Out Here records represents the growing tide of young urban music from all over the world. A mix of hip-hop, reggae or salsa fused with local elements is popping up planet-wide. It has become a form of local expression, a medium for youth to give its perspective. The days of regional thinking are over -- where Africans play the drums and Europeans twiddle with computers. The world is networking, ska fans from Russia are checking out alternative Latin bands from Mexico. Hip-hop/reggae acts from Dakar are visiting India as members of the African Social Forum. This new, fresh, urban mix has been happening for quite a while now, but so far the world has chosen to keep on dreaming. Exoticism is for tourists. It's time to listen to the fully globalized youth telling its story. So wake up and welcome to what's out here. Out Here Records was started in 2004 by music journalist Jay Rutledge, based in Munich/Bavaria, who has compiled such collections as Africa Raps, Mzansi Music or Globalista (Trikont) and Dakar Raps (Greenpeace) before deciding to set up a platform for young urban music from the rest of the world.
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OH 041CD
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"Life has never been easy, so keep moving" is the opening line of "Making Moves," the title song of Santrofi's new album. In 2021 their celebrated debut Alewa introduced this eight-piece Highlife collective powerhouse from Accra to the world. After five solid years on the road, Santrofi is now ready to release some fresh material. co-produced and mixed by four-time Grammy Award winner Jerry Boys (REM, Ali Farka Toure, Buena Vista Social Club, Orchestra Baobab, Kronos Quartet). Making Moves is both a celebration of Santrofi's roots and a leap into the future of Highlife. The opening track "Amina" is a Ghanaian childhood game turned Highlife funk. It draws from the past, pushing it into the future. The title song "Making Moves" sees Santrofi team up with the current booming Afrobeatscene in Ghana: It features Ghanas Newcomers Kofi Jamar and Arathejay. "Su nkwa" sees Santrofi celebrating their love for typical Sikji Highlife music. From the opening Highlife funk of "Amina" to the Ghanaian-childhood-game-turned- boogie-banger "Gyae Me How," this record will get you dancing. Led by producer-bassist Kojo Ofori, Santrofi unites eight of Accra's most gifted musicians with a passion for both vintage highlife grooves and a hip hop sensibility. Members of the band have played with leading Ghanaian artists including Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas, Ambolley, AK Yeboah, and highlife pioneer AB Crentsil with whom they recorded just before he passed away. Santrofi have shared stage and studio with rising stars of Ghana's vibrant urban music scene such as Kidi, Yaw Tog, Black Sherif, AratheJay and even Nigerian superstar Wizkid.
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OH 041LP
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LP version. "Life has never been easy, so keep moving" is the opening line of "Making Moves," the title song of Santrofi's new album. In 2021 their celebrated debut Alewa introduced this eight-piece Highlife collective powerhouse from Accra to the world. After five solid years on the road, Santrofi is now ready to release some fresh material. co-produced and mixed by four-time Grammy Award winner Jerry Boys (REM, Ali Farka Toure, Buena Vista Social Club, Orchestra Baobab, Kronos Quartet). Making Moves is both a celebration of Santrofi's roots and a leap into the future of Highlife. The opening track "Amina" is a Ghanaian childhood game turned Highlife funk. It draws from the past, pushing it into the future. The title song "Making Moves" sees Santrofi team up with the current booming Afrobeatscene in Ghana: It features Ghanas Newcomers Kofi Jamar and Arathejay. "Su nkwa" sees Santrofi celebrating their love for typical Sikji Highlife music. From the opening Highlife funk of "Amina" to the Ghanaian-childhood-game-turned- boogie-banger "Gyae Me How," this record will get you dancing. Led by producer-bassist Kojo Ofori, Santrofi unites eight of Accra's most gifted musicians with a passion for both vintage highlife grooves and a hip hop sensibility. Members of the band have played with leading Ghanaian artists including Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas, Ambolley, AK Yeboah, and highlife pioneer AB Crentsil with whom they recorded just before he passed away. Santrofi have shared stage and studio with rising stars of Ghana's vibrant urban music scene such as Kidi, Yaw Tog, Black Sherif, AratheJay and even Nigerian superstar Wizkid.
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OH 037CD
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Five years after the release of Luyando, Zimbabwe's most celebrated music export returns with their long-awaited follow-up album, Tusona: Tracings in the Sand. The six musicians from Victoria Falls are refining their unique sound: infectious Afro grooves deeply connected to Zimbabwe's cultural DNA. Tusana is their most danceable album to date, a DIY production recorded during the pandemic in Zimbabwe. It features horns by Ghanaian highlife outfit Santrofi. Every Sunday, there is a gathering in the sweltering heat on grounds of an old local beer hall in the Chinotimba township in Mosi-o-Tunya (Victoria Falls). Entertainment is provided by various traditional groups including the Luvale Makisi masquerade. It is a day full of singing, drumming, dancing and storytelling. Mokoomba's lead vocalist Mathias Muzaza can often be found here singing with a voice both soaring and vulnerable. In the course of the afternoon the other band members -- guitarist Trustworth Samende, bass player Abundance Mutori, keyboard player Phathisani Moyo, percussionist Miti Mugande, and drummer Ndaba Coster Moyo -- often join in with singing. The collective from Zimbabwe put in all the experiences made over the previous years and have forged their music into a unique Zimbabwean sound. On the album Mokoomba are singing about love, loss, courage in a changing society. The first single "Nzara Hapana" is a song about a man who wants to ensure the future of his wife and family and is trying to protect them against the greed of his relatives. The danceable up-tempo song "Nyansola" praises the goddess of harvest and asks her for rain. "Makisi" is sung in Luvale and it celebrates the beauty of the initiation ceremony for which the whole community comes together. "Manina" is a song about losing a loved one. Mokoomba sing in many different local languages. Their songs are in Tonga, Luvale, Shona, Nyanja and even Lingala used in "Makolo" when they team up with Congolese singer Desolo B. Tusona refers to an ancient system of signs and symbols, drawn in the sand and used for instruction during initiation ceremonies by the Luvale in Southern Africa. Another important part of the Mukanda initiation ceremony is the incredible Makisi masquerade. The Makisi are masked characters, representing the spirit of deceased ancestors. During the yearly initiation ceremony, the Makisi return to the living world to teach the young children to become responsible adults among the Lubale people of Southern Africa. It is the connection with the cultures around them that gives Mokoomba's music its spiritual power.
