Abstract Index Playlist - March 14/07

Over two years in the making, Soundway's latest labour of love "Colombia! The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes - The Powerhouse of Colombian Music 1960-76" (whew! That title is almost tl, dr) is finally available. Miles Cleret has really outdone himself here - and I haven't even peeped the liner notes yet which detail the full history of the venerable Discos Fuentes label.

Soundway releases are getting less funky. I mean that in the best possible way. Every disc contains at least a half dozen floor fillers, but it's not always those that feature a breakbeat that do the trick. Cleret has a knack for finding tunes with the right kind of rhythm vs. bass separation which plays out well on a large PA. The rhythms are rough and rugged cumbias, New York and Cuban flavoured salsa and more regional styles. They sheer abandon of these sides should entice anyone with any sense of rhythm. One would be tempted to say that the sound is altogether rougher than NY at the time - but I'm not going to start an international incident here. That debate involves too much music and too many variables...

I heard the licensing took some time. Discos Fuentes has been around since 1934, and well... you know how major labels can be.... Maybe they wondered what the hell was going on when permission was asked for some of these obscure tracks. However it worked out - best case scenario: there's much, much more to come - I'm sure both parties will be satisfied with the result.

Bonus: though I haven't seen the liner notes, apparently they provide a comprehensive history of DF.

tausenadelwind - reuber (staubgold)

medicine hat - menage a un (high mayhem)

do it - brotherhood of breath (fledg'ling)

moonstruck - malone barnes and spontaneous simplicity (luv n' haight)

jim na go waay - mr. something something (world)

refazenda - gilberto gil (WEA)

cantoria - quarteto em cy (odeon-EMI)

hotel des estrelas - gal costa (EMI)

last tango in paris - willie rosario (fania)

mestizos - luis ochoa & cimarron (cubanmusic)

malawoo - africando (sterns)

salsa na ma - fruko y sus tesos (soundway)

bra - cymande (collectibles)

tamatant tilay - tinariwen (outside)

skunkaliscious - zeb (wonderwheel)

insane abduction - almamegretta (interchill)

drongo dub - highvisators (jarring effects)

reference guide to all the available light - once 11 (the agriculture)