

this Tswe song is pretty cool: https://soundcloud.com/thesongwriteredition/tswe-feat-patexx-we-let-it-flame-c-imsgllc

also the new Konono N1 meets Batida album: http://open.spotify.com/album/0dz2NmWVZ6XaFtFIGxQ0Lc

Thanks.

Oh, in another news I see that the fRoots crit poll is now on their website:

1. Shirley Collins Lodestar (From Here)
2. Kristi Stassinopoulou & Stathis Kalyviotis Nyn (Riverboat)
3. Jim Moray Upcetera (NIAG)
4. Aziza Brahim Abbar El Hamada (Glitterbeat)
5. The Gloaming The Gloaming 2 (Real World)
6. Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker Overnight (Rough Trade)
7.= Maarja Nuut Une Meeles (Maarja Nuut)
Refugees For Refugees Amerli (Muziekpublique)
9. The Furrow Collective Wild Hog (Hudson)
10. Leyla McCalla A Day For The Hunter, A Day For The Prey (Jazz Village)
11. Elza Soares A Mulher Do Fim Do Mundo (Mais Um Discos)
12. Calypso Rose Far From Home (Because)
13.= Leveret In The Round (RootBeat)
Noura Mint Seymali Arbina (Glitterbeat)
15. Afro Celt Sound System The Source (ECC)
16. Bombino Azel (Knitting Factory)
17.= Lady Maisery Cycle (RootBeat);
Lakou Mizik Wa Di Yo (Cumbancha)
19.= Kris Drever If Wishes Were Horses (Reveal)
Orkesta Mendoza ¡Vamos A Guarachar! (Glitterbeat)

runner-ups are also listed

Pretty sure I listened to 4. Aziza Brahim Abbar El Hamada (Glitterbeat) but I have forgotten it

Kristi Stassinopoulou & Stathis Kalyviotis' Nyn has some good things going for it, but it doesn't quite seal the deal for me. I think they need to intensify the guitar and bouzouk lines. It sounds like they could put more tension into the music by cutting loose a bit more (?). Worth checking out though. YMMV.

glad to see shirley collins on that list!

Pretty sure I listened to 4. Aziza Brahim Abbar El Hamada (Glitterbeat) but I have forgotten it

― curmudgeon, Thursday, 29 December 2016 17:55 (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Ha same, I went back to it the other day to see whether it was EOY-worthy and it's definitely nice while it's on but it didn't make much impact on me

Looks like Mordy liked Aziza Brahim more than we do, as I look back on the thread

Listened again to Brazilian Carlinhos Brown's latest (on Spotify)-- it's uneven. Some songs start strongly with Carnival like drumming and then change gears; others use guest vocalists including kids; there are ballads that work and some that incorporate too much melodramatic American pop-rock movie flavor

it's v listenable imo

New thread for 2017:

Rolling Global Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2017 Thread Once Known as World Music

Cleaned up playlist and added some 100+ tracks; mostly via these year-end roundups but plenty of stuff just switched onto the service over time. It's finalized for the year.

ILM's Rolling Global Thread 2016 Spotify Playlist

digging this https://nyegenyegetapes.bandcamp.com/album/afromutations

whole label is cool