nwdsc

[nwdsc]

#Spotify

[nwdsc]

#Spotify

[nwdsc]

#Spotify

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Magic City Thrill | James Tillmanから)

Magic City Thrill by James Tillman

James Tillman shares his third full-length album, Magic City Thrill—a soulful exploration of love, lust, and the ties that bind us. Speaking about the new project, Tillman says: "If nothing else, the Roaring 2020s have shown us that even in a society now largely fueled by self interest, we need other people to survive. Knowing who we love, who loves us, and how we show love is more important than ever. ” Tillman shared that at the start of the pandemic, conversations with his mother about her memories of growing up in Gary, Ind. led the artist on a deep cultural exploration of his connection to the “steel city” in northwest Indiana. Often only recognized for the crime and poverty that have plagued the city since the end of the 20th century, Tillman discovered Gary, Ind. was once a prosperous and desirable enclave that held the nation's highest percentage of African Americans—dubbed ‘the Magic City’ for its cultural contributions, technological advancement, and wealth at the turn of the century. The City went into decline due to “White Flight” and the decline of the steel industry. Magic City Thrill pays homage to all that has been lost— the memories, experiences, and examples of love that have shaped Tillman into the man he is today. His use of storytelling from first and third points-of-view explores the joys, sorrows, possibilities and pitfalls of his community with an extraordinary vulnerability, a welcomed diversion from the usual portrait of Black masculinity in America. Tillman draws inspiration from his own experiences with romance and affection, as well as the stories and experiences of those in his family and community. And if you listen closely, you can hear nods of influence from musical greats like Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and Anita Baker, which is a beacon of hope for R&B/soul lovers to know the genre is still alive and in good hands. クレジット2022年11月5日リリース Written, Produced, and Performed by James Tillman Mixed by Beau Sorenson, Mastered by Jeremy Lubsey 'Truth or Dare' features additional production by Adlai Reinhardt and Eddie BurnsライセンスAll rights reserved

#RB #***

[nwdsc]

(Dream Lobby Vol. VI | Devin Morrisonから)

Dream Lobby Vol. VI by Devin Morrison

#***** #RB

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ I can't eat nearly as much as I want to vomit | Shutupsから)

I can't eat nearly as much as I want to vomit by Shutups

From their masterfully titled, anthemic “Shit Opus,” to their growling, distorted guitar, Shutups could be effectively described as a group of anti-establishment California indie punks with a vested interest in encouraging capitalism’s implosion. Leaving it there would also be a disservice to the deliberation, complexity, and artistry in their music. The groups’ new album holds true to the distinctive niches they carved out to begin with, from bedroom pandemic production to post-isolation DIY maximalism. I can’t eat nearly as much as I want to vomit presents a very human expression of reality in spite of what is, overwhelmingly, a bad time––serving us a sort of seething, technicolor alternative sound that’s both intimate, furious, and inarguably cool.クレジット2022年10月21日リリース

#2210 #RC

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Final Days | Arjuna Oakes & Serebii | Serebiiから)

