88Nine Radio Milwaukee

Sound Travels Radio: Sunday Jan. 5, 2020

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Every Sunday night, Sound Travels Radio is your trip to a different world of global music — a world where the past merges into the present and presents visions of the future of world music.

Here’s where this week’s episode took us.

Elite Beat “Sports Radio”

Elite Beat is a musical collective from Portland, Ore. whose all-instrumental sound is a genre-less though leans on Ethio-jazz, Black Ark dubbiness, Exotica, Malian blues and even Haight-Ashbury in the summer of love vibey-ness. Packed full of DIY dub mixing, cosmic orchestration and raw, percussion driven polyrhythms, Elite Beat are an easy listen without being “easy listening.”

Hassle “Make Ya Mouth Run”

U.K. dub outfitters Hassle have supported such reggae greats as Jah Shaka, Toots and The Maytals, Alton Ellis, Bob Andy and Macka B as well as forging their own originals. Their sound is pretty fresh, leaning ’70s dub sounds complete with old-school techniques like recording to tape and dubbed proper with tape delays from the King Tubby school of dub.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Ol_2dHU9s

islandman “Dimitro”

islandman is a project born from the musical dreams of Istanbul based musician/producer Tolga Boyuk, Islandman represents a fiction character, a music persona, a dreamer composing the stories of a non-existing place…

islandman performs on stage as an electro-acoustic live trio format. Their music can be described as a unique mix of mellow electronic structures and dance beats with spacey live guitars, backed up by shamanic rhythms. “Dimitro,” with its Balkan style horns and dubbed out vibes is a fantasy I’m willing indulge in.

Perota Chingo and Chancha Via Circuito “Reverdecer (Remix)”

Apparently, Perota Chingo are pretty big in their native Argentina and have been dubbed “the next big thing.” Perota Chingo’s music is a compendium of styles, not just of Latin American music, but of the entire planet. Due to the varied origin of the instrumentalists and the willingness of the group to encompass all types of sounds, in a concert of Perota Chingo it can be heard from samba rhythms to reggae tones, through all the traditional music accents from the Southern Cone. Electro cumbia pioneer Chancha Via Circuito dresses this cut up with his unique vibes.

Savila “Fantasia”

MITU “Tandem”

Mitú is the electronic music duo of Julian Salazar, ex-guitarist of Bogota’s psychedelic cumbia band Bomba Estereo, and Franklin Tejedor, a master percussionist of Palenque’s great rhythmic traditions. Salazar builds dynamic and dance-inducing layers of sound on synthesizers and drum machines which Tejedor matches with the alegre drum and occasional vocal improvisations in Palenquero, to create pulsing slabs of shimmering electronica driven by insistent roots rhythms. The analogue electro sounds are generated live, without the use of pre-programmed sequences from a computer, giving the musicians space for spontaneous interaction with each other and the audience.

Novalima “Paso a Huella (Captain Planet Remix)”

Weste “Ficcionar”

Weste’s music poses an idiosyncratic journey between Buenos Aires and Montevideo, but with a contemporary and global imprint. Exploring the dialogue between different kinds of folklore, electronics and acoustic experimentation their sound seems to elude genre classification all together.

SAN CHA “Levanta Dolores”

Tropa Magica “Misirlou”

A band to watch out of East-L.A.’s vibrant cumbia scene. A side note: Surf-cumbia needs to become a thing in 2020.

Raymix & Juanes “Oye Mujer”

MULA “Y Ahora”

MULA is the union of three girls from the Dominican Republic who fuse electronic music with Caribbean rhythms. Since its formation in 2015, they have released two albums and traveled through 12 countries taking their futuristic Caribbean to some of the most renowned festivals in Latin America and Europe. “Y Ahora,” is about post-breakup creeping, finding that your former lover is doing just fine without you.

Burna Boy “Money Play”

Though he’s been making music for most of this decade, the Nigerian pop star Burna Boy truly caught fire in 2019 with his fourth album, “African Giant.” And in fit form he’s already back it it with a new single called “Money Play.”

“I’m highlighting the importance of moving with the ‘cheese’ at all times,” he said in a press release. “‘No dey carry money play’ is a word of advice/stern warning to never lose the hustle mentality.”

