I am on a binge, listening to tons of Nigerian, Ugandan and Kenian music, and I am absolutely loving it. Why is this not playing on our (Western European) radio stations regularly?
Instead I have to regularly change stations because someone is trying to torture my ears with Ed Sheeran or similar BS. :(
I didn’t want to make this a link post, but some examples
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=berfPBaL0zg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0ArklhPZHI
or a whole compilation for Uganda:
Mdou Moctar has some of the best guitar riffs out there right now, IMO
I listened to his most recent album after my wife’s cousin mentioned that he had just seen Mdou Moctar live. I was blown away by that guitar. 10/10
Sounds pretty generic tbh.
And auto tuned
I love Fela Kuti’s music. A mix of African tradition and 70s jazz rock.
zombie is such a fucking banger. its depressing that the song was a reason fela’s mother got killed
Okay, Fela Kuti I did actually hear on the Radio plenty a decade ago - https://www1.wdr.de/radio/cosmo/index.html
Damon Albarn (Blur) went out to Africa in the late 90s iirc and recorded an album. I want to say its called Mali Music but its been 24 years… thats a great album too. All samples of folk musicians
I’m listening to African music like Kora, I discovered Toumani Diabaté and Balaké Sissoko, this is pretty cool, I really like it, it’s relaxing
Tbh it’s not just African music, I find it’s anything not Western. So many cool instruments that just aren’t used that commonly in the mainstream. I’ve been really enjoying a metal band called Bloodywood as they incorporate traditional Indian instruments and I’ve not heard anything like it before
I do occasionally hear Indian or Arabic or Chinese / Japanese music around… It’s just that until recently I hadn’t ever heard the present-day (central?) African pop songs that I stumbled upon and enjoyed. But yes, the western music world is too western-centric, but at the current state of the world, that’s not our biggest problem by far :/
Looked up Bloodywood (thanks for the recommendation!) and after a few songs got recommended this Māori thrash metal band, figured you might be interested too.
Thanks for reco, actually heard about Alien Weaponry first due to close proximity (I am Australian). A YouTuber called Steve Terreberry did a video reviewing a heap of culturally diverse bands that I should rewatch (it’s where I found Bloodywood) just be aware his persona is pretty grating and cringe and I can only tolerate in doses. https://youtu.be/USCB3pucSJU
I remember seeing that video recommended, though I generally ignore videos that have exaggerated expressions in their thumbnail. I guess I’ll give the video a watch, though the obvious answer is Sweden, which I say begrudgingly as a Norwegian.
If you’re based in the UK with nothing planned the weekend of the 23rd of June:… https://africaoye.com/
Unfortunately not in the UK, and hesitant about entering post-Brexit :/ Although anything close to Snowdonia is tempting ;) Definitely appreciate the tip!
I’m in the process of moving away for other reasons, but brexit had nearly no effect on visiting/entering the UK, so no need to worry about that.
They were never in schengen, so there were always border controls. Most of their border controls are automated, so it’s super smooth.
It’s wayyyyy easier than (for instance) entering the US (even as an American!)
It’s not like I’ve never been to the UK, I went there thrice, it’s just that I feel like boycotting isolationalism (is that a word?) - so as long as I have options, I stick to those countries that try to be open to the world around them. I wouldn’t dream of going to the US again - thanks to (social) media and other propaganda - that country is so torn apart, and what feels like anywhere between 20%-40% of people are driven by hatred - no thank you.