Final Days by Arjuna Oakes & Serebii

Arjuna Oakes and Serebii, a.k.a. Callum Mower, met while playing sold out shows together, but they knew then that it was just the beginning of something bigger. They were serving as hired guns in a popular surf rock band, touring their native Aotearoa New Zealand in mid-size venues, tearing it up, helping others realize their musical vision. That was great, but the friendship forged between the two of them in the process was the real bounty: “We got on like a house on fire,” says Mower. “And we’d end up sticking together through festivals or hanging out at parties.” “Just like a brother,” Oakes jumps in. Back in their base of Wellington, Oakes and Mower kept hanging out and playing together—except this time they were making music more like what was calling to them personally. When Oakes was working on his solo work—jazzy chillhop with an alt-rock twist—he would call on Mower to pop in to help with some of his velvet-y production skills. And when Mower needed a killer voice or a compositional tweak on something he was working on—often psych-infused grooves—he had Oakes on speed-dial. It wasn’t long before they realized that they should be working together in earnest. Something like if Portishead collaborated with Flying Lotus, 2021’s First Nights EP was an introduction to the duo as a singular act, and “Even When You’re Gone,” a funky chiller Oakes wrote while going through a tough breakup, quickly found its way onto endless streaming playlists looking to harness the vibe. The EP sounds like a million bucks, but was in fact largely recorded over several months in Mower’s bedroom, “with just an SM57 [mic] and no gear whatsoever,” laughs Oakes. “It’s quite nice recording over a longer period of time,” says Oakes, “because you can really mold the songs the way that you want to.” They soon decided to keep the momentum going, creating a second EP, Final Days, designed to be “a sister record” for First Nights. This new one was put together in much the same way as the first: songwriting duties were shared between the two, with Oakes handling most of the singing and all of the keys and synths, and Mower leading the production duties and playing almost all the guitar and bass parts. (A few friends also helped with drums/percussion and trumpet parts.) By and large, it was recorded in Mower’s bedroom, his cat crawling on their shoulders throughout. You can feel the push and pull of each personality on certain tracks, swirling together in a collage of various talents and sensibilities. On “Flavour,” a club-ready track that Oakes brought in, Mower’s Chic-ish guitar licks shimmy into the mix, and on “Tired Faces,” a track that Mower brought in, Oakes’ Thom Yorke–reminiscent pipes turn the song into a pure vapor—more a gas hovering in the landscape than a file on a computer. “We both grew up in thick, thick nature,” notes Mower. “I’m forever searching for ways to recreate what nature does.” Like First Nights, Final Days was also similarly inspired by a form of grief. Rather than a breakup, Oakes was dealing with the impending loss of a beloved grandparent this time around, and was trying to process the experience through music. “I was losing my granddad to cancer, and I knew it was coming,” he explains. “So it’s a kind of a thing of letting go of people you love.” “Make this pain feel small / Crave the moments that I once never noticed,” Oakes sings on the song “Final Days,” over an intricate nylon-string progression. The track begins with a voicemail that was left for Mower by his grandmother, who’s still with us, “and is such a character,” according to Oakes. “I’m very grateful [Mower] put that clip in because I wrote that song about my granddad who just passed away,” Oakes says. “It felt right to make it about our grandparents. And our loved ones.” “I’m not strolling down the avenue, but I’m thinking of you,” Mower’s grandmother says, over a laugh. “OK, darling, lots of love. Bye.” クレジット2022年10月14日リリース A Place Among The Cries Zane Hawkins - bass, percussion James Guilford - Trumpet Sam Notman - Drums Arjuna Oakes - Vocals, piano, Synth, production Callum Mower ( Serebii ) - Guitars, mixing, fx, production Tired Faces Arjuna Oakes - Lead vocals, BV’S, Synths, Strings, Production Callum Mower ( Serebii ) - Guitar, Bass, Drums ( outro ), Bv’s, Percussion, fx, mixing, production Sam Notman - Drums Summer Rain Callum Mower ( Serebii ) - Drum machine loop, guitars, Mixing, Production Arjuna Oakes - Vocals, Piano, Sub Bass, Production Guava Arjuna Oakes - Harp, vocals, Synths, Synth Sub Bass, production Callum Mower ( Serebii ) - Drums, Percussion, Fx, Bass, mixing, production One Way To Escape Callum Mower ( Serebii ) - Vocals, Bass, Guitars, Synths, Drums, Percussion, Fx, Mixing, Production Arjuna Oakes - Vocals, Keys, Synths, Bv’s, Mixing, Production Sam Notman - Drums James Guilford - Trumpet Flavour Arjuna Oakes, Vocals, Drums, Piano, Synths, Bass, Strings, Production, Mixing Callum Mower ( Serebii ) - Vocals, Guitars, Production, Mixing Final Days Susan Garters - Voice memo ( grandma ) Arjuna Oakes - Vocals Callum Mower ( Serebii ) - Guitars Written, Produced & Mixed by Arjuna Oakes & Serebii Mastered by Kelly Hibbert (Almachrome)

#2210 #RB #RC #***

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ 暗い渠 | 涼井夕映 | Ukiuki Atamaから)

暗い渠 by 涼井夕映

[UUA-033] 涼井夕映 - 暗い渠クレジット2022年10月23日リリース Music by 涼井夕映 soundcloud.com/user-980789996 twitter.com/suzuiyubae Artwork by Hiroki Yamasaki

#2210 #asia #EL #****

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Midnight Gospel mixtape | Amani O+から)

Midnight Gospel mixtape by Amani O+

#2210 #RB #***

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Renny Nwosa - Ahabi Yaliba Nu * Nigeria * | Rock/ Afrobeat / Agaba / Juju / Egwu-ji music | PALENQUE RECORDSから)

