A selection of dystopian fall tracks, commenting the political shape of the world these days. Inspired by lonnie hollies “I woke up in a fucked-up america”, as well by leo ferré´s “il n y´a plus rien” (in a self made dub edit),, opening with an old song called “crepuscule”, which can be translated with”twilight” but as well with “decline”.
To quote John Goodman in “Tremé” on the politics after New Orleans´ Katrina:
“Fuck you, you fucking fucks”.
But there´s hope after all! In the 2nd part of the mix you´ll find some refreshing 70ies soul, reggae & some indie tunes from the turn of the century.
w/
Amelita Galli-Curzi / Áine O’Dwyer / Mathe Ballsaal & the gondwana orchestra / Allen Toussaint / Lucky Luke / Sarah Louise / In Aeternam Vale & Anneq / Whitney / Low / Moses Sumney / Smog / Lonnie Holley / leo ferre / Psychic TV / Faust / Lapis / Kalima / Gloria Barnes / Hortense Ellis / Death Cab For Cutie Jeffrey Lewis / Eric’s Trip
I saw a mesmerizing existentialistic movie by Wolfgang Fischer called Styx whose premiere was yesterday in kino international.
Seldom I saw a similar movie with hardly any dialogues (don´t be afraid of German language – there are maybe 3 sentences at all, the rest is Englisch or the sound of the Ocean) but yet the movie is so intense and in no movement lacking “dialogues”.
Fischer said it the Q & A, that the film took almost 9 years in the making and has been adapted permanently to the recent political refugee and migration debates and political changes, esp. the criminalization of the search and rescue ngo – vessels.
To see the philosophical dilemma and the reality to be left alone in the deadly sea is almost imbearable. Some scenes like the one the Women is falling into the water and the kid is taking over the boat is a (quite rough) model of the fact, that sometimes only a radical change of perspective leads in the end to a change of behavior.
This film experiment is a masterpiece and has to be shown to all EU institutions, especially to frontex and in schools and universities.
Wolfgang Fischer and the amazing actress Susanne Wolff with the moderator at the q & a yesterday.
Lately I saw a few good movies I like to talk about, but let´s start the sunday selection with a new new EP by 23 year old Sudan Archives called Sink out since a few month already via Stones Throw.
As you might know I´m not a big fan of nowadays r&b music, but Sudan Archives music is so eclectic! You´ll find african instruments, deep soul, singer – song writer melodies, electronic moments, just rich and beautiful. This is the second release after the 2017 Debut EP.
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Another treasure is Gloria Barnes only release from 1971 called Uptown via Maple Records(reissued by colemine) . Gloria Barnes. It´s an Album of incredible raw northern Soul with an irresistable voice, backed by Lee Moses and the ohio players.
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Now to something complete different: Movies
Here are two movies I like to mention, I have seen the last weeks: Gundermann by Andreas Dresen and BlacKKKlansman by Spike Lee.
Gundermann
(in German sorry, though the film is only to be seen in German OV)
Gunderman war ein Musiker, Baggerfahrer, wurde der Bruce Springsteen der Lausitz genannt, war bei der Staatssicherheit wurde aber auch von ihr selbst beobachtet, er war nicht sehr sympathisch, ein Macho und ziemlich selbstverliebt aber er war vor allem eines: authentisch und die Musik und seine Lieder mit der einzigartigen schrägen Poesie berühren bis heute. Der Film von Andreas Dresen setzt ihm ein würdiges Andenken ohne ihn zu idealisieren.
Hier 3 Songs vom letzten Konzert “Krams” kurz vor seinem Tod – er wurde nur 43 Jahre alt.
“hier führt mich meine Reise – nicht weit, aber tief ”
(hier bin ich geboren,krams)
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For the amazing Spike Lee Film, just go see it without reading a lot about it before, though the story is true but almost unbelievable.
Der heute in Frankreich lebende Kumut Imesh möchte noch einmal seine Fluchtroute nachverfolgen, die vom Bürgerkrieg an der Elfenbeinküste über den Niger und Marokko bis ans Mittelmeer reichte – dieses Mal allerdings mit der Kamera in der Hand.
Borderline Europe e.V, trixiewiz e.V. und OASE Berlin e.V. laden in Zusammenarbeit mit der FilmInitiative Köln e.V. zur Vorführung des Films “To Return” und anschließender Diskussion mit den Regisseur David Fedele und Co- Regisseur Kumut Imesh ein.
