I know it's only middle o' December but I've been getting started on my personal faves of 07 mixes. As with last year, this not a best of. For one thing, while I do hear a lot of things courtesy of being at XDU, unlike most music critics, I'm not insane or blinkered enough to think that my taste translates into any objective standard of quality. Seriously. I was looking at the A.V. Club's "best of" voting and, unless I missed something, you can count the "world" CDs that got any love on one hand and have fingers left over. Gogol Bordello, MIA, and Vusi Mahlasela, if you're curious -- and yes, that's stretching the definition of world music about as far as I'd want to. Also, I don't restrict these lists to new releases. It's a sampler of the sounds that made up my own heavy rotation. Tracklist and notes for CD1 below the cut.
01. "007 Shanty Town" :: Desmond Dekker & the Aces (from DJ Spooky Presents: In Fine Style)
Trojan Records let DJ Spooky loose on their back catalog and he put together this 2CD set. Loaded with killer tracks, mostly in a roots reggae rocksteady stylee.02. "Waltz in Orbit" :: Ray Cathode (7" single, b/w "Time Beat")
Fun, obscure little bit of early 60s British library music, done by George Martin. Found online, thanks to some kind soul who digitized his vinyl.03. "Cloud Cuckooland" :: the Real Tuesday Weld (from the London Book of the Dead)
I love this. I could gladly hear it again and again and again.04. "Reefer Man" :: the Harlem Experiment (from the Harlem Experiment)
More fun with retro sounds. Here it's hot jazz meets Latin jazz from a CD paying homage to the musical heritage of Harlem05. "I'm Hip" :: Mel Tormé (from Instant Party: Just Add Mel)
salt peanuts! salt peanuts!06. "King of the Whole Wide World" :: Elvis Presley (from Elvis at the Movies)
2CD set of songs from Elvis' movies which includes many that I'd never heard before, including this rockin' little gem.07. "Grinning In Your Face" :: Dubblestandart (from Immigration Dub)
Old blues standard done up Central European dub style. Apparently Austria is where they're keeping the On-U flame alive.08. "Small Axe [Paul & Price remix]" :: Bob Marley (from Roots, Rock, Remixed)
Purists need not apply. This CD, which I expected to hate on sight, is actually one of my faves of the year.09. "Mi Sonsito" :: Ticklah (from Ticklah vs. Axelrod)
Ticklah (Easy Star All Stars, Antibalas) brings a Nuyorican vibe to the funky dub.10. "Sangare [Nickodemus remix]" :: Vieux Farka Touré (from UFOs Over Bamako)
NYC DJ remixes the son of late Malian guitar legend.11. "Beyond the Rains" :: the Mitchell & Dewbury Band (from Beyond the Rains)
UK crew brings back the 70s the right way12. "Iron Bars" :: Stephen Marley (from Mind Control)
reggae + hiphop + dancehall = win13. "Electric Shaka" :: Thunderball (from Cinescope)
Thunderball's giving Thievery a serious run for their money as best act on ESL. And, yes, that's Afrika Bambaataa on this track.14. "Me Done" :: Noiseshaper (from Reel to Real)
See previous note about Austrian dub. And, yes, that's Ari Up on this track.
Leave a comment