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OH 037LP
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LP version. Includes download code (includes CD bonus tracks). Five years after the release of Luyando, Zimbabwe's most celebrated music export returns with their long-awaited follow-up album, Tusona: Tracings in the Sand. The six musicians from Victoria Falls are refining their unique sound: infectious Afro grooves deeply connected to Zimbabwe's cultural DNA. Tusana is their most danceable album to date, a DIY production recorded during the pandemic in Zimbabwe. It features horns by Ghanaian highlife outfit Santrofi. Every Sunday, there is a gathering in the sweltering heat on grounds of an old local beer hall in the Chinotimba township in Mosi-o-Tunya (Victoria Falls). Entertainment is provided by various traditional groups including the Luvale Makisi masquerade. It is a day full of singing, drumming, dancing and storytelling. Mokoomba's lead vocalist Mathias Muzaza can often be found here singing with a voice both soaring and vulnerable. In the course of the afternoon the other band members -- guitarist Trustworth Samende, bass player Abundance Mutori, keyboard player Phathisani Moyo, percussionist Miti Mugande, and drummer Ndaba Coster Moyo -- often join in with singing. The collective from Zimbabwe put in all the experiences made over the previous years and have forged their music into a unique Zimbabwean sound. On the album Mokoomba are singing about love, loss, courage in a changing society. The first single "Nzara Hapana" is a song about a man who wants to ensure the future of his wife and family and is trying to protect them against the greed of his relatives. The danceable up-tempo song "Nyansola" praises the goddess of harvest and asks her for rain. "Makisi" is sung in Luvale and it celebrates the beauty of the initiation ceremony for which the whole community comes together. "Manina" is a song about losing a loved one. Mokoomba sing in many different local languages. Their songs are in Tonga, Luvale, Shona, Nyanja and even Lingala used in "Makolo" when they team up with Congolese singer Desolo B. Tusona refers to an ancient system of signs and symbols, drawn in the sand and used for instruction during initiation ceremonies by the Luvale in Southern Africa. Another important part of the Mukanda initiation ceremony is the incredible Makisi masquerade. The Makisi are masked characters, representing the spirit of deceased ancestors. During the yearly initiation ceremony, the Makisi return to the living world to teach the young children to become responsible adults among the Lubale people of Southern Africa. It is the connection with the cultures around them that gives Mokoomba's music its spiritual power.
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OH 036CD
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Tears are in the eyes of Xabiib Sharaabi, nicknamed the "Somali King of Pop" when he entered the stage of Berlin's HKW. It is a mix of nostalgia, pain, and joy. Like many Somalis he had been deprived overnight of both glamor and friends, the war in his homeland had sent him into exile. The glamorous discos and beachfront stages Mogadishu had once been famous for, had disappeared as the city was bombed to the ground. The King of Somali pop found himself stranded in Sweden, others like the members of Dur-Dur Band Int. ended up in London which until today has the largest Somali diaspora in Europe. In the last decade many early recordings of Somalia's funk, soul and disco era have been reissued. This record is not a reissue. The Berlin Session -- is the first studio album of its kind since the golden days of Mogadishu came to a halt three decades ago. It is the living proof that Somali music is hot, funky, and well alive. The record captures a historic reunion which took place in 2019 in Germany's capital Berlin. London-based Dur-Dur Band Int. an eight-piece powerhouse of Somali live music unites with three legendary Somali singers: Xabiib Sharaabi, Faduumina Hilowle, and Cabdinur Allaale for a concert at Berlin's HKW. Fueled with a restored sense of pride, the freshly reunited musicians decided to get together in a Neukölln studio for two amazing days of recording. Female vocalist Faduumina Hilowle opens the album with an invitation to kickass. Grooving with such a strong accent on the off-beat, any non-Somali listener may think of reggae but the musicians will tell it's Dhaanto. Originating from the Ogaden region (now in neighboring Ethiopia's borders), Dhaanto dates back to the era of "clap and chant". Some say it is an imitation of the camel's bounce. Xabiib Sharaabi was once nick-named Somalia's King of Pop for the body language and magnetizing voice with which he incorporated the latest global musical trends -- even recording two disco albums entirely in English. On the album, Xabiib chooses to sing his Somali adaptation of "Lady" originally by Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Not unlike the Motown Sound of Detroit and Kingston's Studio One: a small scene of musicians was fueling that new Somali disco scene in Mogadishu. Cabdinur Allaale, the third vocalist on the album comes from neighboring Djibouti. In the heydays the leader of the then famous Sharaf Band was a frequent visitor, flying back and forth between Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Kismayo, and Djibouti entertaining his fans on the Horn of Africa. The Berlin Session brings the spirit, joy and hope of this era back: In the last decades Somalis stars have lived among us, spread all over the world, it is time to see them step into the limelight again.
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OH 036LP
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LP version. Includes printed inner sleeve and download code. Tears are in the eyes of Xabiib Sharaabi, nicknamed the "Somali King of Pop" when he entered the stage of Berlin's HKW. It is a mix of nostalgia, pain, and joy. Like many Somalis he had been deprived overnight of both glamor and friends, the war in his homeland had sent him into exile. The glamorous discos and beachfront stages Mogadishu had once been famous for, had disappeared as the city was bombed to the ground. The King of Somali pop found himself stranded in Sweden, others like the members of Dur-Dur Band Int. ended up in London which until today has the largest Somali diaspora in Europe. In the last decade many early recordings of Somalia's funk, soul and disco era have been reissued. This record is not a reissue. The Berlin Session -- is the first studio album of its kind since the golden days of Mogadishu came to a halt three decades ago. It is the living proof that Somali music is hot, funky, and well alive. The record captures a historic reunion which took place in 2019 in Germany's capital Berlin. London-based Dur-Dur Band Int. an eight-piece powerhouse of Somali live music unites with three legendary Somali singers: Xabiib Sharaabi, Faduumina Hilowle, and Cabdinur Allaale for a concert at Berlin's HKW. Fueled with a restored sense of pride, the freshly reunited musicians decided to get together in a Neukölln studio for two amazing days of recording. Female vocalist Faduumina Hilowle opens the album with an invitation to kickass. Grooving with such a strong accent on the off-beat, any non-Somali listener may think of reggae but the musicians will tell it's Dhaanto. Originating from the Ogaden region (now in neighboring Ethiopia's borders), Dhaanto dates back to the era of "clap and chant". Some say it is an imitation of the camel's bounce. Xabiib Sharaabi was once nick-named Somalia's King of Pop for the body language and magnetizing voice with which he incorporated the latest global musical trends -- even recording two disco albums entirely in English. On the album, Xabiib chooses to sing his Somali adaptation of "Lady" originally by Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Not unlike the Motown Sound of Detroit and Kingston's Studio One: a small scene of musicians was fueling that new Somali disco scene in Mogadishu. Cabdinur Allaale, the third vocalist on the album comes from neighboring Djibouti. In the heydays the leader of the then famous Sharaf Band was a frequent visitor, flying back and forth between Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Kismayo, and Djibouti entertaining his fans on the Horn of Africa. The Berlin Session brings the spirit, joy and hope of this era back: In the last decades Somalis stars have lived among us, spread all over the world, it is time to see them step into the limelight again.