Der Film wurde von FilmInitiative Köln e.V. für den Fokus „Innerafrikanische Migration“ des 16. Kölner Afrika Film Festival (13. – 23.9.2018) ausgewählt und Deutsch untertitelt – gefördert im Fonds TURN der Kulturstiftung des Bundes.
Die Einladung der Regisseur*innen wurde im Rahmen eine Kooperation mit den Vereine trixiewiz e.V., Borderline Europe e.V. und OASE Berlin e.V. ermöglicht.
Im Anschluss an den Film laden wir zur Diskussion mit den Filmemachern und Andrea Stäritz von Borderline Europe e.V. über die aktuelle Situation an der EU Außengrenze in Nordafrika ein.
Die Diskussion moderieren Teresita Cannella (trixiewiz e.V) und Jochen Schwarz (Flüchtlingsrat Berlin / OASE Berlin e.V).
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David Fedele – director / producer / editor / sound design
David Fedele is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, born in Australia and now spending most of his time between the European and African continents. He is particularly interested in exploring cultural, humanitarian and social justice issues, and his films have covered such diverse topics as sub-Saharan African migration in Morocco, electronic waste in Ghana, and illegal logging in Papua New Guinea. His films have been broadcast and screened widely around the world, winning numerous prizes.
David’s previous film THE LAND BETWEEN (2014, 78mins) was awarded “Best Feature-length Documentary” at the FIFE International Environmental Film Festival in Paris, and has since been broadcast and screened hundreds of times around the world, winning many awards including Naples Human Rights Film Festival (Best Film), Festival of Migrant Film (Best Film) and Lampedusa Infestival (Best Film). It was also screened at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. http://www.thelandbetweenfilm.com
In 2014, David was selected to participate at Berlinale Talents as part of Berlin International Film Festival. He was also a jury member at the Cinema Planeta International Environmental Film Festival 2014 in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and president of the jury at the SREM International Environmental Film Festival 2015 in Srem, Serbia. http://www.david-fedele.com
Kumut Imesh – co-director / camera / protagonist
Originally from the Ivory Coast in West Africa, Kumut was forced to flee civil war in his country in 2004. Seeking a peaceful and safe place to live, he began the long journey across the African continent before finally arriving in Morocco, where he spent 7 years. While in Morocco he worked closely with NGOs and associations working closely with other migrants, providing support and assistance.
In 2013 he met the film director David Fedele in Morocco, and he worked as the translator for the film The Land Between. During this time, Kumut developed a very keen interest in documentary filmmaking, especially the potential to tell stories from an African perspective, and the original idea to make a film retracing his journey across Africa was born.
In 2014 Kumut arrived in Europe, and was granted asylum. He currently lives as a refugee with his wife and small child in France, working as a webmaster. He is also the founder and president of ACSORE (Actions of Solidarity for Refugees), an association in France that works for the social and educational integration of asylum seekers and refugees.
REVENIR is Kumut’s first film.
Plot:
For years, the stories of West African migrants and refugees have been told through the lenses of foreign journalists. Now there is a story from the inside. Part road-trip, part memoir, part journalistic investigation, REVENIR follows Kumut Imesh, a refugee from the Ivory Coast now living in France, as he returns to the African continent and attempts to retrace the same journey that he himself took when forced to flee civil war in his country … But this time with a camera in his hand. Traveling alone, Kumut will be documenting his own journey; both as the main protagonist in front of the camera, as well as the person behind it, revealing the human struggle for freedom and dignity on one of the most dangerous migratory routes in the world. A controversial film experiment, a courageous journey and a unique collaboration between filmmaker and refugee; which is not without consequences.
Écoute, écoute… Dans le silence de la mer, il y a comme un balancement maudit qui vous met le coeur à l’heure, avec le sable qui se remonte un peu, comme les vieilles putes qui remontent leur peau, qui tirent la couverture.
Immobile… L’immobilité, ça dérange le siècle. C’est un peu le sourire de la vitesse, et ça sourit pas lerche, la vitesse, en ces temps.
Les amants de la mer s’en vont en Bretagne ou à Tahiti… C’est vraiment con, les amants.