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba “Ben Kadi (Jose Marquez Remix)”

Diaspora Sounds | Sound Travels Sept. 22, 2019

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The Sound Travels Radio selections this weekend were from many places, but all of them with an African connection. Even when the material was vintage, it nevertheless sprung from re-print only re-issued recently as well as new compilations of sounds not in wide circulation. Excellent new Afrobeat from Kaleta & Super Yamba Band, Jidenna takes I-85 all the way to Africa and Brazilian legend Elza Soares scores on a new Afrobeat gem. Plus, Malagasy music from Madagascar, Ethio jazz, Afro-Cuban electro and much more…

“My Thing”
El-Jay Burner

2
“Vaporiza”
Jidenna

3
“Mr. Diva”
Kaleta & Super Yamba Band

4
“Mam Yinne Wa”
Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy

5
“Alteleyeshegnem”
Alemayehu Eshete

6
“Andosy Mora”
Jean Kely et Basth

7
“Izahay Mpamita”
Mahaleo

8
“Curimao”
Fernando Falcao

9
“Libertacao”
Elza Soares & BaianaSystem

10
“Oggun Onile”
Afrosideral & Kumar Sublevao

11
“Oxum”
Ley Line

12
“Yeanoh (Cervo Edit)”
Kondi Band

13
“Yamina Sisi Mansour (Moving Still Edit)”
Cheba Yamina

Recapping the best of the 2019 Los Dells festival

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Los Dells. Perhaps the biggest Latinx music festival in the US-of-A may have wrapped up a couple of weeks ago but thankfully, 88Nine had some boots on the ground to gather evidence of its greatness. Unfortunately, I missed it; I was on a different mission, gathering new sounds from the Iberian peninsula for a future Sound Travels episode. Fortunately, Kenny Perez, Jordan Lee and our in-house photographers Gabriella Cisneros and Amelinda Burich were on hand to document, interview and see the spectacle — and they left me some good stuff to share.

In this episode of Sound Travels Radio, Kenny and I talk about Los Dells and share some snippets from artists we got to know a little better. Artists like El Fantasma, Kat Dahlia, Y La Bamba, Ambar Lucid and Salt Cathedral were kind enough to share and I’m’a pass it along…

Pump yourself up for Los Dells 2019 with this Sound Travels playlist

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Don’t look now, but Wisconsin is staking its own claim on the Latin music scene as Los Dells returns to the Wisconsin Dells for another two-day power play in support of the claim that it’s one of the best Latin music festivals in the nation. Though it may not have the same profile as Coachella, it does boast a very expansive and diverse lineup of Latin music in its many forms. For lovers of global sounds and Latin music, the long Labor Day weekend is a perfect time to make a late summer getaway to Wisconsin’s lake country.

Los Dells Festival: Music + Art + Food + Camping

When: Aug. 31-Sept. 1

Where: Wisconsin Dells

This year’s headliners are reggaeton superstar Ozuna and rap star Logic. Ozuna writes hits (43 in the last year alone!) and is YouTube’s most-watched artist globally. Logic, a name you probably already know, has had a number one album for three years running. The undercard is as deep as it is interesting with vallenato and cumbia-pop musician Carlos Vives as well as must-see Mexican rockers Café Tacvba and rising Puerto Rican reggaeton-trap artist Farruko.

Los Dells Festival has such an eclectic roster of artists that reflect Latin culture; from trap to rap and regional Mexican (El Fantasma), from rock and Latin alternative (Café Tacvba, Los Walters, Natalia Lafourcade, Quitapenas) to vallenato, reggaeton (Ozuna, Farruko) and merengue (Elvis Crespo), and from pop music (Sebastian Yatra, Jessie Reyez, Jesse & Joy, Salt Cathedral) to R&B and soul to reggae (Gondwana). There really is something for everybody.

Situated on 1,500 acres in Mauston, Wis., Los Dells picked a pretty spot to post its tents and is a close shot to all the other family-friendly fun the Wisconsin Dells has to offer. For my money however, I wouldn’t skip Los Dells which boasts some of Latin music’s biggest names in urban, regional Mexican and alternative sounds. The three-stage festival takes place in the middle of the forest and is the only Latin festival in North America that offers full camping capacity (showers, restrooms, convenience store, security).

Pump yourself up for this year’s festival with this playlist of featured performers.

