Ailleurs / Elsewhere

 

TALITAKUM

 The trio Avalanche Kaito is a meeting between Burkina Faso born urban griot Kaito Winse and fellow experimentalists Belgian guitarist Nico Gitto and French drummer/producer Benjamin Chaval. This transnational avant-rock trio created waves with their visceral self-titled 2022 debut, bagging notable festival appearances (Supersonic, End of the Road), a KEXP session and much deserved critical and audience enthusiasm. 

Polyrythmic futurism, raw epiphanies, Burkinabe parables: Gitto’s angular guitar riffs seem at the beck and call of Kaito Winse’s forceful speech-song, as Benjamin Chaval layers perfectly punchy drums build the lockstep rythmic.

 

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MENTO in JAMAICA ca. 1951-57

An amazing compilation of Jamaican folk music linking Ska and Calypso,  European quadrille and Wesr African rythms. Early recordings from the 50s. A nice drift!

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TOC - Theory of constraints

On the label Circum-Disc, the trio TOC is back with Peter Orins (drums), Jérémie Ternoy (piano) and Ivann Cruz (guitar) with a new album which will be released end of May 24.
Five steps: 1 - identify the constraint, 2 - exploit the constraint, 3 - subordinate all processes to the constrained process, 4 - raise the performance of the constraint (if necessary), and 5 - start again at step 1.

a review on Drame here

  Waiting for the issue's date, a title of their 2022's last release to listen to

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行歌走月 STROLLING IN THE MOON

A moonlit promenade in Dong Stockaded Village in the Qiandongnan region of Guizhou, China,  dedicated to preserving the oldest traditions of ethnicity.

With
Chorus singers: Shi Yan, Wei Chunhuan, Li Yanshu, Li Yueyun, Li Shuyan, Yang Meng’e, Li Ming
& Shi Canming (Dong pipa), Ou Guochao (Dong violin/Niutuiqin)

 

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THE HANDOVER

Throughout this amazing album, produced by Sublime Frequencies, native Alexandrian Ayman Asfour plays the violin with breathtaking beauty, while not being afraid to make the violin buzz, squeak and rattle at times. Belgian/Norwegian keyboardist Jonas Cambien makes the synthesizer a melodic instrument in its own right, at times evoking almost classical Maqam, while in other moments it seems like he comes straight out of an Egyptian wedding.  The oud forms the backbone in the composition's structure, as Aly Eissa's solos guide the listener from minimalist, meditative drones, to a compelling climax, and back to earth. The Handover was recorded in Alexandria Egypt in January of 2023.

 

 

 

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