Day-Glow-Radio presents Around the World in 80 Minutes!

Here it is from me to you, another mixtape to listen to!

Day-Glow-Radio presents Around the World in 80 Minutes! 

1. (Afghanistan) Wai alâ Shâheshâbo jân alâ ~ Mohammad Rahim Khushnawaz 
2. (Brazil) Berimbau ~ DJ Sandrinho 
3. (China) Plum Blossom ~ Li Xiang-lan 
4. (Colombia) Salsa Na Ma ~ Fruko & Sus Tesos 
5. (Congo) Dibwe Diambula Kabanda (Marriage Song) ~ Les Troubadours Du Roi Baudouin 
6. (Cuba) Chan Chan ~ Buena Vista Social Club 
7. (Ethiopia) Muziqawi Silt ~ Wallias Band 
8. (France) La java bleue ~ Frehel 
9. (Ghana) Bukom Mashie ~ Oscar Sulley & The Uhuru Dance Band 
10. (Greece) O Filos ~ Stratos Gounakis 
11. (Hawaii) Lady Be Good ~ Sol Hoopii Trio 
12. (India) Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu~ Geeta Dutt 
13. (Iran) Mahur ~ Dariush Safvat & Bruno Caillat 
14. (Iraq) Palestinian ~ Ja'afar Hassan 
15. (Jamaica) The Weed (aka Man Pyabba) ~ Count Lasher with Lyn Taitt & The Baba Brooks Band 
16. (Macedonia) Siki, Siki Baba ~ Kocani Orkestar 
17. (Mali) Seya ~ Oumou Sangare 
18. (Nigeria) Ayamma ~ The Anambra Beats 
19. (Panama) Rocombey ~ Lord Cobra and Pana-Afro Sounds 
20. (Romania) Iest Sexy ~ Mahala Raï Banda 
21. (South Africa) Click Song ~ Miriam Makeba 
22. (Trinidad & Tobago) Black But Sweet ~ Wilmoth Houdini 
23. (Zaire) Brrlak! ~ Zap Mama 

DOWNLOAD IT HERE (94mb)

23 tracks, 23 countries, phew! I thought this would be a cool idea for a mixtape, simply cos I am obsessed by all sorts of musical styles but had never done this sort of compilation. It took ages to whittle it down to some of my favourites but there was time limit (this should hopefully fit on one CD if people want to burn it) 
Also, the one track per country rule proved fun, this makes it more interesting and varied I think. 

There are some very well known tracks in here, like Chan Chan and Siki, Siki Baba (which was propelled to popularity by the Borat soundtrack) but I tried to make it mostly pretty obscure stuff. I guess I was trying to emulate one of the compelling things that I love so much about discovering new music styles from around the world (call it ‘world’ music if you want to, although the term is sort of ridiculous; Until we start listening to some new genre of sound created by aliens, surely ALL music is ‘world’ music??). So sink your ears into pop songs from 1970s Iraq or voodoo boogie tunes from Trinidad. 
This mix is largely older vintage stuff with a nice crackly glow to it, but there is also some new stuff as well, such as Africa’s great diva Oumou Sangare’s new single, and DJ Sandrinho’s trademark baile funk anthem Berimbao (cos choosing bossa nova for Brasil would’ve been a bit obvious). 

And one track at least should be pretty much exclusive as well, unless by any chance you have ever eaten at Taverna Gounas in Rethymno, Crete. O Filos by Stratos Gounakis is from a CD I picked up while travelling in Greece. There was a beautiful little taverna near where I was staying that was run by a traditional family who had their own mini record label and instrument shop next door. Mum and the sisters cooked the amazing food while every night dad and his three sons played live for the diners. 
It was really tucked away and secret from all the overpriced neon dsiplays of TRADITIONAL ENGLISH PUB FOOD and blarring racket of current UK chart hits, thank goodness. So I hope you like my little postcard from Crete. 

Another track of interest is Wilmoth Houdini’s Black But Sweet, which surely must be one of the most prolifically sampled tunes in history. Used by Sabres of Paradise for their track Wilmot, and more recently by Gypsy dancefloor mashup-artist Shantel, who’s Balkan brass flavoured rendition has been remixed and reworked by dozens of DJs in the past two years, translating this little calypso tune into everything from hiphop, house and disco, to drum & bass, dubstep and even breakcore. Shantel’s version, entitled Bucovina, has become one of the flagship tunes of the recent Balkan music revival, despite it originially being from the West Indies. Which ever form it comes in, the hook is undeniably great, and Mr Houdini’s orignial has a gorgeous atmosphere to it. 

A personal favourite of mine is the rapturously upbeat Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu, which I think is a great example of classic Bollywood experimentation with western music styles. 
Any song which succesfully melds swing and rock & roll into a Hindi showtune has got to be worthy of a listen, and Geeta Dutt puts in one of the most vivacious and uplifting vocal performances I’ve heard in a bollywood song. Taken from the 1958 film Howrah Bridge (which I know almost nothing about, can’t find it anywhere). Here’s the Tarantino-esque poster though... 

Finally, I can't not mention the amazing Miriam Makeba, who was affectionately known as Mama Africa and made the South African tradition of Isicathamiya, or 'click' singing, famous throughout the world. She sadly died last year on stage in Italy, but will be remembered as one of the greatest voices of her continent.

~*~*~*~*~

I spent ages rearranging the tracklist trying different orders, like blending it from the slow tracks up into the faster funkier ones etc, but in the end i decided to list them in alphabetical order of country of origin, which means it’s quite random but it sort of works really well. It has a nice flow to it, rather than me just grouping similar styles together, the mix goes up and down in waves of different styles. I am very pleased, especially as I don’t think any of the tracks could have ended the mix quite like Zap Mama’s amazing a capella masterpiece Brrlak! (Which by the way used to be mine and my best friend’s alarm clock, and I can tell you there is nothing lovelier to be woken up by!) 

Enjoy!