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OH 034CD
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"Even without an album out: [Santrofi] have already set the world on fire freaking out audiences all over Europe on their 2019 summer festival tour including Sines in Portugal, WOMAD in UK, Roskilde and WOMEX in Tampere. This young all-star band from Ghana brims with gifted musicians and energy on stage. The eight-piece collective is made up of a young generation of awarded musicians who have backed anyone in Ghana from Azonto sensation Sarkodie to Nigerian superstar 2 Face Idibia, but their passion isn't local pop but highlife. And their mission is to bring it back; not only to the world but also to Ghana, where the young generation has forgotten all about this great music. Santrofi's debut album Alewa now brings you a new wave of fresh highlife founded by bassist and producer Emmanuel Ofori who rose from the source having played with Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas, and Kwashibu Area Band, and has now formed his own band collective: Santrofi. The eight musicians are deeply rooted in vintage Ghanaian highlife music in all its forms. The influences range from the riveting fast-paced pulse of '70s dance-guitar highlife, or the other-worldly sound of highlife funk to the polyrhythmic beats and melodies that took Afrobeat across the globe. The members have toured the world with legends like Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Osibisa, George Darko, and many others. They have learnt from the masters and are now ready to take highlife into the future. Alewa is a metaphor for a popularly known local black and white striped sweet. It symbolizes the need to recognize, accept, tolerate and embrace racial diversity to build a world with love and unity. On stage, Santrofi breaks down hierarchies the musicians alternate their roles each growing on the other's talent while harmonizing as a whole. Alewa was composed arranged, produced, and recorded in Ghana in a joint effort by Santrofi. Santrofi in Akan mythology is a rare and precious bird, identified by its bright colors and four wings; it is so unique, it was forbidden to be hunted. Attempting to catch and lock up the bird will bring you bad luck. If spotted and left to fly away, great luck and fortune can be expected. So let the bird fly!" Santrofi in Songlines CD version includes booklet.
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OH 034LP
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LP version. Includes booklet and download code. "Even without an album out: [Santrofi] have already set the world on fire freaking out audiences all over Europe on their 2019 summer festival tour including Sines in Portugal, WOMAD in UK, Roskilde and WOMEX in Tampere. This young all-star band from Ghana brims with gifted musicians and energy on stage. The eight-piece collective is made up of a young generation of awarded musicians who have backed anyone in Ghana from Azonto sensation Sarkodie to Nigerian superstar 2 Face Idibia, but their passion isn't local pop but highlife. And their mission is to bring it back; not only to the world but also to Ghana, where the young generation has forgotten all about this great music. Santrofi's debut album Alewa now brings you a new wave of fresh highlife founded by bassist and producer Emmanuel Ofori who rose from the source having played with Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas, and Kwashibu Area Band, and has now formed his own band collective: Santrofi. The eight musicians are deeply rooted in vintage Ghanaian highlife music in all its forms. The influences range from the riveting fast-paced pulse of '70s dance-guitar highlife, or the other-worldly sound of highlife funk to the polyrhythmic beats and melodies that took Afrobeat across the globe. The members have toured the world with legends like Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Osibisa, George Darko, and many others. They have learnt from the masters and are now ready to take highlife into the future. Alewa is a metaphor for a popularly known local black and white striped sweet. It symbolizes the need to recognize, accept, tolerate and embrace racial diversity to build a world with love and unity. On stage, Santrofi breaks down hierarchies the musicians alternate their roles each growing on the other's talent while harmonizing as a whole. Alewa was composed arranged, produced, and recorded in Ghana in a joint effort by Santrofi. Santrofi in Akan mythology is a rare and precious bird, identified by its bright colors and four wings; it is so unique, it was forbidden to be hunted. Attempting to catch and lock up the bird will bring you bad luck. If spotted and left to fly away, great luck and fortune can be expected. So let the bird fly!" Santrofi in Songlines
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OH 032CD
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Bassekou Kouyate is back on his original label Out Here Records with his fifth studio album, Miri. Miri is an album about love, friendship, family, and true values in times of crisis. Miri means dream or contemplation in Bamana. On Miri, Kouyate travels back to his hometown Garana, a small village at the banks of the Niger river. The instrumental song "Miri" captures that feeling. Miri talks about Kouyate's mother Yakare who passed away. "Deli" is a song about true friendship. "Konya" talks about jealousy a problem that can even destroy families. "Wele Ni" takes you deep into the history of Segou koro (old Segou), once home of the Bamana kings. The song is about a king who thought he didn't need to treat the people around him with respect, and later realizes he is nothing without the people around him. The song features vocalist Abdoulaye Diabate and Bassekou playing slide ngoni with a bottleneck. Like Mali music legend Abdoulaye Diabate, most guests on the album are longtime collaborators. Bassekou's friendship with Habib Koite goes way back to the early days of Symmetric Orchestra. As a trio together with young Toumani Diabate Bassekou played his first concert in Europe in 1989. "Kanto Kelena (She Left Me Alone)" is a song about a man who was left alone by his loved one. Afel Bocoum (Ali Farka Toure) from the same village Niafunke, sings for peace between the Fula, who herd cattle, and the local cultivators of Mali, on "Tabital Pulaaku". A very special guest is a young Kankou Kouyate, the daughter of Bassekou's brother Fousseyni who used to play in Ngoni Ba -- Kankou can be heard on all of the background vocals. Michael League (Snarky Puppy, Bokanté) went out of his way to add some guitar to the song "Konya". Fiddle player Casey Driessen, whom Bassekou met while touring with Bela Fleck, played on the folk ballad "Nyame". Dom Flemons (Carolina Chocolate Drops) plays bones on Bamana classic "Fanga". "Wele Cuba" is an Afro-Cuban jam about Africa's love for Cuban music; Cuba's answer is sung by Yasel Gonzalez Rivera (Madera Limpia). The album pays homage to two great Malian singers that have blessed quite a number of Bassekou's albums: the one and only Zoumana Tereta and the golden voice of Mali, Kassemady Diabate. Also features Majid Bekkas.
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OH 032LP
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LP version. Includes download code of full album; Edition of 500. Bassekou Kouyate is back on his original label Out Here Records with his fifth studio album, Miri. Miri is an album about love, friendship, family, and true values in times of crisis. Miri means dream or contemplation in Bamana. On Miri, Kouyate travels back to his hometown Garana, a small village at the banks of the Niger river. The instrumental song "Miri" captures that feeling. Miri talks about Kouyate's mother Yakare who passed away. "Deli" is a song about true friendship. "Konya" talks about jealousy a problem that can even destroy families. "Wele Ni" takes you deep into the history of Segou koro (old Segou), once home of the Bamana kings. The song is about a king who thought he didn't need to treat the people around him with respect, and later realizes he is nothing without the people around him. The song features vocalist Abdoulaye Diabate and Bassekou playing slide ngoni with a bottleneck. Like Mali music legend Abdoulaye Diabate, most guests on the album are longtime collaborators. Bassekou's friendship with Habib Koite goes way back to the early days of Symmetric Orchestra. As a trio together with young Toumani Diabate Bassekou played his first concert in Europe in 1989. "Kanto Kelena (She Left Me Alone)" is a song about a man who was left alone by his loved one. Afel Bocoum (Ali Farka Toure) from the same village Niafunke, sings for peace between the Fula, who herd cattle, and the local cultivators of Mali, on "Tabital Pulaaku". A very special guest is a young Kankou Kouyate, the daughter of Bassekou's brother Fousseyni who used to play in Ngoni Ba -- Kankou can be heard on all of the background vocals. Michael League (Snarky Puppy, Bokanté) went out of his way to add some guitar to the song "Konya". Fiddle player Casey Driessen, whom Bassekou met while touring with Bela Fleck, played on the folk ballad "Nyame". Dom Flemons (Carolina Chocolate Drops) plays bones on Bamana classic "Fanga". "Wele Cuba" is an Afro-Cuban jam about Africa's love for Cuban music; Cuba's answer is sung by Yasel Gonzalez Rivera (Madera Limpia). The album pays homage to two great Malian singers that have blessed quite a number of Bassekou's albums: the one and only Zoumana Tereta and the golden voice of Mali, Kassemady Diabate. Also features Majid Bekkas.