Renny Nwosa - Ahabi Yaliba Nu * Nigeria * by Rock/ Afrobeat / Agaba / Juju / Egwu-ji music

RENNY PEARL NWOSA Ahana Yaliba Nu Palenque Records and Odogwu Entertainment PRESENTS Nigerian ROGAJUJI (this is a fusion of Rock/Agaba/Juju/Egwu-ji music), songwriter and bass guitarist Renny Pearl Nwosa, core member of the dissolved groups; Figures, Aktion 13 and Stormers, was born in Asaba, Nigeria on July 15th 1950. He grew up in Port Harcourt Nigeria, where his passion for music ignited and alongside his friends, Lemmy Faith, Berkley Jones and Timmy Nebuwa, Formed group The Figures in 1966. Was Armed Forces entertainment group in 1967, with St Augustine, Nkwerre Armed Forces Hospital in 1968. The 'Figures' disbanded when the war triggered and in 1970 when it ended, Renny formed another group called 'Aktion 13' that played for the Federal troops in Calabar Nigeria. When they left the army, the band was signed by Ben Nig Ltd and recorded its first album 'Groove the funk' that gave rise to their popularity nationwide. The band's fame was short-lived when the 1977 coup took place and the group once again fizzled out. Still unable to quench his musical passion, Renny formed the third group known as the 'Stormmers' and the band was signed by Tabansi label records and they released "Lovers Song" album. Juju revolution was later released as his solo recording for international market. Renny's musical exposures and prowess earned him years of experiences as an Artist Manager and he worked with legends like Majek Fashek, Harry Moscow, Ozigi-zaga amongst others. Renny on the other hand is politically inclined. While in his musical hiatus, he was delegated by the Secretary General of Ohaneze ndi Igbo at a time – Col. Achuzie to work as his administrative secretary. He also worked as the Assistant Secretary general of Asaba Development Union where he contributed to the formation of Anioma Congress, the leading dynamical constituent of Delta North L.G.A of his state. As an energetic and passionate singer, after having crawled out of his musical break, Renny released an album titled 'Ahaba Yaliba - nu' which he dedicates to the loving memories of his former group members. The singer stated that his goal is to produce music that will stand on its own anywhere in the world with messages that will make the world a better place and to that notion, he intends to create a Non-Governmental Organization – ‘MOFOWOP’ (Movement for World Peace) with the aim of facilitating the movement towards achieving world peace. クレジット2022年8月26日リリース Executive Producer Nnamdi Moweta Associated Producer Kenechukwu Ibedu Odogwu Entertainement.

#2208 #WM #africa #****

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Son Palenque (Kaine Sound Band) Itan Pa loyo | Champeta,Terapia Criolla y Socca | PALENQUE RECORDSから)

