MUSIC | Records
JAZZ & WORLD WORLD CHIMURENGA RENAISSANCE Girlz with Gunz EP (Glitterbeat) ●●●●●
Chimurenga Resistance are Tendai Maraire of experimental hip-hop crew Shabazz Palaces and guitarist Hussein Kalonji. Exploring their respective Zimbabwean and Congolese heritages, Maraire and Kalonji blend spaced-out electronics and leftfield R&B with elements of rumba, soukouss, Chimurenga and mbira. Heady, soulful and politicised, Girlz with Gunz opens up new frontiers in hip-hop's Afrodelic space programme. JAZZ DAVID S WARE Apogee – Birth of a Being [Expanded] (Aum Fidelity) ●●●●●
David S Ware, who died in 2012, was arguably the greatest American tenor saxophonist of his generation. Formed in the early 1970s, Apogee was his trio with pianist Cooper-Moore and drummer Marc Edwards. For the 1977 sessions collected here, the group brought its collective approach to improvisation to themes composed by Ware. The results are extraordinary, from the rousing gospel of 'Prayer' to the wilder shores of the two-part 'A Primary Piece'. Ware's thick tone packs an emotional punch, while his lines range from gorgeous lyricism to head-spinning abstraction. The previously unreleased material on disc two is equally great. JAZZ FIRE! She Sleeps, She Sleeps (Rune Grammofon) ●●●●●
Following the orchestral prog-jazz of 2014's Enter, Fire! has reverted to the core trio of Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin, with guest spots from Australian underground hero Oren Ambarchi and Swedish multi-instrumentalist Leo Svensson Sander. Fire! has always been more of a psych-rock group than a jazz outfit, with Gustafsson's saxophones a conduit for the sludgiest sonics this side of stoner rock legends Sleep. Fire! are at their best in this minimalist mode, working with texture and space to create a hypnotic set.
WORLD VARIOUS Soul Sok Séga: Séga Sounds from Mauritius 1973–79 (Strut) ●●●●●
Strut continues its excavation of Africa's psychedelic 70s with Soul Sok Séga, an intriguing compilation of funkified séga from Mauritius. A product of the island’s multicultural history, modern séga blends diverse African influences with Western jazz and pop. Highlights of this hugely enjoyable set include the cheeky creole pop of Claudio's 'Bhaï Aboo', the writhing synths and tightly coiled Meters funk of Ti L'Afrique's 'Soul Sock Séga' and the traditional hand drum rhythms of Marie Josée and Roger Clency's 'La Vie En Badinage'.
WORLD LUKA PRODUCTIONS Mali Kadi (Sahel Sounds) ●●●●●
With its autotune vocals, trap beats and bombastic synths, Mali Kadi, by Bamako producer and rapper Luka, might seem like the antithesis of rootsy world music. In truth, it's infused in West African tradition, with distorted baliphone samples dancing around intricate décalé rhythms. Ranging from melodic pop tunes to hyperspeed club bangers, Mali Kadi is a fantastically exciting introduction to the Bamako hip-hop scene. WORLD TISDASS Yamedan (Sahel Sounds) ●●●●●
TisDass' Yamedan is a highlight of the Sahel Sounds winter releases. A vehicle for the songwriting of former Group Bombino bassist Kildjate Moussa Albadé, TisDass might not radically reinvent the Tuareg rock sound, but they bring a driving, supple groove to the hook-laden likes of 'Emshin' and 'Ayatma', and some dazzling, almost psychedelic guitar work on the mesmeric 'Itwitassan'. Max Braun's unfussy production captures the band's kinetic energy, while leaving space for the dreamier textures. (All reviews by Stewart Smith) 76 THE LIST 4 Feb–7 Apr 2016
EXPOSURE
HOLY ESQUE
The Glasgow four-piece, brandish their muscular post-rock like a battering ram, but underneath they’re sensitive types; their debut album features songs about escape, yearning and grief. We caught up with them to talk about growing up in East Kilbride, how the internet helped them break out and the love/ hate legacy of lead singer Pat’s gravel-toned vocals
On recording their debut album The pure and rewarding experience of creating the songs; taking ideas, sounds, rhythms then applying them freely until something new is created is truly exciting to be involved in. Like playing live, it’s a very liberating thing. Sometimes energy just comes over you and you have to harness it and write something new. The least enjoyable aspect would be the financial turmoil and sheer difficulty of enjoying an economically stable band. We live in a society where money is a severe problem and that struggle is without doubt reverberated into the music industry.
On lead singer Pat’s voice When I began singing I wasn't aware of what went on, it took me years to learn how to even sing and following the beginning of the band, I was made aware over time. I suppose I am lucky, in a sense, as it is different, although the love/hate perspective is positive for me overall because opinions create conversation and, if everyone agreed, then things would be a little boring. On small town environments I think it's quite clear that coming from a northern British town there really is a great sense of yearning and a burning desire to escape. All of these places have an eternal grey tint that covers everything; a lack of opportunities and roads that only lead back to the start. Growing up in these towns drives creativity. It's the small town mentality that really eats at you.
On the internet We got our first experience of hype when we released our first demo online, years ago now. Without that platform we simply wouldn't be where we are now, in this moment, on the eve of our debut album. It really can be the catalyst and the spark required to push a band over the line or initially make the waves that they have to make. However, today we are spoiled and lucky. We have the whole world's music at our finger tips. We live in a society so accelerated and distracted that music can be easily discarded for newer music or totally different things. The modern artist and music industry's obsession with social media is slowly eating away at the whole thing. ■ Holy Esque’s debut album At Hope’s Ravine is released on Fri 26 Feb via Beyond the Frequency.