DR. JOHN - GRIS-GRIS (1968)

HIPPIE, VOODOO, PSYCH, MARDI GRAS, TRIBAL, HIGH NIGHT TRIPPIN' OF THE LATE 60's
ARTIST`````DR. JOHN
ALBUM`````GRIS-GRIS
GENRE`````PSYCHEDELIC, FUNK, ROCK N' ROLL, DRUGS?
YEAR````````1968

WHY:
This guy was something special in the late sixties. His debut album (Gris-gris) is quite an exploration of R&B blended in primitive voodoo aesthetics and coloured by some strange mystic/psych elements that I can't recognise. A very unique artist indeed. Lots of drugs involved too. Lots.

AN UNSUALY SHORT REVIEW FROM ALLMUSIC:
The most exploratory and psychedelic outing of Dr. John's career, a one-of-a-kind fusion of New Orleans Mardi Gras R&B and voodoo mysticism. Great rasping, bluesy vocals, soulful backup singers, and eerie melodies on flute, sax, and clarinet, as well as odd Middle Eastern-like chanting and mandolin runs. It's got the setting of a strange religious ritual, but the mood is far more joyous than solemn.

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SONG COMPACTOR 02 (2008)

What is this?
From now on, I will occasionaly upload some nice finds, interesting cover songs, great hits that I'd like you to listen again and some general obscurities with some small info.

They are all separate uploads because this is not a compilation. Enjoy 'em.

1. Samim - Heater (Vandalism Re-Rub)

2. Alberto Pacheco - Cumbia Cienaguera

Ha! This annoying Ibiza house hit (Heater) made me sick for months and months because of repeated radio and club play. People just couldnt let go. Anyway, some days ago, I accidentaly found the ORIGINAL song from which Samim exctracted that mega catchy stupid harmonica loop from a guy called Alberto Pacheco. I love it when I discover a theft. If you are a decent DJ, you should play the original song in the middle of a mix, just to get the stupid brainwashed crowd some confused smiles.

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3. Ed Rush & Optical - The Creeps (2000)

One of the first dark and gloomy drum'n'bass Ed Rush tracks I adored for years. A cult classic from a cult classic album from a cult classic producer (also check out "Pacman" which many of you probably heard from the same album "The Creeps").

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4. Nitzer Ebb - Murderous (1987)

One of the toughest and coolest (real) militant-industrial electronic bands of the late 1980's. A dancefloor blast from the classic " That Total Age" album, "Murderous" still has an edgy (yet retro) killer-sound and tough "Fuck the system because it's already fucking you" lyrics. I bet that militant-angry-teenagers of those days banged their heads to death listening to this track. There is also a furious remix by Phil Kieran on my "Music For Crashing Your Car Vol. 02" compilation which i definetly recommend:)

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5. The Flying Lizards - Move On Up (Cover)

A great underground trashy cover version of Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up" by the great Flying Lizards. You can also get their album on my blog here.

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6. Sebastien Tellier - Wonderafrica
7. Sebastien Tellier - Fantino
8. Sebastien Tellier - League Chicanos
9. Sebastien Tellier - Zombi
10. Sebastien Tellier - Kilometer

Since everybody thinks that Sebastian Tellier sucks because he performed at the disgusting "Eurovision" contest with a catchy gay-ish hit song "Divine" (which I find to be the most refreshing one on that smelly contest) here are some songs to prove them wrong. He is one of France's most interesting producers whose previous stranger-that-life albums I definetly recommend. He was never affraid of fooling around with music genres (which I respect the most in a musician) and with the help of producers from the great electronica band Air, created marvelous and humorous works (included in many, many cult movies). So for anyone who listened to his earlier albums, this Eurovision adventure of his is well, just another Tellier stunt, and for those who didnt listen - here are some songs to get their minds in the mood. I've included several tracks just to hear how diverse Tellier can be.

V.A. BLEEDING AFRICA (2008)

40 TRACKS FROM THE WORLD'S MOST DIVERSE CONTINENT
ARTIST`````VARIOUS
ALBUM`````BLEEDING AFRICA
GENRE`````WORLD, FUSION, FUNK, POP, TRADITIONAL, FIELD RECORDING
YEAR````````2008

WHAT?
I made this compilation for the cocktail after-party of the opening of the African museum in my hometown. My first ever 40 tracks long compilation of various popular and forgotten African performers, spanning the entire continent, from popular 70's kitch tunes over some hot funk and senegalese pop to more traditional and tribal standards. I am hardly an expert in african music but I just had to use my huge library of albums I collected in recent years and try to make a solid compilation so criticism is welcome.