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OH 030LP
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LP version. Includes a booklet and a download code. Luyando means "mother's love" in Tonga, a language that is spoken by the first inhabitants of the Zambezi Valley of Southern Africa. But beyond the word, Luyando goes to the heart of Mokoomba's music. Lyrical and beautifully breezy, Luyando is a spiritual journey into the heart of Zimbabwean society, culture, and tradition. On Luyando, Mokoomba modified their rock-band oriented line-up to record a more raw, acoustic album. The songs are rooted in the local traditions and life in their hometown of Victoria Falls, a town on the Zambezi River, named after the Victoria Falls. When the band first hit the music scene their blend of traditional rhythms and contemporary Zimrock took the country by storm. Mokoomba brought a unique flavor to a scene that was dominated by sungura, reggae, and dancehall, urban and Afro jazz bands. On Luyando, Mokoomba dig even deeper into their heritage: Luyando takes the listener back into the past to a vanishing world of traditions that used to be at the heart of Tonga and Luvale society, their customs, rituals, and even day-to-day life. There are the cautionary and instructive tracks like, "Njawane", which advises young hunters of how to act when faced with a dangerous lion. The haunting "Kumukanda" is inspired by a Tonga initiation ceremony and "Mabemba" speaks about the values of the Tonga people. The lighter, and more playful "Nyaradzo" is a song of cheeky courtship and "Kulindiswe" is a personal lament on the hardships of band life. Victoria Falls, a meeting point of a multitude of traditions, is the main inspiration for the lead singer and composer, Mathias Muzaza. While Tonga dominates as a language of composition and the native language of most members of the group, the songs are sung in at least three other languages: Shona, Luvale, and Ndebele. Most members of the group are ethnically Tonga one of Zimbabwe's (and Zambia's) smallest ethnic groups. The history of the Tonga is crucial to Luyando and central to the project is Kambowa the song that speaks of a key moment of Tonga history, the traumatic displacement of the Tonga from their ancestral lands in 1955 to make way for the Kariba dam. At present, Zimbabwe is in a state of economic turbulence and political uncertainty. Luyando is, in its own small way, a place where everyone who aspires for better is welcome.
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OH 030CD
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Luyando means "mother's love" in Tonga, a language that is spoken by the first inhabitants of the Zambezi Valley of Southern Africa. But beyond the word, Luyando goes to the heart of Mokoomba's music. Lyrical and beautifully breezy, Luyando is a spiritual journey into the heart of Zimbabwean society, culture, and tradition. On Luyando, Mokoomba modified their rock-band oriented line-up to record a more raw, acoustic album. The songs are rooted in the local traditions and life in their hometown of Victoria Falls, a town on the Zambezi River, named after the Victoria Falls. When the band first hit the music scene their blend of traditional rhythms and contemporary Zimrock took the country by storm. Mokoomba brought a unique flavor to a scene that was dominated by sungura, reggae, and dancehall, urban and Afro jazz bands. On Luyando, Mokoomba dig even deeper into their heritage: Luyando takes the listener back into the past to a vanishing world of traditions that used to be at the heart of Tonga and Luvale society, their customs, rituals, and even day-to-day life. There are the cautionary and instructive tracks like, "Njawane", which advises young hunters of how to act when faced with a dangerous lion. The haunting "Kumukanda" is inspired by a Tonga initiation ceremony and "Mabemba" speaks about the values of the Tonga people. The lighter, and more playful "Nyaradzo" is a song of cheeky courtship and "Kulindiswe" is a personal lament on the hardships of band life. Victoria Falls, a meeting point of a multitude of traditions, is the main inspiration for the lead singer and composer, Mathias Muzaza. While Tonga dominates as a language of composition and the native language of most members of the group, the songs are sung in at least three other languages: Shona, Luvale, and Ndebele. Most members of the group are ethnically Tonga one of Zimbabwe's (and Zambia's) smallest ethnic groups. The history of the Tonga is crucial to Luyando and central to the project is Kambowa the song that speaks of a key moment of Tonga history, the traumatic displacement of the Tonga from their ancestral lands in 1955 to make way for the Kariba dam. At present, Zimbabwe is in a state of economic turbulence and political uncertainty. Luyando is, in its own small way, a place where everyone who aspires for better is welcome.
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OH 029CD
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In October 2014, everything seemed possible in Burkina Faso. The people had kicked out long-time president Blaise Compaoré after he had declared he wanted to change the constitution to allow an extension of his 27 years in office. Democratic elections were scheduled for October 11, 2015. But with the elections approaching, a military coup hit the country on the evening of the September 16, 2015. In the midst of it all, activist and rapper Smockey created his album Pre'volution: Le Président, Ma Moto et Moi, the soundtrack Burkina Faso's turmoil. Together with reggae artist Sams'K Le Jah, Smockey founded Le Balai Citoyen, a political grassroots movement comparable to Y'en a Marre in Senegal. The group brings together artists, students, and intellectuals to raise awareness and encourage political participation. Pre'volution: Le Président, Ma Moto et Moi includes songs written by Smockey before and during the uprising in Burkina Faso. "On Passe à L'attaque" tells you how to wake up and kick-start a revolution; "Dossier Zongo," which discusses political crimes under Compaoré's regime, including the assassination of journalist Norbert Zongo, became an anthem to accompany the people's protests and riots. "On se Développe" is dedicated to the Burkinabé revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara, and encourages young people to reactivate a healthy local industry, instead of staying dependent on products from the US and China. "Paroles" and "Dans La Peau d'un Mulatre" were written for the theater production Nuit Blanche à Ouagadougou, which stars Smockey playing himself during the revolt; rehearsals took place during the actual protest, with the smell of tear gas on Smockey's clothing. "Opération Mana Mana" is an anthem of Le Balai Citoyen, featuring many artists who support the movement, as well as Smockey's companion Sams'K Le Jah, and was written in 2014, before the uprising. The album also features Zouglou singer Soum Bill from Côte d'Ivoire, Burkinabé rapper Smarty, and legendary Burkinabé singer Amadou Balaké, who recorded contributions to "Combattants Oubliés" before his death in August 2014. At the time of this release, Smockey is still campaigning for fair elections and a better future for his country, and Le Balai Citoyen, with slogans like "après la révolte, ton vote," is back on the streets demonstrating against the September 2015 coup.
