#Traditional Percussion March

[townpostin]

AJSU Party Celebrates Hul Day With March And New Member Induction

Former Minister Leads Commemorative Event, Welcomes Ex-JMM Supporters The AJSU Party marked Hul Day with a grand march and welcomed new members, emphasizing party growth and upcoming electoral challenges. JAMSHEDPUR – The AJSU Party District Committee commemorated Hul Day with a series of events, including a march led by former Minister Ramchandra Sahis and a meeting that saw several JMM…

[can-of-pringles]

So in Heartstrings I headcanoned Kyle as having been a percussionist in high school marching band/drum corps, and now I'm having thoughts about it-

Imagine Kyle getting back into percussion as a means of getting his coordination back after being necromanced, both traditional snare at first but maybe a full drum set later on, and him really getting into it.

On an angstier side of things, imagine the dissonance of knowing mentally how it all works, but having to retrain your hands because you've lost the memory? Because they're not really your hands anymore, are they? Imagine how the stick must sit a little differently against the palm and fingers because they're just a little broader, the fingers a little stockier, the weight just a little differently-balanced from what you remember? Imagine the frustration of how badly you know you should remember this, but your body doesn't want to cooperate?

But on a gentler side, imagine Jasper coming home to him practicing, occasionally hearing a rhythm that sounds familiar enough to pick up the rest of the song around it. Sometimes he plays with a track and adds his own riffs - he's always enjoyed Rush, of course, but lately he's been teaching himself some of Jasper's favorites too, Paramore and Linkin Park and things of that nature. After a while, he and Jasper end up bonding over the cool rhythms and riffs they notice in new songs, and eventually Jasper even asks him to teach them the basics...

I really love this headcanon and slight expansion(?) Of Heartstrings lore. Good job.

Also it felt like I was slapped and then given a kiss on the cheek when you went to angst and then not angst /lh

[jazzandother-blog]

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Blues March (Live) (1958)

(English / español)

"Blues March" by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, from the 1958 album "Moanin," blends blues rhythms with military march cadences. Composed by saxophonist Benny Golson, the track captures the essence of the hard bop era.

Blakey's drumming, with a march-like pattern, sets the stage for the interplay between horns. Golson’s composition merges genres, with blues elements offering a soulful counterpoint to the march rhythm. The brass section swings between the solemnity of a parade and the spontaneity of a jazz club, each soloist adding a unique voice.

Reflecting the late 1950s' socio-cultural environment, the march element nods to the Civil Rights Movement, while the blues speak to the African American experience. The song balances tradition and progress.

Blakey’s leadership fosters young talent like Golson, Lee Morgan, and Bobby Timmons, whose performances are brilliant and emotionally charged. His influence ensures individuality and group cohesion.

The recording’s clarity highlights the musicians’ interplay, with a dynamic range from quiet moments to powerful declarations. This ebb and flow keeps listeners engaged.

Live performances of "Blues March" showcase Blakey’s percussive prowess and the ensemble’s synergy. Audiences are captivated by the infectious rhythm and raw emotion.

The legacy of "Blues March" inspires new generations. Its combination of styles, historical context, and virtuosity secures its place in jazz history. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, through "Blues March," exemplify creativity and depth in jazz music.

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"Blues March" de Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, del álbum de 1958 "Moanin", mezcla ritmos de blues con cadencias de marcha militar. Compuesto por el saxofonista Benny Golson, el tema captura la esencia de la era del hard bop.

La batería de Blakey, con un ritmo de marcha, prepara el terreno para la interacción entre las trompas. La composición de Golson fusiona géneros, con elementos de blues que ofrecen un conmovedor contrapunto al ritmo de marcha. La sección de metales oscila entre la solemnidad de un desfile y la espontaneidad de un club de jazz, aportando cada solista una voz única.

Reflejo del ambiente sociocultural de finales de los años 50, el elemento de la marcha hace un guiño al Movimiento por los Derechos Civiles, mientras que el blues habla de la experiencia afroamericana. La canción equilibra tradición y progreso.

El liderazgo de Blakey fomenta jóvenes talentos como Golson, Lee Morgan y Bobby Timmons, cuyas interpretaciones son brillantes y están cargadas de emoción. Su influencia garantiza la individualidad y la cohesión del grupo.

La claridad de la grabación pone de relieve la interacción de los músicos, con una gama dinámica que va de los momentos tranquilos a las poderosas declaraciones. Este flujo y reflujo mantiene enganchados a los oyentes.

Las interpretaciones en directo de "Blues March" muestran la destreza percusiva de Blakey y la sinergia del conjunto. El público queda cautivado por el ritmo contagioso y la emoción descarnada.

