Listen up! TuneSmith’s musical recommendations for June
Posted by Anthony on May 27th, 2011As we swing into summer, TuneSmith Rob Wood is entranced by globetrotting Ethiopian dub, and reliving the cult punk-folk soundtrack of his misspent youth…
ALBUM OF THE MONTH
Addis Through the Looking Glass
by Dub Colossus
When? Your ears need a walkabout
Why? It’s Addis Ababa meets Kingston en route to Womad
If you’re as keen to explore musical frontiers as you are geographic ones, this release is a hidden delight. The Ethiopiques CD series has turned many on to the mesmerising sounds of Ethiopia’s wonderful pop, Azmari and Ethiojazz styles which blossomed with their own little scenes in Addis Ababa in the ’60s and ’70s. These sounds form the basis for Nick Page’s Dub Colossus’ project. Formerly part of Trans-Global Underground, the composer, guitarist and bass player travelled to Ethiopia’s capital in 2006 to explore local music styles through the perspective of Jamaican dub reggae. Having met up with supremely talented soulful vocalists Tsedenia Gebremarkos and Sintayehu ‘Mimi’ Zenebe, as well as both young and veteran pianists and jazz saxophonists, A Town Called Addis was the first successful result of this intriguing union. Addis Through The Looking Glass is a fantastic, confident and sophisticated follow-up. Its exuberant fusion of traditional Ethiopian sounds, beguiling jazz, and robust dub rhythms is enthralling and accessible to anyone who is open-minded enough to enjoy the likes of the Gotan Project. There’s even a cover of ‘Uptown Top Ranking’ to ease you in, but you hardly need it. Go seek.
Download Addis through the Looking Glass now
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THE SMITH CLASSIC
Violent Femmes
by Violent Femmes
When You need some teenage kicks
Why? It’s cult angst-anthem nostalgia
If you knew about Violent Femmes as a teenager in the ’80s, chances are you were an angst-ridden tearaway determined to kick against the injustices inflicted upon you by your parents. The Femmes’ self-titled debut album was filled with confessions of alienation and neurosis, set against a backdrop of intense, urgent, and strangely powerful music. Their inventive blend of folk, punk, blues and gospel proved the perfect bedfellow for their twitchy, new wave, post-punk, hyperactive energy. As Gordon Gano demands love, sex and affection, it’s easy to see why this became the soundtrack to suburban dramas across Europe and the States, playlisted between tracks by fellow prog-punk artists the Smiths and the Cure. In fact, this at-the-time obscure release from 1983 became the definition of cult classic – slowly clocking up sales of more than eight million eight years after it was released. ‘Blister in the Sun’, ‘Gone Daddy Gone’ and high-school lust anthem ‘Add It Up’ are anything but lethargic, however. These songs are still a raw, brave, compelling and utterly unforgettable call-to-arms. Parents be warned!
Resident TuneSmith Rob Wood is the creative director and founder of Music Concierge, an award-winning music consultancy service for boutique and luxury hotels.
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