Il n’y a plus rien!
by the little dog laughed / 08/18 – photo is a cover still of léo ferré´s lp
(as a part of the little dog beat poetry mixtapes)
A short moody summer´s mixtape, with mostly instrumental library and italo – french filmscore soundscapes w / tracks and excerpts by
pumice / alessandro alessandroni / kema / franco tamponi / george delerue / christopher komeda / marc mc guire / the saxophones / onyx collective /angelo de augustine
37 min by
the little dog laughed
08/18
cover photo
shot in Greifswald 18
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remarks:
– Effervescent Islands is the name of the the b – side track of the carcassonne 7″ by angelo de augustine
– thanks to the amazing intervallo 10 : “la natura e l´uomo” compilation
some tracks are taken from
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What is a good society ? – I don´t think there is such thing as a good society. A good society would be a society, saying, were are not good enough
Here are some great new releases to survive the musical summer void.
First is another superb habibi funk release, called “moslems & christians” by Kamal Keila from Sudan. It´s a incredible spiritual and political timeless gem, never released before except on cassette.
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Habibi Funk:
Kamal Keila was a name that came up here and there, coined the James Brown or Fela Kuti of Sudan. When I asked Yassir about him he said that he has extended family ties with him and that he could set up a meeting. We spent an afternoon in Kamal’s living room somewhere in the dusty outskirts of Khartoum. His small house, where he lives with his sons and their families, is located on a little side street. In the tiny garden area he has a number of empty pigeon cages, a testament of one of his hobbies he actively followed until some years ago. Kamal doesn’t know his exact age but was born sometime in the early 1940s and as much as his age shows when he’s moving around in his house he still lights up full of energy when reminiscing about his music.
In our conversation it turned out that even though his career seriously started in the 1960s, he had never released a record on vinyl and that, apart from one album which still remains to be found, he can’t remember about a cassette tape release either. He did however record sessions for Sudanese radio. In Sudan the radio stations were not allowed to play the recordings produced by music labels on air, therefore they had their own studios and invited musicians to record music for their program. In most cases the musicians would not receive a copy of the recordings out of fear that they would release the music themselves. But luckily Kamal Keila had gotten his hands on two sessions and had kept those two studio reels all these years. Both tapes were in the most horrible condition with mold everywhere and obvious signs that they had gotten very wet at some point. Much to our surprise they played very well. Each tape included five tracks. One with English lyrics and another with Arabic ones. Musically you can hear the influence of neighboring Ethiopia much more than on other Sudanese recordings of the time, as well as references to Fela and American funk and soul. His lyrics, at least when he sings in English which indicates more freedom from censorship, are very political. A brave statement in the political climate of Sudan of the last decades, preaching for the unity of Sudan, peace between Muslims and Christians and singing the blues about the fate of war orphans called „Smash“.
When we asked Kamal about the year the recordings were made he didn’t remember and the tapes itself didn’t give a clue either. Sonically we assumed they must be from the mid 1970s but we were in for a surprise when we found a little sheet in one of the cases of the reels. The note specified the track titles, durations and the fact that the sessions were recorded on the 12th of august 1992. Both sessions stand as a hearable testament how Kamal Keila stuck to a sound aesthetic from decades ago, while incorporating current events into his lyrics.
Some of the songs were already written in the 1970s and have been part of Kamal’s sets ever since, with only small changes for some contemporary references in the lyrics and musically sometimes adopting to „new“ sounds here and there.
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New Afro 7 45″ releases
Lets stay a bit with the east – african music scene. Afro 7 is a quite new label based in finland concentrating on the east african music scene. They are releasing mostly 7″ from the 70ies but as well the london based exile – sudanese band “the scorpios” amazing record last year.
So here are some new great 45″ from the scorpios, Etuk Ubong from Nigeria, the Mombasa Vikings and David Waciuma from Kenya. Especially the track “devil go” and the Mombasa Vikings´ b-side called “kibe kibe” are hypnotic.
Now to something completely different. After two amazing 7″, the Saxophones from Oakland release their first LP called simply “Songs of the Saxophones ” via full time hobby.
Songs like “time is like a river”, “mysteries revealed” or especially “singing desperately” are stripped down, crystal clear songs in a tradition of leonard cohen, low, timber timbre or bill callahan, even though sometimes at the edge of drifting away into great kitch. Give it a try.