El legado de la "Blues March" inspira a las nuevas generaciones. Su combinación de estilos, contexto histórico y virtuosismo asegura su lugar en la historia del jazz. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, a través de "Blues March", ejemplifican la creatividad y la profundidad de la música de jazz.

Source: 1950s MUSIC

[wutaijiemei]

excerpt from the part of a 2022 interview collage did w/ streetvoice where natsuko discusses "talacowa"

(interview by Lizzy Hsu/徐韻軒)

In 1945, the US military began bombing Taiwan, and Japan was on the verge of facing the reality of their imminent loss. A group of young Amis men were at the Takasago volunteer military camp in Taichung, witnessing the chaos firsthand and fearing deployment under such circumstances. They resolved not to fight any more on another nation’s behalf, and a number of them decided to desert and return to Taitung on foot. Natsuko’s grandfather was among them.

This is the basis of “Talacowa”’s narrative. Through music, Natsuko summons the imagery of her grandfather’s journey.

The song begins with an indigenous style of call and response singing, imitating a soldier calling out and receiving a collective response from his companions as they enter the forest. To create contrast with its historical setting, she chose a distorted electric guitar for the Showa-style melody that plays through the chorus.

The snare drum evokes the rigid rhythm of a military march, while other percussion instruments mimick the frog, insect, and bird calls they would have heard during their journey. As the narrative of the long and difficult trek structures itself around day and night imagery, the trumpet becomes the rising sun and the guitar strings become the stars that populate the night sky. Hunter says he hopes that the song’s vivid melody can illuminate the long journey once taken by Natsuko’s grandfather.

“The Amis people are very good at stargazing—the contents of the sky are very important.” In the song’s lyrics, the eight-pointed star guides the Amis youth towards their destination. In addition to symbolizing the protection of the ancestors, it also references the way they would have used the stars as a navigation tool. “My father always stressed to me that the Amis people are excellent survivors,” Natsuko says with a smile.

She shares that in all honesty, although she knew immediately upon hearing the story that she wanted to write the song, she began to question herself several times over the course of its composition. After all, her grandfather passed away before she was born, so what connection did she really have to the song?

Unexpectedly, she not only climbed through the Central Mountains as her grandfather once had, but also began to flip through the pages of her own lost history. “To write the lyrics, I did a lot of reading on the Takasago volunteer soldiers. I realized I was doing something I hadn’t done in my first [Amis language] song—that is to say, I hadn’t integrated my culture into the lyrics of my first song.”

Not everyone joined the Japanese to fight overseas out of submission or deception. She saw that at that time, many indigenous coming of age rituals had been banned. From the perspective of the “civilized” Japanese, rituals such as leaving children alone in forests or tasking them with hunting monkeys were deemed too barbaric. But once indigenous boys were robbed of the opportunity to become men in the eyes of their traditional tribal social structures, they felt it was necessary to prove their courage on the battlefield, instead.

“Why would the colonized wish to fight for their colonizers? In fact, it’s not as simple as everyone may think.”

There is one part of the song that I particularly like:

awaay ma’araw ako ko soda i ca’ang no kilang. awaay ma’araw iso ko taneng niyam. latek cowa kafana’ kako to kararoman no miso. kaorira i, caay ka patadoen ako kiso a malalo’od. we may know nothing of snow-covered branches but you know nothing of our wisdom perhaps i am simply unable to understand your struggles but i will not fight your battles

The “struggles” here refer to the rise of an invading imperial power, and the fact that the Japanese self-concept was inseparable from the many years of discrimination they had suffered from Western powers. Unsure whether her grandfather’s relationship with the Japanese was marked more by animosity or camaraderie, Natsuko chose to use a relatively neutral tone in the absence of her grandfather’s ability to speak for himself.

[lboogie1906]

Michael Babatunde Olatunji (April 7, 1927 – April 6, 2003) was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist.

He was born in the village of Ajido in southwestern Nigeria. A member of the Ogu people, he was introduced to traditional African music at an early age. His name, Bàbátúndé, means ‘father has returned’, because he was born two months after his father, Zannu died, and he was considered to be a reincarnation. His father was a local fisherman who was about to rise to the rank of chieftain, and his mother was a potter who was a member of the Ogu people. He grew up speaking the Gun (Ogu/Egun) and Yoruba languages. He was groomed to take the position of chief.

When he was 12, he realized that he did not want to become a chieftain. He read in Reader’s Digest magazine about the Rotary International Foundation’s scholarship program and applied for it. His application was successful and he went to the US in 1950.

