Archive for the 'video' CategoryPage 8 of 15

Delhi 2 Dublin: Indian and Irish Fusion

published
on September 23, 2008
by
Sandra
in concert reviews, culture, dance, genres, music, and video
. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

This past weekend while at NonStop Banghra, a monthly dance party in San Francisco, I was introduced to a fusion of genres that left me positively breathless. I’ve always enjoyed various kinds of Indian dance music – everything from the cheesy but catchy sound of Bollywood musicals and the traditional cultural tunes to the more beat-driven hip hop and dub influenced club songs, and I was pretty sure I’d be a big fan of Banghra. And that I was. But, the highlight of the night was a performance by a group called Delhi 2 Dublin.

D2D “fuses the traditional sounds of tabla, dhol, fiddle, and sitar with cutting edge DJ aesthetics, to create a highly charged multi-cultural dance celebration.” Imagine the energy and cultural fervor of a huge Indian wedding party colliding with a bunch of drunken Irishmen dancing on a wooden table with fiddles! For a good overview of their sound and feel, check out their promo video below:

The most notable band member has to be Kytami. The little firecracker of a violinist not only fiddles faster than hell, but practically performs her own one-woman Stomp-esque sideshow. She is all over the place and her edgy vibe adds an interesting dimension to the makeup of the group.

I spoke to the band leader, Tarun, briefly at the end of the night. He was wearing a lion bandana and beaming with exhilaration. This guy really lives his life out loud. Tarun was born to a Punjabi father and a mother of Irish descent – hence, his fascination with fusing Irish and Indian sounds. He is a classically trained tabla player, a DJ, and a producer, and handles the tabla and electronics on stage.

Delhi 2 Dublin has created their own niche at the intersection of gritty hip hop and electronic beats, traditional Indian influences, and that raw Celtic sound that packs a punch – all of which make you want to get up and dance.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day – The Soundtrack

published
on September 19, 2008
by
Sandra
in film, music, remixing, and video
. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

At Peet’s Coffee this morning, the barista was wearing a shirt on his head like a bandana and was talking like a pirate. His co-workers did not seem amused. I thought it was quirky. But awesome! While the Pirates of the Caribbean movies brought pirate culture back into the mainstream, pirates have always been inherently cool. Who doesn’t love the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland, I mean come on.

A few hours later it hit me that today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! In honor of this very significant holiday, I’ve gathered some remixes for you. (Btw, if you are into remixing, you should click here.)

And finally…some bloopers:

Yo ho yo ho a pirate’s life for me! Arrr.

Thievery Corporation's New Album: Early Release on Facebook, iLike

published
on September 17, 2008
by
Sandra
in activism, culture, future of music, genres, music, politics, technology, video, and website
. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Given the current chaos in the music industry, bands must find new ways to promote their music. From musicians using Twitter to connect with fans or partnering with brands to cross promote, we are seeing more and more examples of non-traditional music promotion and distribution. The artists who are willing to take risks and think outside the box, with their art and with their careers, are the ones we here at Evolving Music are most interested in.

One such band is Thievery Corporation. In addition to being a refreshingly unique group that fuses together a plethora of genres and cultural sounds, they are not afraid to speak their minds. Sure, everyone likes a good mindless “bump ‘n’ grind” tune from time to time, but you gotta respect the artists who choose to use their music not just as entertainment, but as a way to communicate what they believe and are passionate about (as we’ve covered in previous posts about artists such as Immortal Technique and Bataka Squad.)

The DJ duo, comprised of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, hails from Washington DC, which “has long been the home of a music subculture legendary for fierce independence, a staunch do-it-yourself work ethic, and conscientious social activism.” They definitely practice what they preach. The organic multi-cultural sounds of dub, reggae, lounge, afrobeat and Indian music, to name a few, may catch your attention at first if you hear Thievery’s music at a neighborhood cafe or in a European nightclub. But, their uninhibited socio-political messages and passionate desire to open hearts and minds will keep you riveted.

Additionally, their diverse team of collaborators – singing in numerous languages, playing funky instruments, and each adding their own cultural thread to the musical quilt – give the band a truly unique sound. Not to mention their live shows, which can be pretty freakin amazing.

Photo by openeye

Their upcoming album, Radio Retaliation, purportedly takes their politicizing to a new level. According to Rob, “There’s no excuse for not speaking out at this point, with the suspension of habeas corpus, outsourced torture, illegal wars of aggression, fuel, food, and economic crises. It’s hard to close your eyes and sleep while the world is burning around you. If you are an artist, this is the most essential time to speak up.”

