The following are the 20 tracks that kept finding their way back between my headphones during 2008. This list is intended as basic information about the "etnotech must-hears" of this last year and is in no way a hit collection. There is no order of rating not because I don't want to offend any friends included, but because I find the concept of a "#1 track" ridiculous at best (in the current state of the media markets) and dangerous at worst. So the tracks are arranged just sequentially in the order that makes sense to me. I'll post an actual "20 of 20o8 Mix" soon to fit the playlist (the original will be broadcast tonight at midnight on MoGlo on Radio New York WNYE 91.5).
The opening track is rap-chalga "Toplofikacia" by Bate Sasho. I just discovered the track about a week ago and can't get over how smartly it subverts Shantel's "Tziganizatsia" by repositioning its Orientalist cliches of the Roma, the Balkans and Eastern Europe back in Bulgaria. The theme of the song is heating - as in central heating and the lack thereof - and to follow the variations of the central metaphor (sex heat, heated "rakiya", hot soundsystems, paris hilton's "that's hot", down to an old communist commedy which hinted that a swiss-cheesed condo's lack of heating infrastructure is not unlike the general situation in the country) is to follow an irresistibly street-smart trickster, who rules the region somewhere between heating (see above) and civilization ("civilizacia").
Next up is "No Blood" by Ghislain Poirier featuring Face-T. The Montreal-based minister of cosmopolitan bass released several interesting mixes this year and the fantastic "No Ground Under" album from which comes this track.
Along similarly cosmopolitan and collaborative lines was Maga Bo's album "Archipelagoes", released on DJ /rupture's Soot Records. While primarily based in Brazil, Maga Bo traveled across Africa where he did most of the recording.
Omega (and his band called Mambo Violento) released the album "El Fuerte" this year and dominated clubs and airwaves with "Tu No Ta Pa Mi" - the crowning hit of Dominican Mambo (also known as Merengue de la calle). I personally prefer "Si No Me Amas".
"Prawy Do Lewego" (Kayah & Goran Bregovic) was an undying classic at Mehanata (Bulgarian Bar) during my residency there. It was even sampled on Tomer Yosef's (yes, from Balkan Beat Box) "Little Man". Now it is released as a live version on Goran Bregovic's new album Alkohol, this time around retitled "Soferska" (or Driver's Song)...
...Crashing directly into two Muslim lesbians from the Balkans, currently living in Copenhagen. They are called Fagget Fairys and here you can watch half of them smoking and drinking. Track is "Samo Ti" remixed by AC Slater.
After the crash, we're making a small detour back to Maga Bo who finally released his project with Filastine as Sonar Calibrado. Track "Os Asassinos" features Mr. Catra.
"Krak Hunter" is a B-side of a single released by Kap Bambino this year. Their electro-punk debut insanity "Zero Life, Night Vision" was released last year and you should buy it immediately (CD sold out long time ago).
Buraka Som Sistema rode the wave of kuduro's popularity all the way from Angola to Portugal (and eventually to New York). Their catchy "Yah!" was destined to be this year's M.I.A., I find "Kalemba (Wegue Wegue)" somehow more interesting (especially Reso's Aguardente Electro Mash Mix).
DJ Mujava's kwaito psyc-anthem "Township Funk" created such an impression on the blogosphere that it landed him a deal with Warp Records.
I got Kiril's "Jungle Shadow" from the "Balkanbeats 3" compilation produced by Robert Soko. Can't recommend his series enough as introduction to the Balkan clubby sound.
Dub Gabriel came back from Berlin to NYC last year and then emigrated to San Francisco. There he released "Anarchy & Alchemy" his strongest album to date in my opinion. It's hard to choose a favorite track (Michael Stipe covers Suicide!), but after repeated listening "Battle of the Righteous Man" with Dr. Israel and Maga Bo (yes, again!) seems to be it.
Next up is Moroccan Chrif Weld Saber. Got the album "Gasba Fever" from emusic, so I have no information on the artist. Track is remix of "Zide s'kini".
Kocani Orkestar finally broke their six-year studio silence and released "The Ravished Bride" - not their strongest album ever. Still, "Sahara Dreams is a fantastic track.
Balkan Beat Box released a first this year - an album of remixes. Unfortunately it is not available in North America, so you'll have to pay import price just for that baile funk remix of "Joro-Boro" (long story).
Parisian resident DJ Cutson made a blowout riddim called "Dancehall Killa". The album features heavyweights Lord Kossity and Neg Marrons.
Unquestionably, Myspace has changed the way people find music and I am no exception. That's how a week ago I discovered Warrior Queen's collaboration with Al Haca on the Austrian Crunchtime Allstars project. It is called "Fuck It" and it is massive! Big big ups to producers CEE & Stereotyp for sending it to me on such a short notice.
And speaking of producers, Stefano Miele is Italy's current best IMHO (as my niece likes to write). He's remixed everything from tarantella to jungle (and not always separately), but I'm hooked on his take on Zion Train.
Cumbia cameos were everywhere this year and the biggest promoters (with some help from DJ /rupture) of the genre's export hailed not from Colombia or Mexico but from...Argentina. The Zizek Collective came to the U.S. to flex their digital muscles at the Latin American Music Conference. Chancha Via Circuito represents with "Bosques Via Temperley" with Kumbha Kethu.
Finally revisiting the "Balkan Fever" (huge in Europe, but still more or less latent in the US), Sub Swara's "Belgrade Riddim" features March 4th Marching Band.
This wraps up the year and the Top 20. Feel free to ask me for more info on any of the tracks included.
Here's to a Happy 2009!
