Bossa Blog

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan passed away 10 years ago but was and is still very much considered to be the greatest Qawwal in the world; not only recognized as a legend in his native Pakistan he also took his musical messages of peace, love and spirituality to the international stage, earning him the title of Pakistan's premier ambassador of Qawwali music.

With Dub Qawwali, London-based producer/artist Gaudi unites one of world's most revered voices with his modern production and dub remix style. The album blends organic and digital dub stylings with original vocals from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The result is a moving body of work that respectfully brings Khan's Qawwali songs together with Jamaican dub via superb 21st century studio techniques.

The use of vintage analogue studio equipment and dub production techniques such as tape echoes, valve amps, Fender Rhodes, spring reverbs, Hammond organ and Moog, characterizes Gaudi's production style, but on Dub Qawwali he revives Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's vocals in a truly distinctive fashion – a vital accomplishment given Khan's stature. The legendary Pakistani artist has inspired the likes of Peter Gabriel, Michael Brook and Eddie Vedder and is in the Guinness Book of Records for having the world's largest recorded output by a Qawwali artist — a total of 125 albums.

Posted by Mike at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Billie Holiday's Remixed & Reimagined showcases the 20th century's preeminent jazz vocalist - and also one of the most important female artists of all time - as never heard before. The latest installment of this critically-acclaimed series, Billy Holiday's most heartfelt vintage master-tape performances were selected and bestowed upon some of the most well know and current remixers and producers of this day, including DJ Logic, Tony Humphries, Nickodemus, Charles Feelgood, Swingsett, Jazzy Nice, and Organica.

The result of these two worlds colliding is a heart-stopping manifesto old world rhythm and poetry mixed with some of today's best beats and technology.

Posted by Mike at 09:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Secret Stealth has been creating some of the smoothest beats in the UK since the band formed in 2004. Their debut release 'Ssshhh!' was a multi-layered record laced with everything from instrumental hip-hop beats to warm acid house. The following year they followed it up with their second release ' Mince & Onions'. Both records were not released in the US, but now they've taken some of the best songs from both albums and put them on their US debut album 'Hooked on You'. With their latest release Secret Stealth are all over the place. From songs that sound like the Ohio Players to four on the floor dance numbers all the way to drum & bass. With this album you're going to get everything from house, to funk, to soul and beyond. Sounds like they're covering all their bases with something for everyone.

Posted by Mike at 02:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Goodbye is the last in the trilogy of Ulrich Schnauss' works that also include, "Far Away Trains Passing By" (2001) and "A Strangely Isolated Place" (2003). It was A Strangley Isolated Place that cemented Ulrich's place among the elite electronic artists. The latter album combined the early 90s' Creation Records and 4AD sound of pioneering acts like Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine & Cocteau Twins with modern electronic tapestries.

Schnauss' third album, Goodbye, marks the first new release on Domino. It's also the end of a chapter in his sound. Gone are the textural, chanting choruses Schnauss used in his previous albums instead on 'Goodbye" he uses more overt vocals totally submersed in effects and layers of delay. The ambient tracks are more spacious, the songs more memorable and the multi-layered, guitar-heavy tracks more ragingly psychedelic. At times it seems that there are over 100 different audio tracks playing simultaneously. No wonder Goodbye took three solid years to make.

Posted by Mike at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On Fire In The Youth, the B-Side Players explore the multifaceted grooves of Latin America and the Caribbean, incorporating the sounds of Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico and Brazil with the funk, rock, jazz and hip-hop rhythms of the States. Fire In The Youth was produced by the band with the help of Quetzal Flores, leader of the Los Angeles band Quetzal, another group with a wide-ranging style based in the Latin American continuum. Quetzal performed all the guitar tracks on the record and his eclectic arrangements helped polish the band's Latin, Mexican, Cuban, Funk and Rock vibe. He also brought a folkloric feel to some of the tracks with his knowledge of Jarocho (a syncopated Afro/Spanish style from Vera Cruz, Mexico) and Bajo Sexto (a 12 string instrument with a sound somewhere between 12-string guitar and acoustic bass.) The whole album was recorded in 10 days, live in the studio.

Posted by Mike at 01:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reggae legend Bob Marley is being reintroduced to a new generation with remixes of some of his older Roots Reggae tracks. Today’s hottest producers –including Afrodisiac Sound System, Jimpster (Jamie Odell), Yes King (Rhys Adams & Mark Rae), Trio Elétrico (Boozoo Bajou), Fort Knox Five and DJ Spooky have remixed a dozen of Marley's cherished roots songs.

Roots, Rock, Remixed balances that fine line of being respectful to the inimitable artist Marely was, even while using the bass-heavy, digital technologies available to us today. Nothing of the gorgeous, analog originals (including classics like “One Love,” “Trenchtown Rock,” and “Lively Up Yourself”) is lost in translation.

Posted by Mike at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ojos de Brujos' groundbreaking fusion of flamenco, rumba and hip-hop has brought them acclaim as one of the most exciting new bands to come out of Spain in years. On the Techari Remixes, tracks from their latest release are taken into exciting new directions by a host of global sonic innovators. Remixers include, Asian Underground pioneer Nitin Sawhney, UK drum n' bass heroes London Elektricity, Afro-Peruvian groovemeisters Novalima, Ojos' own DJ Panko and many others.

Posted by Mike at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Following the success of last year’s Mexican Institute of Sound (MIS) debut ‘Méjico Máxico’, MIS is back with “Piñata” (out July 24th on Nacional Records), an infectious mix of electronica, dub, cha cha cha, cumbia, spoken word and other musical treats. The new album features a number of guests including members of Tom Tom Club, Cornelius, and Babasonicos. In the past year, MIS has received widespread acclaim from outlets like Spin, NY Times, and Urb, as well as radio support from such tastemakers as Area54 - 94/7fm (Portland), Indie 103 (Los Angeles), KEXP (Seattle) and KUT (Austin). MIS’ music has also been featured in other projects including a recent episode of ABC’s hit sitcom “Ugly Betty”, Dos Equis’ national advertising campaign, multiple soundtracks, and the upcoming EA Games release ‘FIFA 2008.’

Camilo Lara is the one-man dynamo behind Mexican Institute of Sound. Hailing from Mexico City, Lara channels his inner rockstar, while holding down a day job as head of a major label. When his day job's done, Lara steps out of his executive alter ego, gets involved with the underground musica movement and begins his musical mission delivering electronic masterpieces with only the help of his computer, his nurturing imagination, and his awesome collection of vinyl.

Piñata continues the vision established by MIS’ debut album, Méjico Máxico, as a carefully constructed collage of musical influences that combine to reflect Lara’s unique impression of life in bustling Mexico City.

Posted by Mike at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)