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OH 028LP
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Alone was born out of a need to maintain sanity in times of broken dreams and lies. It might be Terakaft's most rock-oriented album to date, but at the same time it is their most poetic. While their 2010 album Aratan N Azawad, and even their 2012 follow-up, Kel Tamasheq, found them still full of hope, in 2015 the soil that was supposed to blossom is burnt by selfishness and rivalry. "There are too many characters in the picture, too many chiefs and not enough people," says member Diara when asked about Mali's political development since the group's last album. He used to sing political songs in the days in his rebel youth, when he was still playing guitar with Tinariwen. Since then he has begun to watch a new feeling growing inside him: ténéré, which translates to "alone." In the days when Diara sat in the dunes drinking tea with high hopes for the future, singing songs into the night, his nephew Sanou would sit next to him, still a young boy. Occasionally the uncle would hand his guitar to the nephew, so he could play along with the others. Just before the international success story of Tinariwen started, Diara got stuck on his way to Bamako and his place in Tinariwen was taken. Meanwhile Sanou had set up his own band, Terakaft. Diara and Sanou are now the backbone of Terakaft; the guardians of desert blues. Diara is the spirit of the band, as strong as a rock. Sanou is the band's heart. He brings the life to its spirit. Diara, the elder, lays out heavy rhythms pulsing through his guitar. Sanou has become the natural heir to the sound of "assouf," with his intense rock riffs and an uplifting attitude toward life. Alone is Terakaft's fifth album. It was produced by Justin Adams, one of the musicians from Europe who has delved deep into Tuareg music. Adams is known as a musician and producer through his work with Robert Plant, Tinariwen, and Juldeh Camara. He has geared up "The Caravan" (as Terakaft's name translates) to reach new shores and hit the dancefloors. In these troubled times, they have made an album together that presents the deep Saharan rhythms as a vital contemporary heartbeat. Standing on the ruins of their people's dreams, they sing to their brothers and sisters about true friendship and tolerance. Includes printed inner sleeve.
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OH 028CD
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Alone was born out of a need to maintain sanity in times of broken dreams and lies. It might be Terakaft's most rock-oriented album to date, but at the same time it is their most poetic. While their 2010 album Aratan N Azawad, and even their 2012 follow-up, Kel Tamasheq, found them still full of hope, in 2015 the soil that was supposed to blossom is burnt by selfishness and rivalry. "There are too many characters in the picture, too many chiefs and not enough people," says member Diara when asked about Mali's political development since the group's last album. He used to sing political songs in the days in his rebel youth, when he was still playing guitar with Tinariwen. Since then he has begun to watch a new feeling growing inside him: ténéré, which translates to "alone." In the days when Diara sat in the dunes drinking tea with high hopes for the future, singing songs into the night, his nephew Sanou would sit next to him, still a young boy. Occasionally the uncle would hand his guitar to the nephew, so he could play along with the others. Just before the international success story of Tinariwen started, Diara got stuck on his way to Bamako and his place in Tinariwen was taken. Meanwhile Sanou had set up his own band, Terakaft. Diara and Sanou are now the backbone of Terakaft; the guardians of desert blues. Diara is the spirit of the band, as strong as a rock. Sanou is the band's heart. He brings the life to its spirit. Diara, the elder, lays out heavy rhythms pulsing through his guitar. Sanou has become the natural heir to the sound of "assouf," with his intense rock riffs and an uplifting attitude toward life. Alone is Terakaft's fifth album. It was produced by Justin Adams, one of the musicians from Europe who has delved deep into Tuareg music. Adams is known as a musician and producer through his work with Robert Plant, Tinariwen, and Juldeh Camara. He has geared up "The Caravan" (as Terakaft's name translates) to reach new shores and hit the dancefloors. In these troubled times, they have made an album together that presents the deep Saharan rhythms as a vital contemporary heartbeat. Standing on the ruins of their people's dreams, they sing to their brothers and sisters about true friendship and tolerance. Six-panel digipak; includes booklet.
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OH 025CD
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Out Here Records presents the debut album by Kenya's superstar rapper Octopizzo. There is a bit of nostalgia in Octopizzo's smile when he talks about his old neighborhood Kibera. Growing up in one of the biggest slums in Africa, he has made it, and is among the top rap artists in Kenya. Politicians consult him when they want to know what the people think. Instead of having cognac with the president Uhuru Kenyatta, he invites him to come to his house to show him what life is about nowadays in Kibera. Octopizzo loves his home. The "Chocolate" in Chocolate City refers to the mud and the rusty iron sheets, where his inspiration lies. Unlike most others who become rich and deny they are from the ghetto, Octopizzo speaks to his fans every day on Twitter and Facebook, many of whom are still from the slums. Octopizzo started rapping in 2009, producing mixtapes, recording Swahili rhymes on top of well-known beats by international stars such as NAS, Dr. Dre or 50 Cent. When Octopizzo talks about "Swag," he doesn't mean expensive stuff, but things people in Kibera consider as fly: a handful of groundnuts, having a fried bread snack called Mandazi, or walking down the alley wearing a pair of clean slippers. Octopizzo also praises the beauty of the now-Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o in the title song of the album. With his song "Voices of Kibera (V.O.K.)," Octopizzo takes us to Kibera. Octopizzo has taken his name from his favorite animal, the octopus, one of the strongest inhabitants of the ocean. He added the ending "pizzo" to make it sound more cool. The number 8 or "namba nane" in Swahili, became his trademark and symbol. The 8th letter of the alphabet is "H," which stands for both hip-hop and his given name, Henry. It also refers to the Matatu minibus line taking you from town to Kibera. With "eight" being the number of districts in Nairobi as well as the number of provinces in Kenya, Octopizzo stands for all three: Kibera, Nairobi and Kenya. "Toboa" is Swahili for "reveal" and features Afro soul artist Anto Neosoul. Octopizzo's breakthrough year was 2012. His song "Ivo Ivo" became a rap anthem in Nairobi. "Ivo Ivo" is a short form of "Hivyo Hivyo," which simply means "it's like that, it's like that." Others interpreted it as "evil evil," and rumors spread in Kenya that Octopizzo was a member of the German secret Illuminati society. The media attention in Kenya even boosted the success of the song. The album also presents two powerful ladies from Kenya. On his hip-hop joint "Vile Inafaa" he worked with Muthoni the Drummer Queen, referred to as "Kenya's Missy Elliot." He also worked with one of the most promising singers, Sage, on "So Alive" and "Memories." Octopizzo is about to kickstart his own TV show entitled: The Black Star Movement, and the song "Black Star" is the show's theme song and features the debut of his daughter Tracy, who sings the chorus. Today, Octopizzo is the father of two, and he lives not only off of the income from his shows but also through his very own clothing line, watches, wrist bands and handmade "Kibera-Bling." He even started his own brand of condoms called "Let's Do It," with a special glow-in-the-dark edition to ensure safe sex for bedrooms without electricity.
