La Nouvelle Danse

Dakar Gucci - Instru Logobi Zinzin 2009

In light of Spoek showing us that African kids in France have the craziest hair, here's some Logobi that sounds like an amusement park ride.

And rest in peace Guru.

Teachers

Now for the record, Daft Punk sort of drive me up the walls. Not their own music, but the millions of annoying kids that find it necessary to pretend to be them. As a group who has had utmost respect for their own musical influences, a lot of their fans seem to have almost no respect and in general are the equivalent of a Grateful Dead cover band in terms of music I give a shit about. I'm naming no names, and no disrespect towards Ed Banger. Now enough of my rant, because this post is about my favorite gesture Daft Punk ever made.

Teachers was directly modeled after shout out tracks that hold the last spot on the b-side to many ghetto house records, especially those on Dance Mania. Instead of naming off the various neighborhoods or fellow DJs in Chicago, they put together their own calling to their influences from the Windy City with intentions to reach out to their mentors. The existence of their homage triggered some attention to stir up across the Atlantic that you might recall reading from my talk with DJ Slugo last spring. "People kept telling us 'ya'll on this record teachers'. I was like we some neighborhood cats we don't know what no damn teachers is". Funny enough during our afternoon together someone in the room even referred to him as 'Slewgo', mocking the mispronunciation of his name that the Frenchies made. Daft Punk got in contact with Ray Barney and had lunch when they came to town with Slugo and Deeon, and on their return home put out their paean to the work of local legends. They put their own style into the same context that shout out tracks were originally done in the city of their heroes, and the results caused smiles out here and over there.

"Still to this day people are like, 'How did ya’ll get that shout out on that record?' We didn’t get them to do that shit; they did that shit on their own. I love them because they respected us for what we’ve done. When they came to Chicago they saw what we were making our tracks on and they were trippin’ like, 'Are you serious? Ya’ll are making those records on this stuff?' We ain’t got those big ass studios and all that shit."

-DJ Slugo, Sept 2008 Demencha interview.

"Waka Waka"

Boima's WFMU post about the detective work involved in retracing the steps of a mystery tune we were both recently hunting down went up today, detailing the journey of a Cameroonian military song lost in translation throughout the world. I was introduced to it through a Bubbling remix of a Dominican Merengue pop hit, him a Darkar rap song. We found traces of what we were referring to as "Waka Waka" in The Netherlands, Suriname, D.R., Rwanda, Liberia, France, Senegal, taking many forms but always retaining the same sweet melody. Youtube videos were piling up, but the origin was unknown to us until Boima solved the case which ended up stemming from a rather humorous 1980s military band in Cameroon. Wasn't my guess as to it's roots but hey, it's globetrotting abilities were alarming so really are we surprised?

Maladeee Maker

Zaza Twins - Instru Logobi Maladeee (???) 2009?

Man this needs to be played LOUD. On the street and at levels of public disturbance. Like how all those Tecktonik videos look, except with better dancing and people having more fun. Really exciting stuff coming from the kids in France that I can't get enough of. No surprise this transformation occurred ether, sounding uplifting and intimidating like current Kuduro. Coupe Decale Instrumental was one of those tracks that made me lose it in 2009, and I was glad to find more by Lyons' Zaza Twins. More music that fits perfectly under Soulja Boy. What Logobi really means I really don't know, I just watch Youtube videos, but there is some good information here, and here.

Thanks to Boima for help IDing this track.

Mama Kudi

I spend a lot of my free time watching African pop music videos on the Africa Channel and Youtube, and unfortunately this means a lot of Kuduro videos with amputees from the aftermath of the Angolan Civil War. This video in particular results in mixed emotions, but I find it pretty amazing how brazen these guys are, dancing on top of cars and breakdancing with crutches (and sometimes absent of them). Once again DJ Nays shows up, who's pretty much my favorite producer of late. I know I've made a few wise cracks about lovey dovey genres like Zouk Love and Kizomba, but there is absolutely nothing wussy about this song, which is best in it's class. It serenades without actually saying anything. I've amassed a rather large collection of stuff like this that I've slowly been going through, and I'll touch more on that later.

Stanky Decale

If your like me and have been enjoying Boima's African By The Bay EP, you will dig this too. Nays is the truth, and he fucks with pretty much every major form of African dance music from Zouk to Funana. Not totally uncommon to do that, but dude's got finesse.

Kuduro Rituals

DJ Nays - Let Me K.O. (from Zouk Et Kuduro 2009)

The head of the Aubervillier Industrial scene using barking demon dog synths to make Kuduro. Really DJ Chuckie sounding on the rave tip too. I think you gotta say his name four times in the mirror before you can listen to this.