Son Palenque (Kaine Sound Band) Itan Pa loyo by Champeta,Terapia Criolla y Socca

New Reissue By Son Palenque this album was released on LPs in 1989. Son Palenque trae un gran tesoro musical para todos sus fans en el mundo. Este disco fue grabado en 1986 , el grupo Son Palenque lo grabo bajo el nombre de Kaine Sound Band. Este es uno de los discos pioneros del genero Champeta, y la prueba de que Son Palenque al igual que Ane Swing en aquella epoca, son pioneros de este lenguaje musical. En este disco estan temas como Itan Pa Loyo: como dice Justo Valdes, es uno de los primeros temas que hizo al estilo de la champeta africana. y tambien otros temas con la cantante Betilsa Barrios, una de las primeras cantantes de champeta. En la historia de la cultura afro-colombiana, SON PALENQUE es sin duda un grupo aparte, y su historia se sitúa en el corazón mismo de la música ancestral palenquera, de la unión musical entre África y Colombia, que ocurrió en la costa caribe en las década de los 70-80’s, hasta hoy, en el interior del movimiento champetuo. Justo Valdez Cáceres nace en San Basilio de Palenque en el año de 1951, hijo de Cecilio Valdez Simanca “Ataole”, uno de los mejores percusionistas de su generación. De niño se dedica a la agricultura acompañando a su padre en los trabajos del campo. A la edad de 10 años se va a la ciudad de Cartagena donde empieza a trabajar en varios oficios, entre ellos vendedor de gafas, albañil y muchos más. A principios de los 80’s, Justo Valdez con varios amigos palenqueros residentes en el barrio San Francisco en Cartagena, fundan el grupo son Palenque con Enrique Marquez, Luciano Torres, Pánfilo Valdez y Tomas Valdez “familia”, músicos que hasta hoy siguen siendo el corazón de esta agrupación. Después de una fiesta en un picó, estos amigos se van a tocar en las playas de Marbella, y allí nace esta legendaria agrupación, por pura pasión y fiebre musical. Poco a poco el grupo se empieza a consolidar; Justo Valdez como heredero de la tradición musical de su padre, es una mina de canciones, ritmos y tonadas; un gran profesor de baile y danzas tradicionales, y un excelente compositor. En el año 1980 graban su primer sencillo para el sello FONOBOSA, bajo el nombre Son Palenke. Este disco clásico hoy en día, contiene dos tracks: “El Palo de Mamón”, única canción grabada que nos dejara el gran Cecilio Valdez “Ataole”, y “Aloito Pió” tema de Justo Valdez cantado en la lengua palenquera. Después de Juan Reyes y su grupo “Los Alegres de San Basilio”, Son Palenque esta entre las primeras agrupaciones que grabára en la lengua oriunda de esta población . Dos años más tarde graban de nuevo con el sello FONOBOSA un larga duración con Estefanía Caicedo, con temas increíbles y clásicos hoy en día como “El Vendaval” y “A Pila el Arroz”. Posteriormente el grupo firma con el sello Felito Records, en Barranquilla, que en la década de los 80s produjera las más finas perlas de la psicodelia y la música afro-roots de la época. Con Felito Records graban los Lps “Ane Jue”, y “Áfrican Erotic”, con la ingeniería de sonido de Eduardo Dávila y la participación de grandes músicos como Michi Sarmiento en el saxo y Abel Carbonó en el bajo (hermano de Abelardo Carbonó). Estos dos Lps marcan un hito en la música palenquera y afro-caribe : por primera vez nos muestran la música tradicional palenquera, la chalupa, el bullerengue y otros ritmos africanos con arreglos musicales modernos, bajo, guitarra y saxo en discos de una factura extraordinaria. Con estas producciones Son Palenque dio pasos gigantescos en el propósito de hacer de la música tradicional palenquera algo nuevo y moderno, de darle nueva vida a la tradición bajo una forma innovadora. Estos discos son grandes clásicos de nuestra tradición, pasajes obligados de nuestra historia musical. Justo y los miembros del grupo se inspiraron de la más popular, gigantesca y carismática biblioteca musical de la época: los celebres picós, entre ellos el pico “El Conde”, bajo los comandos de su Dj Víctor Conde, el de la “varita mágica”. Allí se familiarizaron con la música africana (highlife, soukous, mbaqanga, rumba, afrobeat), los nuevos ritmos del continente madre que ahora regresaban a los oídos de los palenqueros con la modernidad de Kinshasa, Nairobi o Lagos, y con el increíble dialogo de guitarras de grupos como Oriental Brothers, Sir Warrior, Oliver de Cocque, Mbillia Bell y muchos otros. La música africana le mostró el camino de la modernidad a la tradición palenquera, y en este proceso Justo Valdez, Panfilo Valdez y Enrique Marquez, los principales compositores del grupo, serian una pieza clave. Posteriormente el grupo graba tres Lp’s para el sello CBS: “La Arepa Asá”, “Los Trotamundos del Sabor” y “Kaine Sound Band”. En los años 90 Justo Valdez se dedica a grabar éxitos de champeta criolla para Chawala, Rey Records y otros productores en el mercado de Bazurto de Cartagena. Ahora, casi 20 años después, regresa de nuevo SON PALENQUE, uno de los mejores grupos de Colombia, con la profundidad de sus raíces, su legado y su gran maestría en la composición de canciones, maestros en la concepción de un universo musical único. Porque el patrimonio musical de Son Palenque no se puede quedar inédito, por eso aquí regresan de nuevo los ‘Beatles de San Basilio’, pues todas sus composiciones han sido éxitos. Este es otro disco en la colección de Palenque Records, el sello que después de 13 producciones discográficas con distribución internacional sigue dando palo y de qué hablar. Nuestro propósito es luchar por revelar y estimular el talento de los grandes maestros de la música afro-colombiana, en el caribe y la costa pacifica, sin olvidar por supuesto los intercambios con el continente africano. Hoy en día lo podemos decir alto y fuerte, hemos dado a conocer la música afro-colombiana y la champeta en el mundo entero. PALENQUE RECORDS ha cambiado la música de Colombia y ha trazado nuevos caminos, gracias al talento de los artistas con que hemos trabajado. Nuestro trabajo es revelar lo que es invisible, dar un nuevo aire y misticismo a la cultura afro en Colombia, nuevos contenidos y direcciones. SON PALENQUE ES : JUSTO VALDEZ “Gele Gele”: Voz líder ENRIQUE TEJEDOR: Voz, tambor llamador PANFILO VALDEZ: Voz LUCIO TORRES: Coros y Clave TOMAS VALDEZ “familia”: Tambor Alegre GUSTAVO ALVAREZ: Maracas ALFREDO OLMOS: Tambora CECILIO TORRES : Cañas y coros クレジット2022年9月2日リリース