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OH 024CD
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Jupiter & Okwess International's international debut album Hotel Univers takes you right into the heart and onto the streets of modern day Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a politically and economically troubled country. Band leader Jupiter Bokondji is the charismatic and outstanding representative of the innovative scene of street musicians in Kinshasa, a scene which became internationally well-known through the success of Staff Benda Bilili, a band who they share close ties with. His idea is to reactivate the forgotten rhythms and melodies of the Congo, by injecting the urban groove of the city. When Jupiter wants time off from the daily hustle on the streets of Kinshasa, he rents a room at Hotel Univers. There he can hide from the noise of the streets and seek new inspiration. Many of the ideas in his songs were formed between his room and the bar where he drinks whiskey and meets the characters that roam the streets of Kinshasa at night. The song "Magerita" is dedicated to the dangerously attractive women in Kinshasa's nightlife. It became an immediate hit in Lemba, the area on the outskirts of Kinshasa where Jupiter is from. "Bapasi" has become a common expression for the daily life struggles of the community in Lemba. It is a catchphrase people use to search for new motivation in order to tackle their daily difficulties -- for instance when the public cleaning service doesn't work, the people in Lemba decided to take care of cleaning up the streets themselves. "The material is but an elution," he sings in the song "Bakwapanu," "but only the spiritual remains eternal." Through his music Jupiter tries to encourage people to take the future into their own hands. In 1974, as a young boy, he left the Congo to go to East Germany with his father who was appointed executive assistant for the Congo's embassy in Germany. There he spent his adolescence and discovered Europe and its vibrant music scene, including artists such as The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple and James Brown. He set up his own rock band called Der Neger with fellow young Berliners. Their sound was a strange cocktail of mongo percussions and Zeppelin-esque guitar. At the age of 20 his father's mandate ended, and Jupiter went back to the bubbling '80s Kinshasa. He left the family home, earning a living singing at funerals and playing percussion in several local orchestras. He started developing his own unique style, surrounding himself with musicians from Europe. He named this explosive mix "Bofenia Rock" and in 1983 formed his first orchestra, Bongofolk. Then in 1990 he founded his own band: Okwess International. The band developed a vision of a new Congolese sound experimenting with the musical heritage of a nation with more than 450 different ethnicities. In early 2004, Jupiter met two French travellers, Renaud Barret and Florent de la Tullaye. The connection was immediate, so much so that Barret and de la Tullaye returned to record the songs of Okwess International and other groups surrounding Jupiter, such as Staff Benda Bilili. Jupiter's Dance, a film documenting this musical exploration, was released in 2007. The film became his international introduction and Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz fame worked with him on several projects including the electronic album DRC Music - Kinshasa One Two (Warp). Albarn also invited him to perform at the 2012 Africa Express tour in the UK. Jupiter and his band also toured the world with Amadou & Mariam.
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OH 021LP
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Gatefold double LP version. Mali's ngoni ace returns. After his celebrated debut album Segu Blue and the Grammy nominated follow-up I Speak Fula, hundreds of concerts all over the globe, performing as headliner in the AfroCubism project and, just a few months ago, stunning appearances at the latest Africa Express events performing with Sir Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones, Damon Albarn, and many others, Bassekou Kouyaté is back with his new album. Jama Ko means "a big gathering of people." It is the first song to be released from the forthcoming album of the same title. It is a call for unity, peace, and tolerance in a time of crisis: no matter who you are, let us come together and enjoy life, and celebrate the true spirit of Mali. "Jama ko, c'est pour tout le monde," says Kouyate, explaining the title of his third album, "There are over 90% Muslims in Mali, but our form of Islam here has nothing to do with a radical form of Sharia: that is not our culture. We have been singing praise songs for the Prophet for hundreds of years. If the Islamists stop people music-making they will rip the heart out of Mali." The recording of Jama Ko took place in March 2012 in Mali's capital, Bamako. It was recorded with an entirely new line-up, including Bassekou's two sons Madou and Moustafa Kouyaté, ngoni ace Abou Sissoko, and a number of other young talented musicians from Bamako. It became political by accident. In the afternoon of the first day in the studio, the military overthrew the president Amadou Toumani Touré (ATT). It was a shock for Bassekou, as the former president was a great supporter of his music. Somewhere between power cuts, fuel shortages, and the uncertainty of daily curfews, the recording went on. Meanwhile, the situation in the north of Mali was getting worse and worse by the day. In the studio, a musical answer started taking shape: Instead of keeping quiet, Bassekou plugged in his wah-wah pedal, cranked up his amp and let loose. Kasse Mady Diabaté is featured on the Latin-flavored "Sinaly," singing about Sinaly Diarra, a Bamana king famous for resisting forced Islamization in the 19th century. "Kele Magni" is a duet between Amy Sacko and Khaira Arby from Timbuktu, calling for peace in Mali. "Zoumana Tereta" praises the cotton farmers of Mali in Mali Koori with a voice that takes you back into the time of the great Bambara warriors. Jama Ko also features "Poye 2," an incredible duet between Bassekou and Taj Mahal (vocals/electric guitar) and ends with the touching song "Moustafa" by Bassekou's son Moustafa, dedicated to his parents thanking them for all they have done for him. Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Godspeed!, Coeur de Pirate) recorded the album in Mali and ended up mixing and co-producing most of it back home in Montreal. Andrew and Brad Barr (Barr Brothers) added drums and guitar. Mocky Salole (Feist, Jamie Lidell) came up with additional arrangements and played organ and drums.