A Nightmare on State Street

The French love Ghetto House, and I have been enjoying the music of the Nightmare Juke Squad even after Halloween. I was familiar with a small amount of the Chicago Violator DJ European spin-off, but Kaptain Kadillac's recent Mad Decent mix made me dig a little deeper. The dark vibes from guys like Leatherface and DJ Hilti sustain the grime of the windy city, and the horror themes aren't even so over the top; I've probably got 20 versions of scary movie Juke and Footwork. They have tracks on Midwest labels like Electrobounce and Juke Trax, and they have a ton of free mixes on their Myspace pages. I haven't heard their Bmore stuff, but maybe they will actually make me care about the Lyn Collins break in 2009.

And while we're at it, Footwork slasher flick.

Power D

Free Power D Compilations (not direct link)

Zouk producer Power D is nice enough to give away a bunch of his productions, including a massive 10 year retrospective the Best of Power D 1998-2008. He's the man responsible for the Ghetto Zouk compilations, but also a lot of French Dancehall and other things in between. Definitely a mixed bag, but there is some nice grimier moments mixed into all the wussy stuff.

Still Strawed

Paille - Week-End Lan Rivé ft Byronn (from Mots Pour Maux 2007)

Paille aka Straw Man got his nickname from being too drunk during Carnival, or as the locals of Martinique would say he got "strawed". I've heard some cool words for inebriation but that has got to be the weirdest one. As far as production goes, this is a bit more what I expected French Caribbean Dancehall to sound like if it was maybe on a more traditional Zouk tip. By that I mean not freaky Trance Riddims like Krys, and not even the almost Coupe Decale sounding stuff. My shitty translations of a few interviews concluded that he's as big a Reggae fan as he is a Kassav fan, so all the Accordions are here a reason. Mots Pour Maux is a pretty fun party vibe album that I've sort of been using as an upper to combat the grimness of Gwadada while I'm strung out on this French stuff.

Uppers and Zouglou

Admiral T - Gwadada (DJ Bisou Coupe Decale Remix) 2006

One more for today since we're on the subject (and that subject is weird music, not Coupe Decale). Bisou gave poor Admiral way too much speed and thought it would be fun to pitch up Gwadada. The results were chipmunk Zouk Dancehall. I think that's Daddy Yankee at the end.

Mix Series Vol 3: KOFFI GNATO

DOWNLOAD

Summer is almost over and we are all sad. Won't be long before Lake Michigan is frozen and the elote man's hustle is put on hold. I will start listening to nothing but mopey music and slip on the ice and drop my 40. Koffi Gnato out of Lyons, France isn't too excited about the change in seasons ether, and was nice enough to set Fall off for us with some Congolese Rhumba and Spanish African joints. A different situation than the past volumes, nothing but two turntables and a stack of *gasp* records spun together in a web of squealing guitars, tied off at the end with some of that bass stuff. Let this one seep out of your house to the back porch or stoop and enjoy some palm wine.

Tracklist:

2-une nuit au jandeer_cabral
3-orchestre baoba_mi son
4-babadjan_senin manin
5-kouyate sory kandia_minawa
6-bembeya jazz national_dagna
7-Ètoile de dakar_hombre mysteriosoy
8-les ambassadeurs internationaux_wassolon-fÙli
9-dr. nico et l'african fiesta_runeme mama
10-orchestre baobab_jin ma, jin ma
11-super mama djombo_alma beafada
12-balla et ses balladins_paulette
13-myriam makeba_tonados de media noche
14-ras g_soul pulsating
15-high tone_dreadfull bass
16-jackie-o_living it up
17-zimbabwe legit_rhymin' wit the african symphony
18-diplomats of solid sound feat the diplomettes_hurt me so (lack of afro rmx)
19-burial_southern comfort
20-ben sharpa_off the rails
21-flore feat shunda k_the test
22-buraka som sistema_general
23-afrozen orchestra_future afrobeat
24-wiley_eskiboy
25-rossi b and luca_nobody move

Wine Wine Wine

Krys - Sexy Wine (from ? 2008)

Cheif Boima pointed me in the direction of French MC Krys while in search of less lovey Zouk related music. While a lot of my favorite recent Jamaican Dancehall production has been on a Southern Hip-Hop thing, this track has that Ravey sound that has found itself protruding from all that Slow Motion Soundz and Atlanta related Rap as of the last two years. Also been enjoying Admiral T (see Gwadada) and Mali (see Pa Pale Twop) as of late. If anyone wants to hook me up with better quality MP3s of this stuff that would be great, or a good place to buy CDs online?