He received a Rotary scholarship in 1950 and was educated at Morehouse College. He was a good friend of Glee Club director Dr. Wendell P. Whalum and collaborated with him on a staple of the choir’s repertoire, “Betelehemu”. After graduating from Morehouse, he went on to New York University to study public administration. He started a small percussion group to earn money on the side while he continued his studies.

He composed music for the Broadway theatrical and the 1961 Hollywood film productions of Raisin in the Sun. He assisted Bill Lee with the music for She’s Gotta Have It.

He was known for making an impassioned speech for social justice before performing in front of a live audience. His progressive political beliefs are outlined in The Beat of My Drum: An Autobiography. He toured the South with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and joined King in the March on Washington.

He performed before the UN General Assembly. He was one of the first outside performers to perform in Prague. On July 21, 1979, he appeared at the Amandla Festival. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[axilarycobra]

[Wings of Fire] SkyWing Headcanons

Real Tumblr user right here. I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but if any of these headcanons seem so different that they don't make sense in canon, it's because they're mainly part of my AU world. This isn't very prevalent until later tribes when I start mentioning events that don't occur in canon.

SkyWings are the second most fire-resistant tribe.

SkyWings were once the most friendly tribe but this changed due to the tribe falling victim to cruel queens.

SkyWings used to hold an Olympics-style event for the entire continent in an arena similar to Scarlet's but much larger and without the prison. This event occurred every four years and would be a way for the tribes to bond and show their unique talents. The arena had different areas with different environments to match those of all the tribes and teams from the same tribe would compete in tribe-specific competitions (SeaWings vs SeaWing for swimming, SkyWings vs SkyWing for flying, RainWings vs RainWings for hide-and-seek/venom challenge). There would also be inter-tribal competitions such as gladiator battles (without the killing), relay races where a dragon from each tribe is on a team and must go through challenges, etc.

The SkyWing economy thrives off of its meat industry, wool industry, and color dye industry.

Due to how huge the kingdom is, SkyWings who live near each other often has their own smaller, community council that takes care of smaller issues.

SkyWings have the most variety in their relationships. Some dragons mate for life while others just mate to have dragonets. Some dragons have multiple mates throughout their lives. No SkyWing is judged by how they mate.

The SkyWing Royal Family is represented by amber.

Traditional SkyWing music is played with flutes, clarinets, trumpets, trombones, tubas, and varying types of percussion. Because of their great endurance, SkyWings strive with instruments that require using their breath. The music SkyWings make is usually that of a marching band. They often don't play classical music however and stick with more upbeat, energetic music.

SkyWings believe in multiple gods and were once known for being the most religious tribe before conflict caused the tribe to have to put religion to the side. SkyWings believe that after death, the god of rebirth was responsible for putting the deceased SkyWing's spirit back down to the world. If they pleased the gods during their life, they would be reincarnated as a SkyWing, but if they displeased the gods, they would be reincarnated as other tribes. The SkyWings believed that if you put the body of dead SkyWings in different places, it would be an indication to the god that those SkyWings deserved to come back as a certain tribe (a SkyWing if they were an honorable dragon and basically any of the other tribes if they were a menace). In SkyWing history, many SkyWing individuals would preach that they were the reincarnations of SkyWing gods.

SkyWings love building castles and there are castles all over the kingdom where nobles/elites live with their families.

SkyWings can have patterns that are similar to that of birds. This includes a generally feathery pattern or more specific patterns such as stripes, spots, speckles, etc.

SkyWings find birds with graceful and spectacular tails to be the most beautiful. Elite SkyWings would wear long robes and capes that dragged behind them with their tail to mirror the elegant bird tails they admire.

Historical SkyWing art is valued greatly by the tribe and includes mainly paintings that depict subjects from ancient wars to extensive works around the gods.

[dustedmagazine]

Milford Graves, Arthur Doyle, Hugh Glover — Children of the Forest (Black Editions)

Children of the Forest by Milford Graves, Arthur Doyle, Hugh Glover

Drummer Milford Graves rarely recorded during his lifetime, and, until recently, most of his releases were long out of print. Corbett vs. Dempsey began to rectify that with key reissues of Bäbi, his trio with reed players Arthur Doyle and Hugh Glover, and The Complete Yale Concert 1966, his duos with Don Pullen. TUM records stepped in with Wadada Leo Smith’s Sacred Ceremonies, a 3 CD set including an incendiary duo with Graves along with a trio with Graves and bassist Bill Laswell. Since his death in February, 2021 Black Editions Archive has stepped up the game, digging in to Graves’ vaults, first with an issue of a trio set by Peter Brötzmann, Milford Graves, William Parker, and now, with Children of the Forest, a set of recordings captured in Graves’ Queens workshop with Doyle and Glover in the months leading up to the Bäbi session. The two-LP set documents a January 1976 duo session with Graves along with Glover on tenor saxophone, a brief drum solo from February of that year and a March trio session with Graves, Glover on klaxon, percussion and vaccine (a Haitian one-note trumpet) and Doyle on tenor saxophone and flute. The torrid rawness of these recordings looks toward the torrential barrage of Bäbi but brings out a more ritualistic edge to the playing.

