Simon Reynolds's recent piece on Ariel Pink has sent me in search of 80s and 90s Ethiopian pop videos, one of the many pieces in the Ariel Pink sonic puzzle. Totally fascinating article, which directed me among other places to DireTube, Ethiopia's version of Youtube. Treat yourself and spend some time perusing the "Ethiopian Oldies" section. Pretty much every video is great, but here are some of my faves.
Speaking of Ariel Pink: I was thinking that Requiem-era Arthur Brown and basically everything on Martin Newell's Songs for a Fallow Land would round out an Ariel Pink pre-history mixtape really well. Brown's "Falling Up" sounds like it is straight out of Before Today. Sleazy and poppy!
Hey Ben - I know you probably follow Awesome Tapes From Africa but this album of Ethiopian oldies is great:
ReplyDeleteAster Aweke
woah thanks, looks cool. i should really read that blog more often.
ReplyDelete!!! good record!
ReplyDeleteNice! Love the super-fx-loaden bass or guitar in the Gelaye clip (maybe Electro Harmonix Microsynth).
ReplyDeleteYou probably also tried to find Aster Aweke clips after bs' tip and stumbled upon this clip which is late and cheesy but could be a prime sample source for a hypnagogic album in full worn-VHS glory (cliché, I know, sorry): http://www.diretube.com/aster-aweke/yene-welela-video_ed624e182.html
Interesting article by Reynolds as well.
ha ha, TOTALLY hypnagogic
ReplyDeleteWow, Ben. Again. This post has sent me running around in several directions. Thanks bs for that Aster Link. So great! Awesome Tapes from Africa is so vast (and overwhelming) that I appreciate any recommendations. More to comment on, but I'll stop...
ReplyDeleteThe other Awesome Tape I've been listening to a lot is this one by Francis Bebey. It's not like Aster Aweke but it's beautiful.
ReplyDeletecool, this looks rad. i don't think i've heard it. i like the bebey album called pygmy love song. also this is really cool:
ReplyDeletehttp://waxidermy.com/francis-bebey-un-petit-ivoirien/
Nice blog
ReplyDelete