The most important song here is definetly "Mbube" by Solomon Linda (South Africa, Zulu tribe) who wrote this gorgeous accapela in 1939 and later had to sell the rights to Gallo Record Company for 10 shillings (less than $US 2). Over the decades this song was ripped, abused and destroyed beyond any reason but Solomon Linda never recieved any credit and died a poor man's death during the apartheid in South Africa. Its most famous "version" is "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" which we all know. The song had earned US $15 million for its use in The Lion King alone and who knows how much more when decades of rights abuse are combined. It took 18 years to erect a decent toombstone on Solomon Linda's grave.

You can read more on Solomon Linda here.

TRACKLIST:
01 Mahotella Queens - Thina Siyakhanyisa
02 T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou - Hwe Towe Hun
03 Hewale Sounds - Kalabule (Hewale Sounds-Ghana)
04 Dark City Sisters - Langa More
05 Orchestra Makassy - Mambo Bado (Orchestra Makassy)
06 Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestroes - Dododo
07 Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds - Mbube
08 Baaba Maal & Mansour Seck - Loodo
09 Boubacar Traoré - Bebe Bo Nadero
10 Boubacar Traoré - Mali Twist
11 Habib Koite & Bamada - Barra
12 Abagqomi - Bakhuzeni
13 Burundi Traditional Musicians - Chant de femmes
14 Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Nomathemba
15 Hewale Sounds - Kpanlogo (Hewale Sounds-Ghana)
16 Mapumba - Mwafwako
17 Ebo Taylor - Heaven (Ghana)
18 Marijata - Mother Africa (Ghana)
19 Ray Lema & Tyour Gnaoua - Mimouna
20 Youssou N'dour - Letter
21 Armand Frydman & Dennis Hekimian - Ewondo
22 Franco - Finga Mama Munu
23 Camille Feruz - Cha Cha Cha Bay
24 Kokanko Sata - Be Ni DJigui
25 Kokanko Sata - Tie Farin Shiw
26 Yoruba Tribe - Drums From Benin
27 Kenya & Tanzania Ritual Music - Coconut Picklers Song
28 Orchestra Baobab - Mouhamadou Bamba
29 Ifeanyi Eddie Okwedy - Happy Survival
30 Oumou Sangare - Kun Fè Ko
31 Oumou Sangare - N'Guatu
32 Morikeba Kouyate - Landing Majang (Instrumental)
33 Samburu Warriors' initiation (Kenya) - Ceremonial Music
34 Seleshe Damassae - Hoya Hoya
35 Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - Smile
36 Tata Dinding Jobarteh - Bitillo
37 Assane Ndiaye & Le Raam Daan - Nguisstal
38 Kosinus - Tambacounda
39 Vieux Diop - Sutu Kun
40 Wagogo Marriage Ritual (Tanzania) - Ceremonial Music


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BLACK DEVIL - DISCO CLUB (1978)

GET IN THE GLOOMY BEGINNINGS OF ELECTRO-ITALO-DISCO CRAZE!
ARTIST`````BLACK DEVIL
ALBUM`````DISCO CLUB
GENRE`````EARLY ELECTRO, EURO-DISCO, ELECTRONIC
YEAR````````1978

WHY:
The most exiciting moments in my music-obssesed part of life come when I re-discover early recordings that were so progressive and obscure for their time that their influence created entire sub-genres that last even today. This LP is a definitive example of a brilliant underground recording that over the years reached a super-cult status. Listening to this 1978 French vinyl you can clearly hear the future sounds of Felix Da Housecat and the rest of the electro-revival gang of the late 90's and early 00's. A truly remarkable piece of ambient, dark, beat-driven club minimalism that spawned hundreds of thousands of devoted acid-chewing clubbers around the globe.

ALBUM REVIEW FROM DISCOGS:
This is a very obscure release by one of the earliest of the euro disco artists who would later personify an entire genre. Originating from France, this release developed a major cult following all over Europe during the last 25 years and it is now considered to have been a major influence on many of the early 80's italo disco and euro disco artists who emerged on the scene shortly after this release. As for this LP - it's a 2-sided vinyl release with 6 songs all having a copycat sound effect that makes each song sound similar to the others. The only difference is a few tweeks to the synthesizer, the speed of the drum machine's BPM and some different vocals which ultimately allowed the amateur artists behind the Black Devil act to create their one and only LP. The songs were all recorded in real-time and all begin with that dark and wicked drum beat that sounds less like a disco song but more like the procession of a tribal ceremony in the jungles of Africa. Very bizarre, very rare, and very good music. Get it if you can!

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