Graves had spent his early years studying African drumming, tablas and playing timbales in Latin jazz bands and that sense of time, extended from African and Caribbean ceremonial music and ritual imbue these sessions. Hugh Glover talks about this and the time he spent with Graves, whom he refers to as Prof, in the extensive interview included with the LP set conducted by Jake Meginsky. “We were listening to the music of the peoples of the interior forest of the Congo… First, the Prof’s mood sets up a tribal-like atmosphere. It’s Congo-like — possession states. The rhythms, I think they immediately stimulated the need to dance… The next thing one must know and be aware of is that Milford Graves, he is not a time-keeping drummer like most jazz drummers. Prof represents the epitome of traditional hand drumming. I’m talking about ceremonial music and ritualistic sounds most familiar with divination.” 

Hugh Glover only recorded a few times so the January duo session with him and Graves is a particular find. The first of the four improvisations starts out with the percussionist’s churning thunder, leading to the entry of the tenor player’s hoarse, braying cries. The two had known each other for a decade at that point and Glover had been part of a European tour of Graves’ quartet along with Joe Rigby and Arthur Williams. That symbiosis is immediately evident. There’s a fluid sense of polyphony and elastic polyrhythms at play as the two bound along with ebullient intensity. The music is charged with open, spontaneous interchange and while the intensity level is high, they never overpower each other. Graves’ percussion work is revelatory here, spilling across his kit with a limber, propulsive dynamism. One can hear the legacy of African and Latin American rhythms exploded out with the drummer’s lithe control of tuned skin and slashing cymbals, with masterful control of dynamics and timbre. The inclusion of a short, 2-minute recording from the session reveals their careful attention to detail as the two sound-check the room and their balance and then charge into a compact give-and-take. Their concluding 7-minute improvisation is a particular highlight as they ebb and flow with synchronous fervor. 

The inclusion of a three-minute drum solo, recorded in February, is a brilliant addition to the set, particularly since Graves didn’t release any solo recordings until his two discs on Tzadik that came out in the late 1990s. On this 1976 recording, Graves distills his unified, multi-limbed attack into a roiling tempest of energy. Each thundering salvo, each cymbal crash, each resounding wallop of the bass drum is meted out with focus and intention. Glover remarks that listening to the solo recording he was struck by “the melody, and the melody of the tones that he gets, the way he rocks from one melody pitch to another. It has always been a mystery to me how Cuban drummers in Bata were able to modulate the rhythm and the meter. Well, it takes more than one player to do it Cuban style. Prof shows you can do it as one player.” 

The three March improvisations with Graves, Glover, and Arthur Doyle provide a notable link in the trajectory toward the session recorded a few weeks later that would be released as Bäbi. Glover reminisces about the March session here, noting “When we played, though, Doyle and I, we weren’t thinking of BÄBI [a name Graves used for his conceptual approach to improvisation]. We were thinking of… well I know I was thing of, and I’m pretty sure he was thinking, how do we keep up with Prof!” While that may have been going through their minds, that uncertainty never reveals itself in their playing. Graves begins the 12-minute improvisation that opens the set with tuned cascades of rim shots and toms and the two quickly join in, with Doyle’s raspy tenor crying out against the shifting percussion. The modulating rhythms and meters of Graves’ solo are the foundation of the buzzing whorls that develop in three-way, spontaneous orchestration which never flags for a moment. The shorter second piece kicks off with an extended section of chattering drums, making way for the two partners to interject barking, ecstatic exclamations that mount with intensity as Graves hurtles in with clanging cowbell. The final piece is the most abstracted, with Doyle’s high-pitched flute skirling against the chafed yawp of Glover’s klaxon and Graves’ coursing flow. Here, improvisation and ritual are melded together with pelting focus. 

Glover concludes his interview reminiscing  that “It was like Prof was saying, there is no ensemble, there is no musical configuration that I can’t play with as long as I’m allowed to play what I want to play. In other words, his confidence factor was like, I know I have the essence of where any group wants to go. If they allow me to do my thing, I’ll take them there.” The sessions released on Children of the Forest are a fitting testament to that belief and provide a welcome addition to the documentation of the lineage of Graves’ musical legacy. Here's to hoping that Black Editions continues to mine the Prof’s archives. 