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OH 021CD
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Mali's ngoni ace returns. After his celebrated debut album Segu Blue and the Grammy nominated follow-up I Speak Fula, hundreds of concerts all over the globe, performing as headliner in the AfroCubism project and, just a few months ago, stunning appearances at the latest Africa Express events performing with Sir Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones, Damon Albarn, and many others, Bassekou Kouyaté is back with his new album. Jama Ko means "a big gathering of people." It is the first song to be released from the forthcoming album of the same title. It is a call for unity, peace, and tolerance in a time of crisis: no matter who you are, let us come together and enjoy life, and celebrate the true spirit of Mali. "Jama ko, c'est pour tout le monde," says Kouyate, explaining the title of his third album, "There are over 90% Muslims in Mali, but our form of Islam here has nothing to do with a radical form of Sharia: that is not our culture. We have been singing praise songs for the Prophet for hundreds of years. If the Islamists stop people music-making they will rip the heart out of Mali." The recording of Jama Ko took place in March 2012 in Mali's capital, Bamako. It was recorded with an entirely new line-up, including Bassekou's two sons Madou and Moustafa Kouyaté, ngoni ace Abou Sissoko, and a number of other young talented musicians from Bamako. It became political by accident. In the afternoon of the first day in the studio, the military overthrew the president Amadou Toumani Touré (ATT). It was a shock for Bassekou, as the former president was a great supporter of his music. Somewhere between power cuts, fuel shortages, and the uncertainty of daily curfews, the recording went on. Meanwhile, the situation in the north of Mali was getting worse and worse by the day. In the studio, a musical answer started taking shape: Instead of keeping quiet, Bassekou plugged in his wah-wah pedal, cranked up his amp and let loose. Kasse Mady Diabaté is featured on the Latin-flavored "Sinaly," singing about Sinaly Diarra, a Bamana king famous for resisting forced Islamization in the 19th century. "Kele Magni" is a duet between Amy Sacko and Khaira Arby from Timbuktu, calling for peace in Mali. "Zoumana Tereta" praises the cotton farmers of Mali in Mali Koori with a voice that takes you back into the time of the great Bambara warriors. Jama Ko also features "Poye 2," an incredible duet between Bassekou and Taj Mahal (vocals/electric guitar) and ends with the touching song "Moustafa" by Bassekou's son Moustafa, dedicated to his parents thanking them for all they have done for him. Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Godspeed!, Coeur de Pirate) recorded the album in Mali and ended up mixing and co-producing most of it back home in Montreal. Andrew and Brad Barr (Barr Brothers) added drums and guitar. Mocky Salole (Feist, Jamie Lidell) came up with additional arrangements and played organ and drums.
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OH 020CD
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The 12 songs on this compilation look at the Arab world through a new pair of glasses: Beirut's underground. The CD focuses on a young generation that is tired of war, fed up with politics, sick of religious madness and angry about Euro-American exoticism. It is keeping itself alive with electro beats, raw aggressive hip-hop or in-your-face indie rock. Together these musicians show a new picture of this war-shaken city and region and show a different Beirut. "The Israelis just bombed our city," one musician joked in 2006, "because Beirut was suddenly cooler and hipper than Tel Aviv." With lots of irony and black humor, Beirut's alternative music scene often tries to neglect the fact that the city and the region is still full of problems, conflicts and contradictions. The scene does not get the same media attention the commercial pan-Arabic satellite-TV pop industry does, but is closely linked to the civil society networks that are of great importance in the ongoing revolutions in the Arab world in 2011. These artists show a new, open-minded city reminiscent in a way of the Golden Beirut of the '60s and '70s -- only updated. In those "golden" years before the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), Beirut used to be the hub towards the Western world. Lebanese psychedelic rock bands entertained an international crowd in hip Beiruti clubs. In only a few years, the city's liberal reputation was shot to pieces during the civil war. Golden Beirut brings together some of the most important voices in the alternative music scenes of Beirut whose music has nothing to do with propaganda, traditionalism and commercialism: Zeid Hamdan and his projects Shift Z and Soap Kills mix minimalist electronic sounds with soft Arab singing. The indie-rock, post-punk and electro-pop bands Scrambled Eggs, The New Government and Lumi still know how to sweat on stage and create catchy songs. Hip-hop MC Lix aka Malikah, one of the best Lebanese female MCs, attacks stereotypes with full force. Katibe 5 rap about the Palestinian refugee camp they grew up in, and rapper Rayess Bek discusses life between Lebanon and France. Oud player und charismatic singer Ziad Sahhab opposes the strong connections between musicians, music and politics in Lebanon, while Praed and The Incompetents experiment with wedding music and lullabies. Last but not least, this CD features the upcoming satirical folk rock band Mashrou' Leila. They are the first to slowly rise from underground hype to reaching wider audiences. Golden Beirut was compiled by ethnomusicologist and journalist Thomas Burkhalter, founder of the music network www.norient.com. The photos in the booklet were shot by Tanya Traboulsi, an Austrian-Lebanese photographer living in Beirut.
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OH 019CD
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In early 2009, three bands from the world-renowned Berlin electronic music scene set out on a journey, their destination: Nairobi, Kenya, in East Africa. The idea "Berlin meets Nairobi," the brainchild of Goethe-Institut Nairobi and electronic music duo Gebrüder Teichmann, was as simple as it was complex at the same time. Berlin musicians would come to this vibrant East African metropolis and meet, mix and mingle with artists from the local music scene. The name of the project became BLNRB-NRBLN, a fusion of the colloquial abbreviations of the two cities involved. From Berlin, there were Modeselektor, the hyperactive breakbeat duo, curious electronic producers Gebrüder Teichmann and Jahcoozi, the multicultural star trio composed of dubstep, grime rave and hyper-sonic electronica. From Kenya, rappers like Mister Abbas, Kimya and Lon'Jon or the first lady of Kenyan rap, Nazizi, became part of the joint collaboration. The electro-pop band Just A Band and blind singer/guitarist Michel Ongaru also contributed their flavors. In addition, six members of the hip-hop collective Ukoo Flani from the coastal city of Mombasa were a key part of the body of MCs who would turn up every day and night. Two studios were established in a townhouse in Nairobi, where everyone in the project worked, performed and lived together. The above-mentioned bands were invited but word spread like fire within Nairobi's music scene. Quickly, there was a frenzy of artists coming and going, the now-infamous Madhouse was born. After a first concert in Nairobi in 2009, the Berliners went back to Kenya in spring 2010 for a few weeks, and it was during this period, that the first recordings of the presented tracks were made. In December 2010, the musicians from Nairobi came to Berlin for a concert night that celebrated the collaboration. The release concert for a BLNRB EP was held during Worldtronics Festival in Berlin with great success. BLNRB - Welcome To The Madhouse features 18 original recordings -- as diverse as the more than 20 artists involved. The international electro club music scene has become all about the latest styles and sounds treated with the newest digital technology, ingredients that are still hard to find in Africa. This album bridges this gap and opens a path into a new global club sound. BLNRB is about digging deep into the local Berlin and Nairobi music scenes and building a new urban sound together with some amazing talents from the next generation of African musicians.
