Pernambuco: The Hub of Brazilian Psych-Rock

Like many, my introduction to the wonders of Brazilian psychedelia came through the sadly short-lived Tropicália movement of the late 60’s. This led to an obsession with everything Tom Zé, Os Novos Baianos, Milton Nascimento and Arthur Verocai. Lately I’ve became transfixed by another limited set of Brazilian-Psych records independently produced in the mid-70’s by a group of musicians operating in Brazil’s North-Eastern region.

Edward Larry Gordon: All Pervading

This next track will appeal to anyone with an interest in Eastern music to the celestial drones of latter day Boredoms (circa Vision Creation Newsun). Edward Larry Gordon also known as "Larry G" was a fixture of the downtown New York Jazz-Punk scene of the late 1970’s. Around this time he developed an interest in Eastern mysticism which informed much of the music he would later record. After a chance meeting with Brian Eno in Washington Square Park, Gordon was invited to record an album on Eno’s ambient label. He recorded under the pseudonym Laaraji and went on to produce a number of spiritual records designed for meditation. ‘All Pervading’ is taken from 1978’s Celestial Vibration and clocks in at just under twenty-five minutes. The version below is in an edited form but the full length mix is well worth seeking out.

Hailu Mergia & The Walias Band: Musical Silt

Incredibly The Walias Band’s Tche Belew (1977) was one of only three instrumental Ethiopian albums to be recorded and released on vinyl during the 1970’s. A rich period for Ethiopian music documented throughout Francois Falcetto’s essential Ethiopiques series. It’s not so surprising considering the adventurous Mulatu Astake was the only other artist recording instrumental music in Ethiopia at the time. Astatke features on ‘Musical Silt’ a song I believe could stand up to anything in the Astatke canon (and that’s saying something).

Inner Space: Krautrock Year Zero

The recent revaluation of the psychotronic movies Kamasutra (1968) and Agilok & Blubbo (1969) are not particularly noteworthy for either film's content but rather for the importance of their soundtrack's. Each film was composed by Inner Space an early incarnation of Krautrock pioneers CAN.



'Apokalypse' taken from Agilok & Blubbo makes clear that the monotonous groove CAN would utilise at the core of their sound was alive and breathing from an early stage. For ten dizzying minutes 'Apokalypse' charges headfirst into the horizon, a wah-wah fuelled locomotive set for the birth of Krautrock.

Dizzy K: Sweet Music

The last few years have given collectors of African popular music an embarrassment of riches with countless compilations and excellent excavations of key periods, places and styles. However, the Nigerian Disco scene of the early 1980’s still hasn’t received anything approximating a significant retrospective. Any attempt to document the era would have to include the music of Dizzy K. Falola, who together with his long term producer Tony Okoroji produced six albums of inspired Nigerian Disco - a unique mix of organic African percussion and lush electronic pop stylings.



This self-titled track from 1984's Sweet Music would be on my compilation any day.

Hauntological Tale-Telling

Minuke, Nigel Kneale's supernatural tale, adapted for radio and accompanied by the ghostly drones of Moon Wiring Club can now be heard online here.

This story is the first episode of Jonny Mugwump's radio series on Resonance FM called Weird Tales for Winter. The remaining episodes feature amongst others, electrobeat pioneer John Foxx (1st Feb) and hauntological favourites Belbury Poly (28th Jan) and Mordant Music (30th Jan).

You can listen in London at 104.4FM or online at www.resonancefm.com.

If you miss an episode or just want more information then visit the Weird Tales for Winter microsite.

Steel Drums + Fela Kuti = Rapture

If you've not done so already then do yourself a favour and pick up the fantastic new compilation Black Man’s Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti just released via the consistently brilliant Now-Again Records.

The record collects artists old and new whose connection to the king of Afrobeat cannot be denied. The standout track from the compilation comes from Trinidad not Nigeria in the form of a Steel Drum Orchestra. The Lever Brothers Gay Flamingoes provide an awe-inspiring medley of Kuti's 'Egbi Mi O' and 'Black Man's Cry'. Prepare yourself for an unstoppable steel drum dervish!

Ata Kak: Proto-House Highlife from Ghana

It seems appropriate that my first post should concern the music of Ata Kak. When I first heard Obaa Simma (1989), the cassette 'Daa Nyinaa' is taken from I was left scratching my head unable to comprehend it's bizarre mix of Ghanaian pop rhymes, lo-fi kitchen sink percussion and Chicago House circa '86 exuberance. 'Daa Nyinaa' is perhaps the centrepiece of the album. Kak spits line after line of irresistible pop hooks accompanied by the heavenly coos of his female backing vocalists atop an unrelenting sensual behemoth. You have never heard anything like this!



You can find a remastered version of Obaa Sima including the full-length mix of 'Daa Nyinaa' here.