Michael Rosenstein

[nanshe-of-nina]

Halloween playlists:

[Playlist]

45 Grave — Evil

45 Grave — Partytime

Emilie Autumn — Dead Is the New Alive

Balzac — Inside My Eyes

The Birthday Massacre — Happy Birthday

The Birthday Massacre — Horror Show

Birthday Party — Release the Bats

The Brides — The Strange Passing of John Coal

The Brides — Whore Money

Bloody Hammers — Witch of Endor

Coven — The White Witch of Rose Hall

Creature Feature — The Greatest Show Unearthed

Creature Feature — Here Be Witches

The Cramps — Goo-Goo Muck

The Cramps — Surfin' Dead

Don Hinson & The Rigamorticians — Riboflavin-Flavored, Non-Carbonated, Polyunsaturated Blood

Einstürzende Neubauten — Ein Stuhl in der Hölle

HorrorPops — Where They Wander

HorrorPops — Walk Like a Zombie

Hamburger Brothers — Omar the Vampire

Inkubus Sukkubus — Belladonna & Aconite

Inkubus Sukkubus — Corn King

Inkubus Sukkubus — Song to Pan

Inkubus Sukkubus — Wytches

The Irish Rovers — The Banshee’s Cry

Jack Off Jill — Cinnamon Spider

Jack Off Jill — Witch Hunt

Killing Miranda — Burn Sinister

Mandragora Scream — Dark Lantern

Ministry — Everyday is Halloween

The Misfits — Die, Die My Darling

Mister Monster — I’ll Watch Them Die

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds — The Curse of Millhaven

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds — Red Right Hand

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds — Up Jumped the Devil

Richard O’Brien — Science Fiction Double Feature

The Ramones — Pet Sematary

Rasputina — Gingerbread Coffin

Shonen Knife — Devil House

Siouxsie and the Banshees — Spellbound

Skycycle — The Ghost Is Here

Skycycle — It’s Terror Time Again

Sopor Aeternus and the Ensemble of Shadows — The Inexperienced Spiral Traveler II

ThouShaltNot — The Haunted Phonograph

The Tiger Lilies — Start a Fire

Jill Tracy — Evil Night Together

Jill Tracy — The Fine Art of Poisoning

Traditional — Down in the Willow Garden

Traditional — Pretty Polly

Traditional — Twa Corbies

Traditional — The Lyke-Wake Dirge

Type O Negative — Black No. 1

Type O Negative — Wolf Moon

Vermilion Lies — Circus Apocalypse

Xmal Deutschland — Incubus Succubus II

Zombina and the Skeletones — Come On

Zombina and the Skeletones — Hey Weirdos

Zombina and the Skeletones — Island of Zombina

Zombina and the Skeletones — New Orleans Incident

Zombina and the Skeletones — You’d Scream If I Knew I Did Last Halloween

Instrumental: [Playlist]

Johann Sebastian Bach — Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

Béla Bartók — Music for Percussion, Strings and Celesta: III. Adagio

Hector Berlioz — Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath from “Symphonie fantastique”

Johannes Brahms — Hungarian Dance No. 5

Fryderyk Chopin — Piano Sonata No. 2 III: Marche funèbre: Lento

Coil — Main Title (unreleased Hellraiser Theme)

Philip Glass — Candyman theme

Gustav Holst — Neptune, the Mystic from “The Planets”

Gustav Holst — Saturn, Bringer of Old Age from “The Planets”

Gygory Ligeti — Requiem

In Slaughter Natives — Beauty and Bleeding

Franz Liszt — Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

Franz Liszt — Totentanz

Lustmord and Robert Rich — Hidden Refuge

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Dies irae from “Requiem in D Minor”

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Lacrimosa from “Requiem in D Minor”

Midnight Syndicate — Born of the Night

Midnight Syndicate — Carousel Ride

Modest Mussorgsky — Night on Bald Mountain

Nox Arcana — Calliope

Nox Arcana — The Doll House

Nox Arcana — Haunted Carousel

Nox Arcana — Hall of the Witch Queen

Nox Arcana — Once Upon a Nightmare

Nox Arcana — Shock Treatment

Nox Arcana — Temple of the Black Pharaoh

Nox Arcana — The Witching Hour

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff — Isle of the Dead

Camille Saint-Saëns — Danse Macabre

Michael Shields — Ginger Snaps Opening Theme

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky — Part I: The Adoration of the Earth from “The Rite of Spring”

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — Swan Lake - 19 No. 10 Scène (moderato)

[dexterbritain]

No. 14 21st Century Royalty - I couldn’t not include a harpsichord in an album about Royalty. This piece is a blend of traditional and modern music. The harpsichord is tonally traditional but the setting is truly modern. A marching drumline replaces orchestral percussion while the strings push the story forward.