If you are on Facebook or iLike you’ll be able to stream Thievery Corporation’s new album on September 19th, before its official release on September 23rd. This is the first time the two social networking giants have ever worked together to promote an album.

Given that this album is particularly focused on the band’s disgust with the current state of American media, their decision to skip the middle man and go straight to their fans via the internet is appropriate, both for them personally and for the industry as a whole. According to Hilton, “We chose iLike as the platform to debut this record because it offers us a direct vehicle to share our music and communicate with fans worldwide, free from editorializing or whitewashing of our messages.”

For the fans among you, or those interested in gaining further insight into the artists and their message, keep your eyes out for a series of videos in which they introduce and discuss the album, which will be available exclusively on iLike. In the meantime, check out the title track on their MySpace.

To quote Rob Garza once more, “… if you can get people to question the things around them, just a little, then that’s not such a bad thing.”

On that note, here’s the title track from their 2002 “Richest Man in Babylon” album:

MixMatchMusic: Now Open to the Public

published
on September 8, 2008
by
Sandra
in collaboration, culture, DIY, future of music, music, music business, startups, technology, and video
. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

As ACtual mentioned earlier, this morning MixMatchMusic officially launched at DEMOfall ’08. Yes. We are now live. Public beta is up and running and ready for your music!

DEMO, the “launchpad for emerging technology”, is a big deal for those of us who reside in StartUpVille and we are excited to be among those represented at an event of this caliber. Video from all the presentations will be available here. Also, check out some of the initial photos on Flickr.

For those of you who are not totally dialed in to the MixMatch magic yet, check out the press release and see our About MixMatchMusic video:

You can also find this video, as well as the separate chapters of it, on MySpace, on the site, and on Facebook. Feel free to spread the word to anyone and everyone who loves emerging technology, music, and social media, and wants to help DIY and indie musicians to revolutionize the music industry.

Check out what people are saying over at CNET and Wired. You can also go to our Press Room for recent coverage.

Thanks to everyone for their enthusiasm and support. We are elated to have come this far and can’t wait to see what the future brings. For all you musicians out there, roll up your sleeves, get out your instruments, start recording and show us what you got! Non-musicians, come explore the community, discover great new music, and even make music (without knowing how to play an instrument).

A big thanks also to all our ambassadors and evangelists who spread the MixMatch love like it’s nobody’s business. Join the social music movement and help us get the word out to the people who need these tools by digging, posting, twittering, bookmarking, linking, emailing, texting or whatever your preferred social media methods are. Or for the more old fashioned among you carrier pigeons, smoke signals, bat signals, handwritten letters and what not.

The industry revolution starts now. Brace yourselves.

International Music Spotlight: Japanese Reggae

published
on August 13, 2008
by
Sandra
in culture, dance, genres, music, music history, and video
. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

The first entry in our international music spotlight series focused on Ugandan hip hop. Today we head east to explore Japanese reggae. Numerous sub-genres of reggae have a presence is Japan, though dancehall is arguable the most popular – perhaps due to the erotic nature of the accompanying dance moves? Try googling “Japanese dancehall”. Woah. Anyway. The focus here will simply be on reggae in Japan.

Here’s a little taste: Pang. (Now there’s a girl that looks good with a shaved head.)

Many are surprised to learn that there is a reggae scene in Japan at all. From what I’ve found, the big names seem to include the following: Rankin Taxi, Ackee & Saltfish, Pushim, Ryo The Skywalker, Mighty Crown, Megaryu, Lecca, and DJ Tokiyas.

Megaryu is one of my favorites. Check out this song. There’s something about it that reminds me of a Los Pericos song, Pupilas Lejanas…perhaps it’s the juxtaposition of a sad, sort of soaring melody filled with melancholy (at least that’s the emotion that I get from it without actually understanding the words) against a light, simple reggae beat.

According to the Rastafari Wikipedia page: “A small but devoted Rasta community developed in Japan in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Rasta shops selling natural foods, Reggae recordings, and other Rasta-related items sprang up in Tokyo, Osaka, and other cities. For several years, “Japan Splashes” or open-air Reggae concerts were held in various locations throughout Japan.”

In recent years, dancehall reggae has emerged as the dominant form of reggae in Japan. One might wonder why that particular subgenre has risen to the top. What is it about dancehall that appeals to its fans in Japan? Do the faster-paced, more flashy, less political/religious facets of dancehall resonate more closely with Japanese culture? Or just with a subset of energetic Japanese youth?

Perhaps Blake More can shed some light on these questions with his unique dissection of the culture, Jamming in Jah Pan.