Alla Pugacheva- How Disturbing Is This Way

How awesome is the Soviet Dali deal on the album cover. Alla is a Russian superstar- her career started in Siberia, she's had a string of inappropriately young and careerist husbands, she's a judge on the Russian version of one of those talent shows and she nade some great records. This one has the traditional epic pop balladeering and some moments of A-Grade Eastern Bloc disco funk. It's here.

Ensemble Instrumental National Du Mali

At a point when poor old Mali is embroiled in yet another stupid conflict, here's some seriously fine mid 70's musical culture. The national orchestras were a hotbed of talent from straight up traditional styles as you get here, to the wild and wonderful griot/funk ensembles (definitely invest in the mindblowing L'Orchestre Kanaga de Mopti reissue for that side of the sound). In this version of the group (formed in 1961) you have Djelimadi Sissoko (of The Rail Band) on track 3 and Mande Kouyate on the last track amongst other fine singers. My vinyl is a little worn so there's pops and ticks, but it's still worth the effort. Download.

Here's the band doing what they do so well, sometime in the early 80's apparently.

African Guitars

Another one from Mississippi that is predictably collectable- 5 LPs of African guitar music spanning 1951 to 1970, 200 copies done and in a wooden box. There's no information other than the artists and song titles and a weird flow of styles over albums, but it's a beautiful time capsule of some wonderful music from the edges of African pop. Disc 1 is mostly Congolese and Kenyan artists, have at it here.

Orient Express Disco Sound

Seriously- it's called 'Orient Express Disco Sound' and the cover looks like that? Just download it.

Dabke!

Attached to the market I frequent is a Hookah shop- pipes and accutrements- Arabesque tat like embroidered pillows and glittery shawls, a few belly dance outfits and a small selection of CDs. There are however, some gems in there. This one I have no idea about at all as it's a somewhat bootleg looking deal- no label, no sleevenotes, song/artist listing in Arabic and cover of a dark eyed beauty photoshopped over a line of dancers. Obviously worth buying, and here it is. Modern dabke, all beats and cheap synths and immensely fun. What better way to start the New Year?

Russian Folk Songs

Slowly sorting the upload problems, and this one is worth the wait. The Dmitri Pokrovsky Folk Ensemble doing a selection of traditional tunes, and doing them fantastically. I will admit to buying this because the cover was a little psychedelic, and it turned out to be a great purchase. Mr. Pokrovsky was, it seems, a well known and respected enthusiast for traditional Slavic folk music, and he put together a group capable of covering some diverse styles brilliantly. This one is from 1979 is unaccompanied vocals that manage to be both other-worldly and rollicking. I'm a sucker for a good choral record, and this most definitely is one. скачать

Chinese Rocks

Another recent but highly limited and semi bootleg slab of vinyl. Direct from Outhouse Records (?) and on vaguely racist yellow vinyl, 'Chinese Rocks' is a collection of top notch South East Asian rock'n'roll madness. Mostly from Hong Kong and Singapore, it's the sound of western youth culture being reinterpreted and reshaped, a musical concept that I love.  Many of these bands were undoubtedly playing the lounges of hotels or in 'foreign' bars and these recordings may have been little more than an attempt to cash in on an assumed hipness, but there's some wild musical abandon here, and it is good. Find it here.