#2209 #reissue #WM

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ An Invalid Witness | Kenja Time | Maybe Marsから)

An Invalid Witness by Kenja Time

自分の目で宇宙人を見たとしたら、どうやってそれを証明しますか? 関係者にとって、証言の経験自体がより重要なのか、それとも証言の説明がより重要なのか? 毎日世界中で数え切れないほどの目撃情報や目撃情報が報告されています が、この 2 つの出来事はほぼ完全に別物です。 嘘をついたことで褒められる人もいれば、真実を述べたことで精神病院に送られる人もいます。 無効なストーリーはフェイク ストーリーではありません。 冗談で沈んでしまう人もいれば 、悪夢の中でヒーローになる 人 もいれば、不必要な助けを与えられる人もいれば、 泳げない人もたくさんいる . 仕事のこと、復讐に弄ば れることのこと、平穏に波乱が 起こることの こと、実は無意味な理想のこと、闘いがうまくいって原点に戻ることのこと。 崇拝、エクスタシー、耽溺、冷たさについて。 言語はほとんど力を持たず、宗教はほとんど力を持たないことがあります。 あってはならないことが起きて、泣いたり笑ったりした人もいました。 実際の部品は、目撃情報で探す必要がある場合があります。 アルバム自体が物語の一部であり、目撃者の一部は多かれ少なかれ自分で完成させる必要があります。クレジット2022年10月24日リリース

#2210 #RC #asia #***

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Miami Deco | BeTheGunから)

Miami Deco by BeTheGun

“These streets ain’t paved with gold, they’re filled with artists and pigeon shit and laughing gas, flattened by the tyres of the night bus - where do I go to get my money back?” BeTheGun A.K.A Barebase is a London based rapper and filmmaker best known for appearances on Cult of the Damned tracks ‘Civilized’, ‘Part Deux’ and ‘Offie’. An original member of Children of the Damned, his first appearance on their 2007 album ‘Tourettes Camp’ cemented him as a hook maestro and storyteller extraordinaire. The 'Miami Deco' EP represents his debut project as a solo artist.クレジット2022年10月24日リリース Written & Performed by BeTheGun Produced by Lee Scott & Jack Chard Mixed & mastered by Reklews Artwork: Director: Greta Griniute Photographer: Raf feller Layout: James Neilson Tracks 1, 3 & 5 produced by Lee Scott Track 2 produced by Lee Scott & Jack Chard Track 4 produced by Jack Chard

#2210 #RP #***

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ geranium lake | the innocence missionから)

geranium lake by the innocence mission

2022年10月24日リリース Karen Peris - guitars, piano, organ, bass guitar on The Forests and the Seas, and voice Don Peris - guitars, voice, drums on Geranium Lake, The Forests and the Seas, and Film for my Sister Mike Bitts - bass guitar, harmony voice on Brave Steve Brown - drums All songs written by Karen Peris, except Keeping Awake written by Karen and Don Peris © 1995 Umbrella Day Music / BMI (Geranium Lake and Film for my Sister are © 2022 Umbrella Day Music / BMI The Forests and the Seas © 1997 Umbrella Day Music / BMI Day By Day - Stephen Schwartz © 1971 Quartet Music Inc. and Range Road Music, Inc./ ASCAP Recorded and mixed by Don and Karen Live sound engineer - Martin LeMaire all concert recordings are from 1996

#2210 #RC

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Maria's Hunt | Glydersから)

Maria's Hunt by Glyders

Straight out of Chicago, Glyders make maximal minimal rock and roll with nocturnal mystery pulsing in the mix, cutting above rigorous roadhouse fare with sounds that twist and grind on their classic inspirations. Glyders’ high lonesome way is mellow but nervy, hip-shaking and deep – a multicolored trip to the ongoing beat of American weirdness.クレジット2023年1月20日リリース 2023, Drag City Inc.