[camilorico]

Rosalía explores modernized bachata and electropop fusion with "La Fama"

You may have heard of the artist name Rosalía a lot recently, as this certain artist rose to fame with hit songs, "Malamente", "Pienso en tu Mira", and "Con Altura" over the years. She is a Spanish-speaking artist that has been known for incorporating flamenco, a traditional Spanish art style based in folk music, with hip-hop influences. In March of 2022, she released her album “Motomami” (roughly meaning “biker chick” in English) which she described as a more personal album because it relates more to her personal life experiences. One of the tracks of this album relates to her experiences dealing with fame once she started becoming globally famous. This track is the one I will specifically be analyzing called “La Fama”, which translates to “The Fame”, also featuring Canadian pop singer The Weeknd singing fully in Spanish. 

“La Fama” is not the first collaboration between Rosalia and the Weeknd, as they have recorded the track “Blinding Lights” together before. However while “Blinding Lights” was an 80s-inspired electro-pop song, “La Fama” is a sultry unique fusion of bachata, electropop, and experimental elements. It was Rosalia’s very first attempt at using bachata in her music. She stated for Rolling Stones, “I wanted to write, in my own way, a bachata with a little story around ambition.”

Before I go on, I will first quickly explain that in bachata, it almost always has a sensual and rhythmic vibe to the track, and it creates sensual love songs with percussion and guitar instruments. I will be mentioning three main instruments in this track throughout my analysis. The first one is the bongó drums which maintain the tempo. The second is the güira, which is a Dominican percussion instrument consisting of a stiff brush brushing over a metal sheet that makes a rattling noise (kind of sounds like maracas to me). The third is a requinto, which is the lead guitar, a smaller version of a classical guitar. These instruments combined maintained the true essence of what makes bachata bachata and it was a wise decision for Rosalia to not mess around with that too much in my opinion. 

In the track, it immediately starts with some sort of electric guitar sounding instrument (but I'm not totally sure) repeating the same snippet for the rest of the entirety of the song at the same pace, following the most recognizable bachata introduction of percussion instrument güira rattling playing for only about 2 seconds to introduce the first verse. 

Next we hear Rosalia’s amazingly smooth vocals singing “Lo que paso” (What happened) in a very seductive way and the beat is dropped right after that part with bongo drums and a requinto playing very low notes as the bass. Then there is a slight pause and then the güira is rattled and that same electric guitar snippet could be heard and then The Weeknd comes in strong with the chorus and fluent Spanish vocals. Again, the electric guitar snippet is still being repeated but at the end of each of his verses of the chorus there is a small almost “woo-hoo” sound from an electric guitar(?) afterward. 

The pattern repeats for the whole chorus and when it ends, the güira is heard rattling again and there is a slightly longer pause with no music at all. Then The Weeknd sings the bridge part with “Lo que paso” (What happened) just like how Rosalia did in the intro and the same electric guitar snippet repeated but toward the end of the stanza right as he says “Puñala'itas da su ambición” (It stabs at your ambitions), the electric guitar pattern stops and replaced with the güira rattling. When he finishes singing, there is a slight pause of no music and then Rosalia comes in to sing the chorus this time with the electric guitar snippet accompanying her and the “woo hoo” electric guitar sound played after each verse again. This time, right after she sings “yo nunca le confiaré” (I will never trust her), the güira is played.

And right after she finishes the chorus, the whole song seems to slow down with the electric guitar snippet gone and slow long keyboard(?) notes are played in the background instead. Some faint background singers join in, kind of reminding me of a slow harmonious church choir, and then the pace picks up with the electric guitar snippet playing on repeat again and the background choir singing a little louder. The Weeknd joins in singing a bit but then the background choir sings a few more high pitch notes, fading into the background. This gives way for the electric guitar to gradually get louder again and The Weeknd sings the first half of the chorus and then Rosalia the last half, with the güira and the electric guitar “woo hoo” snippets accompanying them in the same previous fashion. The song ends right when Rosalia finishes singing, with no lingering music at all - simply an abrupt stop.

