World Mix Tape Vol. 4

Time for my continuation of our mix tape project consisting only of songs falling into the rigid category of those made in this one world. Part of the projects aim is to change people's hippified perception of world music (ie. not just african drum circles and sitar music). Hippys have become a large force in our society today, and as much of a negative influence they may have at times, I'm totally jealous of this guy.
I've tried to pick three songs that have a geographical seperation although they were all recorded in the same 10 year period. I hope these choice morsels are to your liking.

Howling Bells - This City's Burning

This Australian band's debut was one of the '06 crop. Among my favorites of the year, I guess they never really made my official top new artists. Not many Australin artists make the cut for me, especially those non-crazy rock ones (ie. The Vines and ACDC). I remember in my history of rock class at Southern Cross University down under, they felt the need to throw in an Aussie band with each genre we covered. Their contributions can basically be summed up as: "basically the same but with more crazy yelling." As a welcome breath of fresh air defying my unjust expectations, this band's sound is a synthesis of country sounds and pop with a shoe-gazer flourish. Anyways I love it, yet another great song about fire made in the last couple years.

Marušić is Trio - Taranjkanje

My favorite artist working right now in the Croatian tradition of Istra music. Dario Marušić is somewhat of a cultural leader in the region coordinating with many artists and organizing educational programs to keep awareness of the Istra tradition, as well making traditional intruments. A songwriter and a multi-instrumentalist Dario Marušić's sound in a way reminds me of a Leonard Cohen type figure.

Lo'Jo + Django - Jah Kas Cool Boy

This song hails from my latest CD purchase Festival In The Desert which is a highlights CD of said festival organized by Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame, which is basically what he's been up to in recent years. The song is in the Malian musical tradition but Lo'Jo, from France, is composed mostly of ethnically curious white euro-trash. They became friends with Malian singer-songwriter Django while helping to organize the first Festival In The Desert in 1998. This collaboration track brings together the voices of most musicians involved, and supposedly contains references to a few members of Tinariwen.