Orchestre Regional de Mopti-The Best of the First Biennale of Arts & Culture for the Young (1970)

From the label...

"Recorded in 1970 as part of the First Biennale of Arts and Culture for the Young in Mali. The Regional Orchestra of Mopti was a state funded orchestra that participated in country wide music festivals and competitions. A hypnotic band featuring electric guitars & a large horn section. This is the first in a series of six Mali music LPs we will be reissuing this summer from Sterns. A serene and droning record that is both sorrowful & celebratory." - Mississippi Records

Recently reissued on vinyl. Mississippi Records are always incredible while also affordable so buy it HERE

Try 'er out

Estradasphere-Palace of Mirrors (2007)

"This bizarre-o sextet from Santa Cruz, Calif., has the stones to make two claims: One, the instrumental outfit says it introduces new styles of music on Palace of Mirrors, Estradasphere's fourth album, including "Romanian Gypsy Death Metal," "Spaghetti Eastern" and "Bulgarian Surf." Two, the band also boasts that it appeals to fans of artists as diverse as The Beach Boys, Metallica and John Coltrane. Both claims are justified. Probably. Actually, it's hard to tell what the hell Estradasphere does besides suck you in with a cruel charm and enchanting song titles like "The Unfolding Pause on the Threshold," "Six Hands" and "Flower Garden of an Evil Man." But with such instruments as accordion, violin and the Japanese Shamisen (a lute instrument with three strings) commingling with more traditional rock 'n' roll instruments, those statements tend to make a little more sense. The chaos of "A Corporate Merger" reflects its title, "Colossal Risk" could be part of the soundtrack to a crazy James Bond spoof and "Smuggled Mutation" is a twisted hoedown likely spawned by a nightmare one of the band members experienced. It all sorta fits together to create a semi-cohesive listening experience unlike any other."

Bungle fans, please take note. This band shifts genres and ethnic stylings flawlessly and is a worthy listen if the words Romanian Gypsy Death Metal put a big shit eating grin on your face. Definitely not for everyone but I guess that speaks for everyone, doesn't it?

The terrible beauty power of meow

V/A-Psych Funk 101 (2009)

"Psych-Funk 101 introduces the global phenomenon of psychedelic funk music, covering the golden years (1967-1980). This compilation focuses not on American and British bands but on the bands throughout the Global Village that were influenced by the likes of James Brown, The Meters, Sly and The Family Stone, Booker T and The MGs and The Bar Kays and unsung rhythmic forces such as drummers Bernard Purdie, Idris Muhammad, Earl Palmer, bassists such Carol Kaye and Jimmy Lewis. This compilation features bands who took that energy and combined it with the flair of psychedelic-rock musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and the ensemble known as Cream - as well as pop-rock acts taken by the experimental side of psychedelia such as The Beatles. But the global psych-funk bands added their own, unique cultural flourishes and the result is mind-bending."

Gave this a listen today and it is fucking insane. So grooved out. Get it quick, it may get taken down. Highly, highly recommended.

And thanks to Cassie for pointing this out. Damn good find.

Psyched out!

Zoltar's Playlist...Vol. I

No real theme here, just either songs I have been listening to lately or songs I always like showing/playing for people. There will surely be more of these to come. I threw the playlist file in there so hopefully you all can listen to it in the order I intended on Itunes or even some other Nazi music program (it's the disc jockey/playlist nerd in me). But nevertheless, these are some choice tunes for certain and I'll throw a little note next to each one. It's the disc jockey playlist...wait...

Title Artist

1. The Peppermint Tree-The Amorphous Androgynous (cool psych tune, 60s like Pink Floyd vs Flaming Lips)

2. Nowhere to Run-Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (good ole fashioned soul music)

3. Aquarian Time-Wooden Shjips (doing what they do...always awesome garage/psych)

4. Mr. Grieves-The Pixies (classicly demented)

5. Red Tuesday-Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve (so blissful and warm...)

6. Liquid Memoryman-The Oscillation (GROOVE)

7. Canned Happiness-MV/EE & the Bummer Road (hazy, squinty eyed rock music...good thing)

8. Echohead-Big Blood (they are incredible...almost a Pixies-like lead)

9. America's Most Blunted-Madvillain ft. Quasimoto (such an awesom beat)

10. Wanyama Na Mapambazuko-Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalo (those riffs!)

11. Ashes Round the Skull-The Blue Angel Lounge (mind blowing VU styled rock)

12. Juggernaut-Black Pus (the drummer from Lightning Bolt...madness)

13. Trouble Everywhere I Go (Alt version)-Mississippi Fred McDowell (masterful)

14. Gimme Some Truth-John Lennon (money for dope! money for rope!)

15. Ant 10-Boredoms (indescribable, a ryhthmic psych techno monster thing type song ma jig)

16. Ride My High (Joakim Edit)-JJ Cale (tasteful sleaziness? more groooooove)

17. Everybody Knows This is Nowhere-Neil Young & Crazy Horse (come on, it's Neil Young!)

18. Friends-Ducktails (summer drones, very nice and peaceful)

19. Sweet Premium Wine-KMD (sadly underappreciated early 90s group)

20. Turtles Have Short Legs (B Side)-Can (so happy! great beat as always)

Tell me if you like this format better than whole albums. Or if you like whole albums. Or both. Whichever the minions prefer eh? And if you guys wanna comment, I promise I'll answer (since I discovered some unanswered comments from March today....). I would love the feedback, requests, etc. You know, the whole shindig. It's good to know more and more people come here. So let's keep it up? I'll post as long as ya'll listen. Thanks again to you all.

