Abstract Index Playlist - April 16/08

Unearthed from Belgium, after being buried for close to 40 years, it's the Free Pop Electronic Experience.

For starters, I think I'll quote popsike.com: "STEREOLAB HAVE THIS RECORD 100% SURE......". It leans heavily on a Cannonball Adderley type soul jazz sound, but with that competent anonymity which makes the library records both sterile and more bizarre. But with much longer songs - peaking at nearly 15 minutes - the Free Pops do get to indulge all their Blood Sweat and Tears fixations. As for the claims of free jazz... not so much. Perhaps more in spirit. Then there's the electronics of Arsen Souffiau. Recorded at the only electronic music studio in Belgium, the treatments aren't pitch-based, it's pure electronic synthesis. Richly textured frequency swoops and tape delayed, slingshot-like effects are everywhere. I suppose that's the free jazz element to it all, as the electronics are a bit of a parallel track to the band. But it all adds up to a pretty good trip and as a bonus, Vampisoul has done well with the mastering for a change.

Hour 1 podcast
Hour 2 podcast

fatouma - abdel hadi halo (honest jons)
baly mash ghoul - hossam ramzy (arc)
kaba apocalyptica - fanfara tirana (piranha)
mevea k - max pashm (eastblok)
we're through - james pants (stones throw)
cosmos rhythms - free pop electronic concept (vampisoul)
love affair - s-job movement (soundway)
tuguchili elia - umalali collective (cumbancha)
moonstruck - malone barnes and spontaneous simplicity (luv n' haight)
no one like you - al green (blue note)
gossip - cyril neville (soul jazz)
tuff love - galactic feat. trombone shorty (anti)
modul 42 - nik bartsch ronin (ecm)
njulli/fulani journey - afrissippi feat. john sinclair (no label)
which way to domino's? - jean martin/evan shaw (barnyard)
crows - jukali vs. badawi (roir)
charlie - cafe neon (station 55)
ayatollah - jackie mittoo (basic replay)
fully charged - souljah fire (love empire entertainment)
nice up the session version - king culture (basic replay)
wicked dub - the revolutionaries (trojan)
great guga muga - sound dimension (soul jazz)
can't you see - slim smith (sonic sounds)