2019 Lineup:

Ozuna

Logic

Carlos Vives

El Fantasma

Café Tacvba

Farruko

Sebastian Yatra

Natalia Lafourcade

Banda Los Sebastianes

Kiana Ledé

Lunay 

Jesse & Joy

T3R Elemento

Adriel Favela

Ximena Sariñana

Fuego

Kat Dahlia

Inner Wave

Siddhartha

Ambar Lucid

Y La Bamba

Quitapenas

Los Walters

Duki

PJ Sin Suela

Gondwana

Inner Wave

Salt Cathedral

Coast City

Domino Saints

Comisario Pantera

Katsu Oso

Sound Travels Radio #467 | June 23, 2019

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Checking out the new global sound this week with Major Lazer and Anitta, Buju Banton, La Yegros and Femina to name just a few…

Tracklisting:

VAR “Jah Love”

Buju Banton “Country For Sale”

King Kong “Pree The Money”

Jr. Trinity Brammer “Cool Out Son”

The Movement “Diamond”

Marlon Asher “Healing”

La Yegros “Linda la Cumbia”

Zicario 3D “Puchakay”

Nacion Ekeko “Lago Hermoso”

Mestre Anderson Miguel “No Hoje e na Hora”

Femina “Arriba”

Fillipi & Rodrigo “Minas”

Major Lazer “Make it Hot w/ Anitta”

PEDRO “Rapazes

Sound Travels Radio #466 | June 16, 2019

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The week that was featured a bevy of new releases from global artists all over the world. Starting with some classic reggae, we explored new releases from Khruangbin and Claude Fontaine. A badass tune from iLe (Residente of Calle 13’s little sister), plus other indie Latino gems from Mateo Kingman and Chancha Via Circuito. Cool South African neo-soul from Seba Kaapstad and more typical house vibes from DJ Maphorisaand Kabza de Small. Merengue gets a crucial reboot from Vicente Garcia and brand new stuff from afro-beats star Burna Boy.

Check it out below.

Sound Travels #465 | May 12, 2019

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Lila Downs
facebook.com/liladownsofficial Lila Downs

Balearic beats and vintage reggae, here’s today’s Sound Travels mix

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Musical artist Claude Fontaine, an “American girl with a French name,” as heard on Sound Travels Radio.

Introducing the folkloric EDM of the rising eléctrica selvática genre

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Matanza

I certainly dig the new eléctrica selvática sounds. Nicola Cruz and Matanza are two who do it a high degree of dopeness.

We also played Mayra Andrade, whois taking Cesaria Evora’s Cape Verdean morna into the future (and it’s bright).

I can’t wait till Mdou Moctar brings his Saharan rock to The Cooperage this April, and I have been a supporter since his earliest endeavors and his show here last year was dope, so I’m hype.

We also played Kel Assouf, another outfit from the same sands as Moctar. And the new album from Ammar 808 ingenue Sofyann Ben Youssef’s rootsy side is some next level desert rock.

Then we move on to Inland Empire outfit Yanga and DJ Subversivo‘s remix swung the vibe Afro-Colombian on a pair of songs that I think are bullerengue and the close out was Angolan. We got in some Pat Kalla, then Bras Firmino closes with an upbeat song that I’ve loved for years. Enjoy…

The unforgettable funk of ’70s and ’80s Japanese City Pop

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As a child of the ’80s, this sound is right up my alley and aligns well with the ’80s R&B, yacht rock and disco that I grew up with. My selections for this show range from some interesting points of that era in Japan, to standout cuts from some of the sound’s pioneers.

Tatsuro Yamashita Best Pack

Tatsuro Yamashita on the album art for his album, “Best Pack”

Tatsuro Yamashita and Haruomi Hosono are like the godfathers of City Pop and they both get spins here. Others, like singers Ruhriko Ogami and Miharu Koshi, fit well in the mix with their sun-drenched disco soul. Take a listen and discover a world not many remember…

Playlist

1. “Hotel Malabar Ground Floor…Triangle Circuit On The Sea-Forest” – Haruomi Hosono

2. “Shinzo No Tobira” – Mariah

3.”Looking For You” – Ryo Kawasaki

4. “Long Time Before You Were Born” – Ryo Kawasaki

5. “Uragiri” – Mari Natsuki

6. “Barato Yajuu” – Haruomi Hosono

7. “Keep On Dancin'” – Miharu Koshi

8. “Fuwari Fuwa Fuwa” – Ruhriko Ogami

9. “Plastic Love” – Mariya Takeuchi

10. “Yellow Cab” – Tatsuro Yamashita

11. “Night Together” – Yuji Toriyama & Ken Morimura

12. “Love Talkin'” – Tatsuro Yamashita

13. “Tuxedo Connection” – Hitomi Tohyama

14. “Fatback Ohno” – Shunzo Ohno

15. “Shiny Lady” – Hiroshi Sato

16. “Colored Music” – Colored Music

17. “Love Shower” – Minako Yoshida