I asked Emmanuel Jal to sign the promo copy of Ceasefire his manager had just given me backstage at the Rise (London United) Festival – and started a trend for the other hardboiled journos there. Normally, I don’t do the autograph thing – artists are just another you. Emmanuel Jal is different, formerly a child soldier recruited to fight the cause of the Southern Sudanese people challenged by the dominant Northerners who has retained a remarkable gentleness and focus – he’s a spokesperson for Make Poverty History, Coalition to Stop The Use Of Child Soldiers, a fine contributor to War Child’s upcoming Help album - an accomplished rapper who always has time for you.

This album is a dramatic pairing under any circumstances – an upcoming rapper and a revered master who created a new music from old traditions. This musical partnership is more meaningful as it unites Emmanuel Jal whose Christianity is his heartbeat, with Abdel Gadir Salim, Muslim from the North in the first ever collaboration between musicians from North and South Sudan. The album is ‘a message for peace and hope’ . Emmanuel Jal’s 5 penned tracks are mostly with pared down keys and beats, but on occasions they are enriched with the rich textures of of Abdel Gadir Salim’s band – the Merdoum All Stars, – oud, saxophone, electric guitar, percussion, accordion and he raps and/or singjays on some of Abdel Gadir’s tracks. There is a tremendous feeling of co-creation on the whole album as the artists celebrate their differing musical roots and generously collaborate, making seamless space for each other. I don’t know how the tracks were created, but I got the impression from talking with Emmanuel that the studio was a real melting pot and he was excited by the opportunity.
Whilst Jal’s overall style is occasionally not unlike Snoop Doggy Dog in its approachable soft voiced style, make no mistake his subject matter is far removed from Western ‘hood concerns – questions about why people resort to violence, how his country’s vast resources can be shared, informed and determined pleas for peace (notably his hit track Gua – no 1 in Kenya for 8 weeks at its peak), and how it might be achieved and a powerful narrative of how education opportunities helped a young girl overcome forced marriage to become a generous leader of her people. He creates an addictive rapscape using the rhythms of his native tongue to create a new genre, with English used to punctuate certain points. His Renborn Warrior crew give ample back up and melodies are carried by voices pitched kinda high dancehall backing style, but simultaneously very traditional call and response sounding.
Abdel Gadir Salim’s 4 tracks are placed amongst Jal’s and use more allegorical subject matter to talk of harmony, lost love and what could be. Ya Salam is a more direct track talking about peace as well with a rap from Emmanuel Jal. Abdel Gadir Salim’s style has that sumptuous seductive multi-textured Arabic/African melodies that are his trademark – North Sudan isn’t that far from Egypt (think Halim) - with the instrumentation already described.. The final track is jointly composed (words Jal, music Salim) and sees Emmanuel sharing his life experiences warmly encouraged by Abdel, and an understanding is also created about their common belief in the one supreme being. It’s all very danceable as the music combats pressure with joyous sounds.

DJ Debbie

Various
"Dusty Nation Pt 2"
Dance N Dust Records

A sumptuously smooth selection of full power morning grooves that push the progressive trance envelope in a psychedelic direction compiled by DJ Asherun. The pumping insistent bass lines, finely crafted percussion and clever use of samples combining to lift your spirits comfortably into the next dimension at a respectable trajectory of around 140 bpm. Check out Ticon's excellent hypnotic remixes of MOS's "Zugstufe" (whatever that means? probably inspired by the abandoned contents of a bag of "stuff" left by a friend nicknamed Zug - I shouldn't wonder) and their very own "Cosmic Bowling" with its dramatic potentially mix friendly epic saw toothed breakdown section. Other high points come in the form of "Lan" by Sonnenvakuum a classy, tongue in cheek groove featuring the samples "I think we should keep moving" followed by "after you" and Sensient's throbbing Noma-esque "Bawak" remixed by tribalistic society a peanut inside an empty coke can among other things. Top tunes - if you want to avoid the formulaic mediocrity of the "trance by numbers brigade" (they know who they are - or do they?) threatening to take over the scene at the moment this would be a good place to start.

TIPWORLD
Red
Various

A continuation of the famed colours series released to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Tip Records. What will the purists say ! This is a strong album of floor monsters, not necessarily designed to listen to in its entirety. Starts well with a Hallucinogen remix of "Stimuli" by The Infinity Project from "Yellow". Track 4, "The Inner Visions 1" picks up the pace a bit and gets us going. Sub 6 ''s "" Programme Flies" is a great track, off beat and interesting. Xerox and Psycraft''s offering "Adrenalin Rush" is another good solid track for guitar lovers, with a nice vocal hook and a building feel. Track 9, Froid by Black and White has some big cheesey chords that for me really date it. Track 10, a live mix of "Mescaline" by 1200 Mics gives the album a good solid ending and offers people a storming alternative mix of a great track.

