Abstract Index Playlist - March 3/10

Finders Keepers seems to be doing for the Middle East what Vampisoul has done with the Spanish diaspora: looking for modern musical hybrids of the 60s and 70s, some of which are beloved, others forgotten.

Admittedly lumping Turkish, Pakistani and Iranian music into one "Middle East" (how about West Asia?) catchall is dubious, but the liner notes of Pomegranates lean towards grouping musical commonalities together. The term "Global South" is posited - an interesting notion, which doesn't totally hold up, considering Korean psych is thrown into the analysis, and could hardly be described as a Southern nation. But even if the term is suspect, the sentiment is not.

I'm no expert on Persian culture, but the liners trace a pattern familiar to fans of much global psychedelia: indigenous musical tradtion + baby boom + electric instruments + urbanization + Westernization borne by petrodollars = wikkid psych grooves! These factors are remarkably similar to the liner notes of otherwise culturally unrelated comps like The Roots Of Chicha.

Listening to this disc, I'm amazed not only at the American/British influences, but those from India and (West) Africa as well - Zia's "Kofriam" played very well with the clutch of new Soundway reissues with which I started the show. As always, I am grateful for the considerable effort that's gone into the whole package - as much as I love discovering music through blogs, a well curated compilation which explores universal and specific themes is still something to be treasured. Now I finally know what the fuss is all about over Googoosh!

Podcast

kofriam - zia (finders keepers)
motako - fidel sax and the voices of darkness (soundway)
otachikpopo - bongos ikwue & the groovies (soundway)
agbara - souljazz orchestra (strut)
m'ma love - alpha yaya diallo (jericho beach)
wave - angelite & huun huur tu (shanachie)
deepulese zonicus - the unireverse (total zero)
damaged - benzene (drip audio)
there is wind - brain damage feat black sifichi (jarring effects)
ice storm - andy milne & benoit delbecq (songlines)
high - elizabeth shepherd (do right)
five days a week - victor uwaifo & the titibitis (phonogram)
bye bye bye - clarendonians (pressure sounds)
last dance - al campbell (17 north parade)
rudie can't fail - dubcats (rudie can't fail)
higher dub - bush chemists (conscious sounds)
good enough pt 2 - noiseshaper (efa)