From listening to this track, I liked that the pauses weren't too long so I wasn't left in suspense for too long waiting for the beat to drop. I also think that the electric guitar really mixed well with the traditional bachata instruments like the güira and the bongos. I think there was a really natural flow to everything and I was able to listen to the lyrics clearly without being distracted. Also I think that Rosalia’s entire choice of featuring the Weeknd (whose first language is not Spanish) was great because honestly had I not known this fact about him, I doubt I would have been able to guess because of the fluency in his words. It doesn’t sound forced, and his voice really suits bachata, and kind of reminds me of Prince Royce's smooth voice, a well-known bachata artist, so I think this was a pleasant change from his usual pop and R&B style.

Now looking into the lyrics of “La Fama”, the track tells the tragic story of two lovers who choose fame over true love between them. However, on a deeper level, the lyrics can also be interpreted as fame being personified as one of the “lovers”. This can be seen in the chorus (translated in English):

“Fame is a bad lover and she’s not going to love you for real

She is too treacherous, and just as she comes, she leaves

She knows that she will be jealous, I will never trust her

If you want, sleep with her, but never marry her”

So Rosalia's track is referring to fame being a two-faced traitor. To your face, fame will shower you with love but it has an ugly side to it where it can’t truly be trusted and will ultimately betray you. Again, since this is a tragic love song, bachata was just the perfect choice with the güira to emphasize the certain heartbreaking verses and the classic bongos and requinto to add the sensual touch.

However, one critique I have heard about Rosalia regarding this track is that Rosalia is “trying” to be Latina by using bachata music, since bachata is Dominican (so Latin) and she has also previously worked with other Latin artists, such as J Balvin and Ozuna. Rosalia is of Spanish nationality, so she is European, not Latina. It may be confusing since both people of Spain and Latin America speak Spanish, and Rosalia speaks Spanish, but this is purely due to the fact that Spain colonized Latin America so the subject is definitely sensitive to many people and many would be offended by a Spaniard trying to appropriate themself to be Latino/a.

Also, when Rosalia dropped a sneak peek of the track along with her own small bachata dance on Tiktok, it unfortunately happened to be on October 12, the National Day of Spain.  

@rosalia♬ sonido original - La Rosalia

This is the tiktok video of Rosalia's sneak peek of "La Fama" featuring her dancing bachata and lip-syncing to the track, posted on October 12, which rubbed people the wrong way, including strong Rosalia fans.

This is the tiktok video of Rosalia's sneak peek of "La Fama" featuring her dancing bachata and lip-syncing to the track, posted on October 12.

This is a tweet referring to Rosalia's sneak peek of La Fama on Tiktok and basically saying that all the Latinos will be fighting her if she mainly focuses her "Motomami" album on bachata music.

Personally, although I am not Latina myself, I wouldn't consider what Rosalia did to be “cultural appropriation” because she seems to be well educated on the origins of bachata and respectful of it. She had said herself that she was inspired by one of the first founders of bachata, Romeo Santos, and he had even reached out to her while she started working on this track and helped her out by sending her an extensive playlist. Rosalia also commented, “Taking as a reference the lyrics of Ruben Blades or Patti Smith and the songs of Aventura, I ended up writing a story of romance with fame.” Aventura is a very famous bachata group and Ruben Blades is a famous Latino artist as well. 

Overall, I think that Rosalia did a great job in creating a bachata track with such unique aspects like featuring a non-Latino artist, (which is not typically done at all) and incorporating modern electropop, yet still maintaining the bachata “trademark” with the instrumental rhythms and sensual flow. It truly shows her versatility in going out of her comfort zone from her previous flamenco music and trying non-conventional music methods. Rather than just doing a bachata song, or just an electropop song, she combined the two into one track and kept it classic yet innovative.

[burlveneer-music]

Lorenzo Morresi & Le Isole - Pop Flop - Morresi’s albums are like master classes in neo-library music composition & production

In March 2022 Lorenzo and Luciano started pre-producing ‘Pop Flop’ at Schema Records headquarters in Milan. Part of the album has also been produced at ‘Museo Del Synth Marchigiano & Italiano’, an incredible collection of rare Italian vintage synthesizers located in Le Marche region where Lorenzo was born. These Italian synthesizers (manufacturers such as Farfisa, Crumar and Elka) were very popular in the 1970s for library music and soundtracks, and they were also used outside of Italy by the likes of John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin, Keith Emerson, Jean-Michel Jarre and Ray Manzarek from the Doors. As Morresi himself explains, “I tried as a form of respect and love to avoid an album that simply imitates those fifty year old masterpieces, so my idea has been to add contemporary musical elements and genres together with modern production techniques to create something original”. Pop Flop has a warm, cinematic and philological feel; well balanced between tradition and innovation, fusing elements of funk, classical, acid jazz, afrobeat, trip hop - to name a few - and all whilst paying homage to those fantastic years. The song titles sound like we’ve been transported back to 1972 in a time machine: “Odeon," "Slalom," "Savana Urbana", "Beta Erotica”, “Allegro Funerario," "Rio De Janeiro Filter," and so on. We are sure that masters like Umiliani, Tommasi and Brugnolini will be pleased with the end result and will undoubtedly be smiling down from the sky. -- Stefano Gilardino

