Abstract Index Playlist - May 2/07

Sorry for the absence, but I've been way too busy lately. Here are a couple of album reviews related to show content in the last couple of weeks.

The highlight of this show was somehow managing to play "Don't Touch My Sad Soul" and "Don't Chain My Soul" back to back. But my favourite track was by Fanfare Ciocarlia.

One of the best Balkan Brass bands, they have upped their profile recently by recording with A Hawk And A Hacksaw. Queens and Kings furthers their fusion while staying true to their roots, resulting in their best and slickest work to date. The production fascinating; there's a thick coating of reverb over just about everything. But somehow, the bombast works. This album endeavours to fuse two offshoots of Gypsy culture: Gitane guitars and Balkan brass. These days the Gipsy Kings are best known as a bookshelf speaker staple of bistros and cafes, but the sound is put into fresh context here. At best, as on the superb "Cuando Tu Volveras" from this show, the flamenco and brass impulses are seamless. The guitars weave an atmospheric pattern around the bubbling tubas and euphoniums, and the whole is driven by a rock solid reggaeton backbeat - this worldbeat in its best sense. On the other hand, their version of "Born To Be Wild" is worldbeat at its worst. About 2/3 of this disc is excellent stuff.

funky not stinky - organic grooves (codek)
watanzania watu wa amani - achigo band (limitless sky)
satchelaise - mice parade (fat cat)
rozadi rezadu - tcheka (times square)
one heaven - rise ashen (indie)
vodou - schneider tm (city slang)
cuando tu volveras - fanfare ciocarlia (asphalt tango)
red bula - mahala rai banda (crammed)
degmen benim gamli yasli gonlume/don't touch my sad soul - edip akbayram (shadoks)
don't chain my soul - carlton basco (perfect toy)
main road - evergreen club gamelan ensemble (artifact)
straight psyche - amon tobin (ninja tune)
slowjob - gel-sol (upstairs)
isulamea - isula (tandem)
canberra... come in - the red eyes (echo forest)
version galore - love trio & u roy (nublu)
think (about it) - the lions (ubiquity)
funky nassau - juju orchestra (agogo)
opportunity rock - big youth (shanachie)
very well (dub) - wailing souls (island)