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OH 019LP
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LP version, featuring 9 tracks from the CD version and a free download code for the entire 18 track album. In early 2009, three bands from the world-renowned Berlin electronic music scene set out on a journey, their destination: Nairobi, Kenya, in East Africa. The idea "Berlin meets Nairobi," the brainchild of Goethe-Institut Nairobi and electronic music duo Gebrüder Teichmann, was as simple as it was complex at the same time. Berlin musicians would come to this vibrant East African metropolis and meet, mix and mingle with artists from the local music scene. The name of the project became BLNRB-NRBLN, a fusion of the colloquial abbreviations of the two cities involved. From Berlin, there were Modeselektor, the hyperactive breakbeat duo, curious electronic producers Gebrüder Teichmann and Jahcoozi, the multicultural star trio composed of dubstep, grime rave and hyper-sonic electronica. From Kenya, rappers like Mister Abbas, Kimya and Lon'Jon or the first lady of Kenyan rap, Nazizi, became part of the joint collaboration. The electro-pop band Just A Band and blind singer/guitarist Michel Ongaru also contributed their flavors. In addition, six members of the hip-hop collective Ukoo Flani from the coastal city of Mombasa were a key part of the body of MCs who would turn up every day and night. Two studios were established in a townhouse in Nairobi, where everyone in the project worked, performed and lived together. The above-mentioned bands were invited but word spread like fire within Nairobi's music scene. Quickly, there was a frenzy of artists coming and going, the now-infamous Madhouse was born. After a first concert in Nairobi in 2009, the Berliners went back to Kenya in spring 2010 for a few weeks, and it was during this period, that the first recordings of the presented tracks were made. In December 2010, the musicians from Nairobi came to Berlin for a concert night that celebrated the collaboration. The release concert for a BLNRB EP was held during Worldtronics Festival in Berlin with great success. BLNRB - Welcome To The Madhouse is as diverse as the artists involved. The international electro club music scene has become all about the latest styles and sounds treated with the newest digital technology, ingredients that are still hard to find in Africa. This album bridges this gap and opens a path into a new global club sound. BLNRB is about digging deep into the local Berlin and Nairobi music scenes and building a new urban sound together with some amazing talents from the next generation of African musicians.
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OH 016CD
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Eritrea is back. After 30 years of war with Ethiopia and a decade of seclusion, the Asmara All Stars now introduce some of the best musicians and vocalists from Eritrea on Eritrea's Got Soul. Eritrea has been almost cut-off from most outside influences since the early '70s. Recording an album is not an easy task in a country where many aspects of life are dominated by political concerns, and where every working musician gets a salary from the state. The Asmara All Star project is all about leaving politics behind and focusing on making exciting music. At first, French producer Bruno Blum had a hard time getting the ball rolling, but eventually more and more musicians got excited by his unusual approach and talent began flocking to the studio. In the end, ideas were flowing freely in Asmara, with albeit a few obstacles along the way. The fruits of this long but ultimately rewarding process are now released on this very special album. In a way, Eritrea has vanished from the world's radar. Music lovers around the world have been showing a huge interest in Ethiopian reissues from the '70s. A closer look reveals that many of the musicians on "vintage Ethiopian" recordings were really Eritrean. Today, the Asmara All Stars continue to play in a style reminiscent of the golden age of the big band sound, charged with Eri-jazz, soul and roots reggae. The decades of isolation have somehow kept this music alive. The album was recorded in Asmara, Eritrea's capital city, in 2008 with a heavy, analog live band sound featuring electric krar, a full horn section, a funky organ and haunting vocals by some of the country's most famous singers. Young singer Temasgen Yared came up with the soulful "Ykre Belni," seemingly straight out of the heyday of Abyssinian soul jazz. Another highlight is Faytinga's "Amajo," which fuses Kunama rhythms with a roots reggae beat, and Mahmoud Ahmed Omer delivering the uptempo dancefloor smash "Adunia," featuring a rare sample of local hip-hop. Eritrea's Got Soul explores the vast variety of this country's genuine music: Tigré legends Ibrahim Goret and Brkti Weldeslassie stand alongside the raw "blues" "Inedir" by Adam Hamid and the beautiful talent of young Sara Teklesenbet. The album brings together different musical styles and rarely heard languages by eight ethnic groups, including Kunama, Nara, Bilen, Afar, Saho, Hedaareb, Tigré and Tigrigna. A rebirth of urban Eritrean music from the depths of the country's rich history.
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OH 016LP
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LP version. Available on heavy 180 gram vinyl. Includes free digital download code plus bonus tracks. Limited to 500 copies. Eritrea is back. After 30 years of war with Ethiopia and a decade of seclusion, the Asmara All Stars now introduce some of the best musicians and vocalists from Eritrea on Eritrea's Got Soul. The Asmara All Stars continue to play in a style reminiscent of the golden age of the big band sound, charged with Eri-jazz, soul and roots reggae. The album was recorded in Asmara, Eritrea's capital city in 2008 with a heavy, analog live band sound featuring electric krar, a full horn section, a funky organ and haunting vocals by some of the country's most famous singers. A rebirth of urban Eritrean music from the depths of the country's rich history.
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OH 011LP
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This is the vinyl version of Rokia Traoré's Tchamantché album from 2009. Traoré is an internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter and guitarist from Mali. It all started with a sound inside Rokia Traoré's head. The most adventurous singer-songwriter in Africa knew that she wanted to create a new musical style that was "more modern, but still African, something more blues and rock than my folk guitar." Then she heard an old Gretsch, the classic electric guitar so beloved by American rockabilly bands back in the '50s and '60s, and played by everyone from Chet Atkins to George Harrison. That was the sound she had been looking for, and it has helped to bring a fresh and startling new dimension to her exquisite and adventurous songs. This may be an African album, but it sounds nothing like most "world music" records, and has little in common with work of Rokia's great Malian compatriots like Salif Keita or Oumou Sangare "who are amazing -- but I'm not a Malian traditional singer." It will appeal to blues fans, though it's not just a blues album, and it will appeal to fans of sophisticated contemporary rock, though Rokia's always thoughtful and intriguing lyrics are mostly sung in Bambara, one of the Malian languages, with just two in French. The result is an album that constantly surprises. The only track not written by Rokia is a startling re-working of the Billie Holiday classic "The Man I Love," which starts as a slow, bluesy track in which Rokia demonstrates her delicately brooding, intimate vocals (in English), and then speeds up to develop into an extraordinary African scat work-out. The backing includes both Gretsch guitar and the n'goni, the tiny, harsh-edged West African lute that has always been an integral part of her sound. Elsewhere, many of the songs are built around laid-back, sturdy and slinky grooves, and Rokia sings with a new maturity, range and quiet confidence. The backing is often sparse, but always original, with sections where another classic guitar, the Silvertone, is matched against subtle percussion effects provided by human beat box and hip-hop star, Sly Johnson, or where the n'goni is played alongside the Western classical harp. Rokia has made dramatic changes to her music, for she no longer uses the African xylophone, the balafon, and has brought in a Western rhythm section, as well as a European production team (the recordings were mixed by Phill Brown, who has worked with Robert Plant, Robert Palmer and Bob Marley). But Rokia insists this is still an African album "because music depends on the person making it, and I am an African. But I'm from a new generation, with a new way of seeing Africa and our music." Always known for her outspoken lyrics, she tackles the problem of illegal immigration from Africa to Europe in the compelling "Tounka," and reminds Malians that they should be proud of the glories of their past, in the intimate but gloriously stirring, guitar-backed "Dounia." Then, in complete contrast, there's the personal and rhythmic "Zen," a song about having the courage to do nothing, and the dark-edged, mature and thoughtful "Dianfa." Now, at last, there's a new album that marks the latest stage in a career that has transformed Western conceptions of African music. Gatefold sleeve.
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