This is our debut record on Full Time Hobby. It was all written and recorded over the past two years. It’s largely a meditation and reflection on relationship and the unlearning of socialized behaviors. We hope this record brings meaning and comfort to your life in these uncertain times. Thank you for listening.
Alexi Erenkov – Guitar, Saxophone, Flute, Synthesizer and Voice
Alison Alderdice – Drums and Voice
Richard Laws – Bass Guitar, Vibraphone and Voice
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Kalima – Where is the Sunshine 7″ (Chuwanga)
“All black music in America is a response to racism and slavery”
A Quote by Derrick Amin, whose band Kalima released this amazing spiritual jazz track in 1981, that is now fortunately re-released by the french label Chuwanaga
The 7″ has the song Where is the Sunshine” as part one an side a and part two on the b side but nicely for dj´s there is the 7 minutes mixed full track as a download as well available when buying the 7″. (listen here).
Essential.
Back in the mid seventies Derrick Amin brought together young and talented musicians from his African-American Muslim community in Baltimore. He tells us: “all black music in America is a response to racism and slavery” and “(Where Is The) Sunshine” was their own answer, “a plaintiff query of one immerse in darkness. The darkness of lies, lies that deny the humanity, justice, and equality of people. It’s the impetus of this song”. He adds: “Kalima means « Word » or « Langage » in Arabic. The name was inspired by a quote from Imam W.D. Mohammad (the late Muslim American leader and erstwhile successor to Nation of Islam founder, Elijah Muhammad) who once said: “Words make people””.
With its splendid vocal parts – thanks to lead vocalist Sabreen Shareef, a unique major-to-minor chord progression, subtil synthetiser melodies in the chorus and amazing electric piano and sax solos, it really is a very special release. It’s been discovered in a Motor City Drum Ensemble jazz set with Gilles Peterson at the J.A.W. Family Reunion in Berlin back in 2016 where he played it as the closing track of a wonderful musical journey through black music – which was the right occasion for a classic Gilles rewind and the occasion of a shared epiphany. Still, one must not forget its yet poetic still political message now shared once again with the world. The question asked by Kalima sadly still remains as relevant in 2018: Where is the sunshine
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Some amazing introvertive indie 7″comes from Angelo de Augustine out on asthmatic kitty records. The Carcassonne 7″ contains two amazing heartbreaking little tunes.
The Carcassonne 7” was written and self-produced at home at the tail end of summer, soon after De Augustine released his second LP, Swim Inside the Moon, and played to his biggest audience to date supporting Sufjan Stevens at LA’s Hollywood Forever Cemetery (his tour with Moses Sumney was then about to start). “Carcassonne” is one of De Augustine’s most romantic tracks that starts by asking a simple question: “Would you be the only one / In my life with my love?” and ends with the tender epiphany: “There ain’t much time in life before the lights go down / So I want to know you now,” reminding us to love while we can.
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Pumice
Quite unusual ambient accordion sounds are to hear on side a of the Haemochromatosis Bring a Plate 7″by Pumice (soft abuse) while the two short tracks on side b are more postpunk / lo – fi sounds.
Innovative, rough and majestic.
Onyx Collective
Last but not least, here´s the amazing onyx collective from new york who released after some 7″ and two digital ep´s the first official release called Lower East Suite Part Three.
When I first listened to the track 2AM at Veselka, it´s the unique sound of the two saxophones,playing together, that was fascinating me. In Rumble In Chatham Square you´ll hear amazing stripped down rhythm patterns. In the 7″ fruit stand / snake chamber its more a chilled sound of a sunday afternoon (fruit stand) or an orientalic spiritual jazz excursion (snake chamber). Artwork of the LP and 7″ covers by the way by painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel.
Here´s the first of a series of retro – futuristic mixtapes, this time focussing on german kraut music of the late 70es, with excursions to japanese and belgian / dutch psychedelia & minimal wave electronica.
with tracks and excerpt by
intro: hototogisu
günther schickert / ash ra / can / holger czukay / ameel brecht / edgar wappenhalter / rodion g.a. / decades / harmonia / desolation wilderness / white rainbow / anadolu bayramiari / shimshon miel / silver pyre / cluster
outro: ES
for detailed tracklist write me
125 min.
by
the little dog laughed
joe le taxi