#2301 #RC #***

[nwdsc]

(Tradisyon | Wesliから)

Tradisyon by Wesli

WESLI EXPLORES THE ROOTS OF HIS AFRO-HAITIAN CULTURE ON TRADISYON Tradisyon is the first of a two-part project that retells the story of Haiti’s past and imagines its future. “You have to know where you’re from to know where you’re going,” says Wesli, the acclaimed Montreal-based winner of the prestigious 2019 JUNO Award. Overflowing with 19 songs, Tradisyon explores traditional chants from the voodoo religion, explosive carnival rara rhythms and lilting, folksy twoubadou songs. To prepare for his ambitious new musical project, Tradisyon, the uniquely talented Haitian-Canadian songwriter, guitarist and producer Wesli (Wesley Louissaint) had to return to his roots. He embarked on a multi-year musical pilgrimage to explore often hidden facets of Haitian traditions. Wesli traveled across his homeland, visiting lakous, gathering places and community groups for practitioners of Haiti’s voodoo religion, to learn songs in African languages brought to Haiti hundreds of years ago. He honed his skills at a wide range of local musical instruments, from powerful interlocking rara horns to intricate drums in all shapes and sizes, not to mention folk instruments such as the Haitian banjo. And he reconnected with the profound spirituality and rich life philosophy of Afro-Haitian beliefs, which represent the inspiration and motivation, indeed the very soul, of Haitian culture. The result of this ambitious research is Tradisyon, the sixth album of Wesli’s celebrated career, and the first of a two-part set that retells the story of Haiti’s past and imagines its future. The encyclopedic first album features 19 songs, original compositions and treasures from the expansive Haitian music repertoire. By drawing on these traditions, Africa inevitably emerges -- through the rara, petro, nago, congo and yanvalou rhythms, and the lyrics sung both in Creole and the African languages of Yoruba, Ewe and Fon. They are all accompanied by local instruments such as the bamboo, the kata, the segon, the boula, the manman and the banjo, an originally African instrument that had been adopted by European colonizers. Of Haitian origin and Montreal adoption––but above all a citizen of the world––Wesli is one of those rare artists capable of exploring different sounds while keeping his identity and his roots firmly anchored in his traditions. Ever since the release of his first album Kouraj in 2009, Wesli’s creativity has been unstoppable, leading to the acclaimed album Liberté dans le noir in 2011, the star-studded ImmiGrand and the more traditional Ayiti Étoile Nouvelle in 2015 and an expanded version of ImmiGrand in 2017. Only a year later, the prolific artist released Rapadou Kréyol, an exploration of African rhythms and instruments Wesli believes Haitian musical culture has neglected as it is increasingly drawn towards the commercial music encouraged by globalization. In 2019, the astonishing album was awarded the prestigious JUNO award for World Music Album of the Year. For Wesli, winning the JUNO award proved to him that the musical and cultural value he brings to the world had been accepted and welcomed, a message he hopes other young Haitian musicians will see as a sign that they too can inspire change with their craft. The Tradisyon project, named after the Haitian and African diasporic traditions it honors, is a continuation and deepening of the goals of Rapadou Kreyôl. This previous album “was something that I wanted to do for the Creole culture” Wesli explains, “but I did so much research into the culture, I felt like one album wasn’t enough.” After years spent visiting various Haitian villages, learning lyrics in new languages, and recording the album’s percussion tracks in Haiti to capture a truly authentic, island sound, Wesli returned to Montreal to finish putting the epic albums together. When asked about the immense scope of the project, Wesli reflects, “I wanted to write a story, but a story that I didn’t create, because the story has been there for hundreds of years. I’m talking about the traditions, the core elements of a great culture: the Haitian culture.” In Tradisyon and the upcoming Tradisyon, Pt. 2, Wesli accomplishes the incredible feat of weaving this magical musical story through complex and ambitious arrangements. Wesli has himself been a character in the epic story of Haitian culture. Born in 1980 to a financially challenged family of seven children in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wesli built his first guitar at the age of eight by stringing an old oil can with nylon fishing line. His musical adventure began at a young age when he sang alongside his mother in the gospel choir of the local church. His father, Henri Louissaint, was a well-known banjo and percussion player of twoubadou, a popular Haitian folk music style. Inspired by his parents, Wesli began playing the guitar as his primary instrument along with banjo and a wide range of traditional percussion. Growing up in household that struggled to make ends meet, Wesli was often