Playlist Vol. 1

Killer African Psych Rock and Funk

Group Inerane-Guitars From Agadaz (Music of Niger)

"Group Inerane is the now sound of the Tuareg Guitar Revolution sweeping across the Sahara Desert and inspired by the rebel musicians that started this music as a political weapon used to communicate from the Libyan Refugee camps in the 1980s and 1990s. Spearheaded by the enigmatic guitar hero Bibi Ahmed, Group Inerane has been together for several years and carries the rich tradition of Tamachek guitar songs for another generation. These ten tracks are a combination of amplified roots rock, blues, and folk in the local Tuareg styles at times entering into full-on electric guitar psychedelia. This music is performed with two electric guitars, a drum kit and a chorus of vocalists. The recordings were captured live in the city of Agadez in the Republic of Niger"

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Group Doueh-Guitar Music From the Western Sahara

"If you think you’ve heard all the great electric guitar styles in the world, think again. This Saharan sand-blizzard of fine-crushed glass will grind your face to a bloody pulp. Group Doueh play raw and unfiltered Saharawi music from the former colonial Spanish outpost of the Western Sahara. Doueh (pronounced “Doo-way”) is their leader and a master of the electric guitar. He’s been performing since he was a child playing in many groups before finally creating his own in the 1980’s. Doueh says he’s Influenced by western pop and rock music especially Jimi Hendrix and James Brown. His sound is distorted, loud and unhinged with an impressive display of virtuosity and style only known in this part of the world. His wife Halima and friend Bashiri are the two vocalists in the group. Saharawi songs are from the sung poetry of the Hassania language. The music is based on the same modal structure as Mauritanian music, however, Doueh’s style is a looser appropriation infused with a western guitar scope, one that relies, in his words, as much on Hendrix as it does traditional Sahrawi music. It also adds a playful pop element that rarely filters through in this region. Doueh has turned down countless offers from Morocco and Europe to release his music but he decided to offer us access to his homemade recordings and photo archive for this amazing debut release."

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Group Bombino- Guitars From Agadez Vol. 2

"Group Bombino is the latest salvo from the Agadez music scene. Led by the guitar virtuoso Omara Mochtar (Bombino), the group’s debut LP-- Volume two in the Guitars from Agadez series, represents the latest chapter in the modern sound of the Tuareg revolution. As of 2008, the Tuareg rebellion is in full force again, and Bombino is in exile to parts unknown. Agadez has been cut off from the rest of Niger. The only road that connects this legendary city with the rest of the country is littered with land mines and the only escorts are the military. This music and its messages of hope, justice, and desire for validation of the Kel Tamachek way of life ring louder than ever. Group Bombino are gaining mythic status in and around the Tuareg community for their incendiary live performances. Coming from the same scene as Group Inerane and sharing some of the same musicians, Group Bombino showcase both sides of the Tuareg Guitar style. Side one features the “Dry Guitar” sound, an unplugged selection of songs sung among the dunes and stars of the Tenere desert. Side two showcases the electric fury of the full band, a melding of heavy, psychedelic guitar heroics with a raw garage sound, back beat percussion, all swirling in extended trance rock moves. Recorded live and unfiltered in Agadez and the surrounding desert in early 2007, with the band’s equipment powered by generators and an unflinching dedication to the rebellion, Group Bombino’s music transcends any influence and ignites the raw passion of its message to the outside world."

Haven't listened to it yet but I expect it to be just as amazing as the other two.

Africafunk-The Original Sound Of 1970s Funky Africa (Part I) (Part 2)

"The 70’s were a fertile decade for music in Africa, particularly funk music! These painstakingly compiled Afro gems are characterised by a potent combination of infectious rhythms, intense lyrics and raw melodies, and are guaranteed to enthral the most fastidious funk devotee, play after play after play!"

Some of the best funk I've ever heard.

African Scream Contest: Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds From Benin & Togo 70s

"This is what happened when James Brown came to Africa and funk swept the continent. Of course, these guys put their own unique spin on it, and the result is sheer delight. You will find it physically impossible to hold still. Best of all, three of the tracks are by the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, who have to be the ultimate funk outfit of all time. Check out track 10. It is hard to explain the addictive nature of this music. I bought this disc when it first came out, and it rarely leaves my rotation for more than a few days. A lot of good Nigerian funk came out in 2008, but this stuff, from Benin and Togo, tops it all."

Also more excellent funk

I can't the stress how incredible the first two albums are. Get them at all costs.