Red -Track List
The Infinity Project -Stimuli ( Hallucinogen Remix )
Nisimyani V''s The Melovskys - Fir Cough
Logic Bomb - Datalinks ( Remix )
The Inner Visions # 1
Astrix - Junosis
Sub 6 - Programme Flies
Dynamic V''s Z Machine - Energy State
Xerox & Psycraft - Adrenalin Rush ( Melicia Remix )
Black & White - Froid
1200 Mic''s - Mescaline ( Live on Mount Fuji Remix )

LIQUID SOUND DESIGN
Youth
The Secret Language of Ordinary Objects ( A New Chapter in Dub )

With Youth's interest in everything dubby, this release, Chapter 2 of the Dub Sessions comes as no suprise. Unlike the title, the album flows very smoothly. Opening with an Orb track " Apple Trees In My Backyard ", which has a deep and dubby early "Cafe Del Mar" kind of feel with a wowed out american chick vocal sample. Track 3," Celtic Sufi " by Dub Trees feat. Ronnie Barrac really grabbed me from the intro with the plucked sitar. A great tune, deep but not heavy. Track 4, co-written with Pete Lazenby and 5 & 6 have a nice dubby psychedelic mood to them. Light tunes layered over reverb treated percussion and deep basslines. The last 3 tracks on the album also stood out for me. Electric Earth by Pitch Black has a cheeky guitar sample and running snares that gives the track a fluffy feel and puts a grin on your face. " Stealth and Cunning " by The Gentle Revolution has a really meaty keyboard hook that combines nicely with wobbly dub percussion to create a deep psychedelic mood. " The Golden Legend " by Dub Trees is a great last track, faster around 145 BPM and rolls on insistently, developing excitement as it picks up. A bubbling dubby psychedelic mixing pot of an album.

Youth - Track List
The Orb - Apple Trees In My Backyard
Lost At Last - Reggae Raga ( Youth Remix )
Dub Trees - Celtic Sufi
Youth & Pete Lazonby - Lifesong
Youth - The Liquid Room
Baraka - Luna
Youth - Spectral Beach
The Gentle Revolution - Stealth & Cunning
Pitch Black - Electric Earth ( Youth Remix )
Dub Trees - The Golden Legend

Various (best and finest)
This is Afroart
Afroart Records

AAH you lot (selector/producer/remixers – Paul Murphy, Marc Woolford et al) please come and spin at my party! This is a fabo mix of club classics you can’t fail to have heard out somewhere – from Carnival, West End to Conscious Parties. It’s where afro style meets broken house, batacuda, lounge going from a harder stompin sound through sheer goodtime latinesque tracks to chill without missing a beat.

There’s a spooky hiphop version of 60’s singer/songwriter Donavan’s ‘Season of the Witch’, a township jazz meets industrial beats track (Luke Howard’s ‘Hi Life – previously big in South Africa), the genre bending latinesque/loungey Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (remixed) and those spacey yet super tight favourites like Black Science Orchestra’s ‘Headspace Lullaby Part 2’ with that Ashley Beedle touch and the huge carnival hit Frogsnatcher’s ‘Dream Rabbit’ where the dub undertones comfortably share space with an itchy won’t let you go shufflebeat. And of course the utterly almost too goodtime broken descargo of London’s leading afro/latin remixer/club nighters Spiritual South’s ‘Green Gold’. There’s more, but you’ll have to get your own copy!

Visit http://www.afroartrecords.com for more information

Gaudi
Bass, Sweat and Tears
Interchill

London-based Italian DJ/producer/… Gaudi’s special. He’s been most visible as half of Orchestra World groove with Pathaan –packed events at Cargo, and recently at Synergy where global fusion bands play live and Pathaan plays mega sets of dance beats from all over the world and Gaudi plays the theramin which makes eerie sounds without being touched. This is his 5th album, 3 _ years in the making, recorded as he travelled globally simply listening inventively and forging partnerships with musicians, recording music and sounds you might otherwise never hear. Like the 76 year old ‘last of the Sardinian Cantadores’ extemporiser, or the Ayahuasca (rain forest) Shaman and Huli mountain people from Papua New Guinea.

Gaudi sometimes uses original recordings, sometimes just their essence alongside traditional/professional musicians from all over (all 42 are named graciously) and his layered studio skills. His love of dub is clear as is his respect for the source. Each track from the most commercial – an Ojos de Brujo (Spain’s top digital and roots band who really know how to fuse acoustic/dj and tech) remix to the most outerglobal – featuring the ‘Orgue a feu’, an unique 2 ton instrument that transforms flame heat into sounds from from African flutes to whale song, has both a mystical secret festival feel and a down and dirty dance touch with a variety of riddims as the original roots and the wizard elements weave in and out of each other. It’s an album you’ll find new things in each time – partying or treating yourself.
Interchill is one of my favourite labels which sources chill out and innovative artists and remixers from its Canadian HQ and inspired a glorious stage at Glade.

www.interchill.com, www.gaudimusic.com

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