told that he had to be seven times better than anyone else to make it out of poverty. After experiencing the joyful, passionate music played around him as a child, both by his parents and his broader community, he dreamed of becoming a professional musician. He likes to say, “music chose me to share its spirit.” His own spirit was challenged at a young age, when his family fled to a Cuban refugee camp during the violence that erupted after the 1991 Haitian coup d'état. Just 11 years old at the time, this difficult experience taught him “resilience, reconciliation and forgiveness” in the face of conflict. “No matter what,” Wesli says, “you can rebuild yourself and give yourself a positive direction, and make yourself into a new person that is useful to the society that you are living in.” This desire to serve his society has driven Wesli throughout his life, encouraging him to create change and bring Haitian culture to new audiences through the power of his music. At the age of 21, the musical prodigy won a scholarship contest sponsored by the Canadian government which allowed him to study arrangement and percussion in Montreal. Since then, Wesli has made Montreal his home, a process of integrating his home culture with an unfamiliar world which he describes as difficult but transformational: “I always like to say that I have two hearts. I have one heart in Haiti and I have one in heart Montreal, and that makes me who I am now.” Wesli put both of his hearts into the making of Tradisyon. The album starts with the thrilling call of the koné, a metal trumpet used in carnival parades. The opening song “Peyizan Yo” is a rallying cry for the farmers of Haiti who form the core of the island’s economy. Inspired by arrangements of voodoo music from the 1990s, the song asks people not to steal land from the farmers, who provide the nation with its sustenance. That is followed by “Fè Yo Wè Kongo Banda,” a traditional song used in the beginning of Lakou Congo ceremonies to call the spirits to gather. Sung by a Samba, preachers of the Afro-Haitian cultural tradition, the song often begins a Capella before the entire community lifts their voices and pounds their drums in celebration. A number of the songs on Tradisyon pay tribute to legends of Haiti’s musical past. “Samba” is an homage to Azor Rasin Mapou, one of the most influential artists in voodoo culture, while the rara composition “Wawa sé rèl O” celebrates the efforts of roots musician Wawa Rasin Kanga to pull the shroud of secrecy from Afro-Haitian traditions. “Konté M Rakonté M” sings the praises of Éric Charles, one of the founders of the band Haiti Twoubadou, which in the 1990s revived the twoudabou folk music style. Tradisyon features a number of banjo-led twoubadou tracks, notably “Kay Koulé Trouba” in which Wesli describes a leaking house––a metaphor for his interpretation of the fragile condition of Haiti’s cultural values in the present day. “Makonay” is a call for unity, singing of the circle created by the coming together of people from all the provinces of Haiti who each bring their own values to create a diverse, unified culture. “Trouba Ewa” aims to elevate the twoubadou musical style by bringing together a modern lover’s story with the traditional sounds of Haitian folk music, creating a unique, captivating arrangement dedicated to present-day Haiti. The upbeat reggae-influenced song "Le Soleil Descend” was the first single of the album and its colorful video launched the Tradisyon project in June 2021. Featuring Quebec singer-songwriter Paul Cargnello. the two artists sing about uniting under the sun. As Wesli says, “The sun breaks down all cultural, social and political borders and barriers. Under this sun we are all one people because it is this same light that inspires us and illuminates our paths.” Congolese drummer Kizaba joins Wesli in “Peze Café”, which blends the igbo rhythm with the classic folk song about a child sent to buy coffee for his family before being wrongfully arrested on his way home. Sung in Haiti during the dictatorship of François Duvalier to protest military brutality, this age-old song and the parable it tells gathers new meaning and power each time it is performed. In Wesli’s rendition, his striking vocals take center stage, backed by his stripped-down guitar accompaniment and Kizaba’s expert cajón playing. Overflowing with these and other highlights, Tradisyon honors and reveals Haiti’s rich musical history. The upcoming follow up, Tradisyon, Pt. 2, explores the new directions for the island’s music, blending traditional genres with electronic music, Afrobeat, soul, funk, hip-hop and more to create a rich, festive and uniquely engaging sound. Always thinking about the future and the legacy he leaves, Wesli’s aim with Tradisyon Pt. 2 is to give young Haitian musicians a “formula to merge ancient and new sounds. We are coming from somewhere, now we are somewhere else. You have to know where you’re from to know where you’re going. Tradisyon is where we’re coming from, and Tradisyon, Pt. 2 is where we’re going.” クレジット2022年10月21日リリース

