Abstract Index Playlist - April 9/08

No podcast this week - it was fundraising, and those shows don't make for good repeat listening. Thank you very, very much to everyone who contributed, especially my advance donors. If you'd like to donate to CIUT you can do so here.

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Steel an’ Skin was composed of Africans and Carribeans in Britain bringing the sounds of African diasporic culture to young Britons of all ages to combat racism in the late 70s. Their mission is explicitly outlined by front man Peter Blackman on the incredible 35 minute DVD documentary included in this package. The doc is the main reason to buy this collection: grim streetscapes of British inner cities contrast with joyous scenes of little white kids jumping up and participating in the irresistible grooves.

As for the music, there’s one main reason to buy this: the superlative “Afro Punk Reggae (Dub)”. This smoking dub mix is basically LCD Soundsytem with steelpan – utterly contemporary despite having been recorded in 1979, and one of those magic tracks that gets everyone out on the floor. The other tunes are nice, especially a steelpan version of Sonny Okuson’s massive African reggae hit “Fire In Soweto” and the bonus track “Acid Rain” from 1984. Although the quantity of music is slight, the overall package is well worth buying.

This page contains a sample of Afro Punk Reggae (Dub)

afro punk reggae (dub) - steel an' skin (EM)
mere liye too bani - kazi arindam (sublime frequencies)
makaya and the rain - tommy meier (intakt)
koyaya - colin fisher/jean martin (barnyard)
you already are - brownout (freestyle)
GPS - randolph (still)
going places - kid creole and the coconuts (strut)
something wicked - rise ashen (no label)
innulamane - toumast (real world)
proletariado - dj dolores (crammed)
oshogbo - adam rudolph (justin time)
pluk a dub - amsterdam klezmer band (essay)
i shall be released - freddie mcgregor (studio one)
i don't need nobody killing me - ljx (no label)
the love illusion - ljx (no label)