LAND AND LANGUAGE

 

Absolutely devastating collection of underground and experimental hip hop from indigenous artists based in all corners of the globe. Instead of dissecting tracks, I'll give you a (partial) list: NUUK POSSE (Greenland), AMOC (Sámpi), SERHADO (Kurdish rapper based in Stockholm), UPPER HUTT POSSE (Aotearoa, NZ), TJIMBA AND THE YUNG WARRIORS (Australia), HATHUR ZOO (Buryatia), ROLLIN 'N LIL SPADE (Navajo Nation), BANAISSA (Moroccan based in Germany), X PLASTAZ (Arusha, Masaai), LO CUT A SLEIFAR (Wales), M.A.K. (Basque Country)...and that's just the first side. The sounds are all over the place (literally and figuratively) and the delivery is overwhelmingly intense. You can feel the intensity and the isolation in every track, and that is exactly what makes this compilation so essential. The flip features artists from Cherokee Nation, Mongolia, Nairobi, Tajikistan, Chile, Bolivia, Mauritania, Norway, Palestine.....in case you need to be convinced. All praise to the folks who put this compilation together. 

LAND AND LANGUAGE

MALEEM MAHMOUD GHANIA with PHAROAH SANDERS

Pharoah Sanders should need no introduction, and Maleem Mahmoud Ghania is a Moroccan Gnawa master. This collaboration was recorded in 1994, Sanders joining with Mahmoud's ensemble in Morocco. Simply put, this recording is incredible. 

THE TRANCE OF SEVEN COLORS

This recording was released on cassette by Bill Laswell's Axiom in 1994, re-issued digitally in 2016, booted in 2017 (pictured), and given proper vinyl treatment earlier this year by the German Zehra label. 

MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL PRESENTS: "Punk From The Middle East And Asia"

Last year Maximum Rocknroll had a fundraiser of sorts for their record archive. It passed a "collection" many years ago, and has evolved into one of the most comprehensive archives of punk vinyl in the world, well over 50,000 records (and growing). The funds were raised to help create a database (that will include original reviews, and will be free and searchable) and curate the existing archive - it was (is) a shitload of work, and shitloads ain't free, you know? Various incentives were offered to encourage donations, including mix tapes....giver's choice. Some enterprising (and brilliant) fukkr asked for the following tape: "one side Asia (non-Japan), one side Middle East." Well played, punk rocker. Archive coordinator Shivaun crushed this mixtape, and I hope that you will be as thrilled as I was digging on the gems she uncovered from all over the damned place. Not surprisingly, Tian An Men 89 Records makes several contributions (I mean, come on - of course that's the first place you look, right?), but Pakistani grindcore? OK....I'm sold. Bands from: Syria, India, Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkey, Singapore, Armenia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Algeria, Israel, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Sound Korea, Lebanon, Morocco and United Arab Emirates. 

PUNK FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA

CHAABI MUSIC FROM al-MAGHRIB

I just want to say that the motherfukkrs from Mississippi Records do the fukkn thing right. Keep dropping collections like these and fools like me will stay hungry for the unknown  and under the radar until the day I die. Featured artists include: NOUAS, L'FARKA CHAABIA, KHIRA BZIOUIA and  NASS al-GHIWANE (whose "O Human Being" is the most deadly track on this collection). I don't know fucking shit about this music, but I know what I like when I hear it, and I have listened to this tape countless times since I picked it up over the summer, and that is worth something...right? If this is what Morocco sounds like, then sign me up....

CHAABI MUSIC FROM al-MAGHRIB