#2210 #WM #***

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Introducing...The Mellons | The Mellons | Earth Librariesから)

Introducing...The Mellons by The Mellons

Depending on who you ask, the story of Andrew Beck and Rob Jepson’s meeting was either a thunderous epic or a heartwarming tale. Jepson remembers the two meeting in high school in Provo, Utah, Beck providing a jolt of creative electricity to boost him out of the sad songs he’d write on his new guitar. Beck remembers a mountaintop and eyes of flame, the duo speaking in tongues alongside rushing waters. “Either way, we continue to have that creative soul connection,” Jepson laughs. One listen to the debut album from the band resulting from that meeting, The Mellons, and it’s clear that the duo are capable of capturing both halves of that mystic equation. Due September 16, 2022, via Earth Libraries, Introducing… The Mellons! finds that balance somewhere in pages of the Beach Boys book of psych pop. Jepson and Beck unlocked the expansive potential of their songwriting when they found their match in another pair of collaborators. Multi-instrumentalist and producer Dennis Fuller and percussionist Ian Francis had worked together in a handful of bands, and Jepson and Beck enlisted them to join The Mellons and round out their sound. “All of these pieces of songs that Rob and I had swirling around in our heads started to magically come together,” Beck says. Though the resultant tracks are jampacked with everything from clarinets and violins to sleigh bells and trumpets, the layers never overpower the intimate harmonies and honeyed lyrical emotionality at the songs’ core. “I wanna get closer/ I wanna go deeper/ I wanna know it all,” they sigh on opener “So Much to Say”, surrounded by twirling guitar riffs and glimmering bells. The Mellons play a symphony’s worth of instruments, and self-producing the record largely at Fuller’s No. 9 Studios in Salt Lake City allowed them to chase that stratified sweetness to its heartfelt extreme. “Writing, arranging, and composing everything ourselves gives us the freedom to really get the exact sound we’re all interested in,” Fuller says. Always focused on the power of a taut hook, The Mellons made sure that freedom was used for a purpose. “We stay true to the musical stylings of the mid- to late-’60s while still creating room for the vogue,” Francis says. “It’s all about finding that balance.” Even though the band members have worked together for years, they still dig for the surprises that come out of pinging ideas around the studio. The stomping waltz of “What a Time to Be Alive” revels in that bounding energy, though this time drawing its strength from streamlined muscle. The rhythm section of Fuller and Francis lock into an elephantine stomp, gamboling through a field of falsetto. “Just for a moment/ Lost in a moment/ Caught in a dream,” they sing, eventually drifting cloudily into a Beatles-y outro of swaggering horn, loping percussion, and muffled laughter. The nostalgic vibe to the psychedelia doesn’t end at the music, as the quartet opt for paisley or matching turtlenecks as well as vintage collage. A trained illustrator and designer, Beck funnels visual influences into The Mellons’ vibe just as quickly as music. “Immersing myself in the whole aesthetic is part of the joy,” he says. “Things like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Monkees, and H.R. Pufnstuf are all swimming around in my mind.” From the ELO quickchange of “Hello, Sun” to the wordless melodies and mouth trumpet solo of “Marmalade”, there’s a whimsy to the grandeur, a childlike glee in the midst of very mature technical proficiency. The Mellons are having a ton of fun, and deadly serious in their pursuit of the next laugh. “I’ve got a magic spell I’m going to cast on you,” they sing on “Magic Spell”, the effect already having taken place. As Introducing… The Mellons! nears its conclusion on the bubbling “Surprise”, the quartet achieve an indelible sense of balance between childlike wonder and the mature technical skill to achieve it. That same duality carries through the lyrics, as well. “The album is full of yearning for youth and the dream of feeling safe and comfortable,” Jepson says. “We talked a lot about time, loneliness and longing, belonging and acceptance.” After writing and recording most of these tracks centered on longing for connection through the pandemic, The Mellons are relishing the opportunity to get these songs out on stage, to recreate their baroque and many-layered performance in front of audiences. “There’s a lot going on with our set,” Beck says. “Multiple trumpet solos, some random tambourines, someone reading a book on stage.” But whether in studio or onstage, the Mellons have figured out a way to not only make that complexity happen, but to make it feel effortless and engaging, a giant game of make believe with a soft center. クレジット2022年10月21日リリース

#2210 #RC