Tape Loops and Coke Spoons

Pierre Henry - Exorcisme (from Machine Danse 1973)

When a Music Concret monster failed to get past the bouncers at Studio 54 for looking like a square, feelings were hurt. "Do you know who the fuck I am?!!!" didn't work on the crowd who most likely never heard Le Voyage or any of his recordings of brain waves. I have a suspicion that after being called uncool by the New York elite, Pierre Henry retreated back to France and created his wacked out disco record Machine Danse in spite. Sore asshole or not, the record and especially the track I'm highlighting sound almost like early Dance Mania records, take note of the strange whimpering similar to DJ Milton. Really can't give any advice on what to do with this other than maybe having a massive whip-its party, preferably in a dark closet by yourself.

Now Playing

Apologize for the slowness lately, have been in the process of moving. I am now located on the same side of town as Bad Bad Leroy Brown. Expect lots of Cumbia CD digging this summer. I got a special treat for you all next week, but for now these are some tracks that have been doing me good lately...


DJ Duck and MC Shorty - Where My Old Lady At? (from Where My Old Lady at 12" ?)

I never could find much info on DJ Duck, but the recent plays of this track (that unfortunately cuts off before the end) remind me that it's still one of my favorite Bounce tracks. Also, this definitely should have been on my cheatin' songs mix.


Royal Flush - I Never Made 20 (from 976 Dope 1991)

Pimp C's favorite rap song brought to attention by Bun B. Brilliantly written early Screwston tale of the horrors of the dope game. Hugely influential yet somehow slipped through the cracks, no pun intended.


Schlachthofbronx - Good to Go (from the internets 2009)

My German homies sent me another slow moving Bavarian Bounce track to add to my Beerhall collection. Duppies taking charge at Oktoberfest demanding Rum but all we got is Kolsch.


DJ Mujava - Township Funk (Radioclit Remix) (from Township Funk Remixes 2008)

Never posted about how much I love this motherfucker of a Kwaito track from last year so I guess it's time. The recent Scottie B Baltimore version made me count the number of remixes I had acquired in the last 6 months, which reached an amount more than my fingers could handle. The Rob 3 mix is cool, the TRG is alright, and Scottie holds it down, but those French dudes get my vote for best that's not the original.


Gucci Mane - I'm a Star (from Gangsta Grillz: The Movie 2008)

Sounding desperately out of breath but flawlessly executing a mumble rap track, Gucci Mane rides the thin line between blunted rant and brilliance. Strange pick of the rap music industry to flaunt, just hope he stays out of that rock band shit.


DJ N.K. - MSN Kuduro (from ? 2005)

The fellas over at Ghetto Bassquake hooked it up with this track by Portugal's DJ N.K. that on paper seems like such a bad idea. Really though, it's kind of amazing how PC sounds actually fall together to make a pretty banging Kuduro joint. Nothing more to add really.


Banda Lapada - Danca Da Pirikita (from ? 2007)

Still not sure how I feel about this northern Brazil Techno Brega thing, but this track is pretty interesting. Some tweaker shit right here. I am looking for the Pink Floyd remixes, anyone want to hook me up?

Too Pure

Pilooski - Mother Sky (edit) (from Dark & Lovely vol. 2 12" 2006)

Great edit of the Krautrock classic by Paris cut and paster Pilooski. Not a shit to gold conversion a la Terje, but more a freakout turned appropriate dancefloor staple. In no way a replacement for Can, but interesting none the less. My only complain is that its length. The original was 15 minutes, and I was kinda hoping for that to be doubled.

Lower Forms of Music

Semool - Essai 3 (from Essais 1971)

I'm no Mutant Sounds and I haven't looked at the Nurse With Wound List in years, but sometimes gross shit like this fills the holes in my brain rap music has caused. I had a lot of fun in high school tracking down acid casualties such as these, and with my recent listening to The Breadwinner and Shadow Ring records I was reminded of Semool, one of the dirtiest records I know. Recorded back in the late 60s by a Pink Floyd cover band who were too fucked up to realize it. Along with Mahogany Brain, Red Noise, and Horrific Child, Semool joined the ranks of Futura's red imprint of French "rock" records not totally removed from their free jazz releases. I don't think I know of an album cover that better suits the music as this does, for it's best listened to in the fetal position. The band puts music in its coffin and play Black Sabbath riffs on their guitars with the shovels they used to bury it. The tape loops in their delays must have been from the same studios Sly recorded There's a Riot Goin On. Recommended for fans of The Shadow Ring, Jason Lescalleet, Danny and the Dressmakers, and people that like feeling uncomfortable.