Lorenzo Morresi: Guitars, Bass, Crumar Composer, Davoli Synth, Elgam ES-200, Farfisa Polychrome, Roland Juno-60, Synket by Paolo Ketoff. Luciano Cantone: Drums and Percussion Archelao Macrillò: Drums on “Odeon”, “Allegro Funerario” and “Track ID” Edward Cawthorne aka Tenderlonious: Flutes Giovanni Guerretti: Electric Piano Fabio Mina: Hulusi Flute on “Savana Urbana” Alberto Napolioni: Electric Piano on “Savana Urbana” Francesco Savoretti: Percussions on “Savana Urbana” Agostino Maria Ticino: Synthesizers Supervisor at Museo Del Synth Marchigiano Photography by Ludovica De Santis Layout by Eugenio Crippa

[alaawritesablog]

Odyssey - NOON (Review)

There’s usually very little western inspired music that comes out of the UAE that I enjoy. There could be a wide variety of reasons why that is happening, but this album from dubai-based trio “Noon” was a very enjoyable experience for me from top to bottom. I found them on Instagram in March 2022 while I was looking for more local artists to support and was immediately intrigued by their bio: “an experimental music project from Dubai comprising elements of traditional middle eastern music with polyrhythmic Jazz/rock”. I checked out their Spotify and was immediately disappointed to find they had only released two songs at that point. 

I scoured their socials to find any news on a possible album release… nothing. Nothing but a vague “album coming soon”. So, I gave up. I moved my focus to other artists, local and not, and occasionally checked up on them. Until a week ago, I hadn't even known they had finally gone through with releasing the record they had been promising for months. No roll-out, no pre-release singles, no real promo, nothing. So, here I am 2 months late to review this album.

This record starts off with a song that sets the tone. It includes most, if not all, the elements you see throughout this LP. One of the many notable things is that they use a drum kit for percussion instead of traditional percussion like most Arab fusion stuff tends to. It’s choices like these that are what makes this album fascinating and really shows off their technical skills. 

My favourite song on here is Hybridge pt.1, most of this LP uses the oud as the main instrument, so the vocals on here are a breath of fresh air. The singing on this is so amazing and the little moments where the oud comes in perfectly balanced and doesn't overpower the vocals. The melodies the oud is playing complement the vocal melodies so well. This track was such an immersive experience, I didn't notice it was 8 minutes long when I first heard it. They are a fusion band that combines many different cultures and genres that I've never heard combined quite like this. As I mentioned before, they use a drum kit instead of traditional percussion throughout this whole LP, and the expert drumming is one major factor of what makes this work. The oud melodies are really beautiful and, in the more rock inspired moments on this record, they have a way of making me forget it’s an oud, like on the song Walks on Nawa. And the production on this entire album is sublime.

But, there is one main problem that presents itself multiple times throughout the album. This album has many different things going on, and one tool they use to combine them is a switch up. A switch up is a sudden switch between two musical ideas. Sometimes they pull these off. Other times they either switch up too fast, cutting the previous idea too short, or they don't switch up fast enough and let a melody or idea go on for too long and become repetitive. 

A great example is the switch up in the opening track “Longa Nahawand”, the song starts off calm and slow and then builds to a great track with a phenomenal balance of rock and traditional Arab music elements. My main problem is that they switch back to a slower, more stripped down song. I, personally, didn't enjoy this switch very much. It throws off the momentum and really ruins everything the earlier half of this song was building to. And these types of switches are prevalent all throughout this album, and many times it's so awkward it stops the experience from being as enjoyable. The only way I can think to describe it is that it feels like an unfinished plate of food being taken from me while I was enjoying it. They don’t always let the ideas they start finish. And there are many instances of this on the record that I will not be listing.

All in all, this LP was an interesting experience for me, top to bottom, and while it’s not my favourite and it has its pros and cons, It is by far the most promising thing I have heard from a debut record from the UAE. I always love supporting small artists worldwide and I will never not stop to check something out, and a lot of the time it is incredibly rewarding. Noon have been teasing this album for months and I believe they largely delivered on their promises. I am incredibly excited for what is to come.

[onedrawonly-posts]

Grabbz Drops His new Single "Walk With Me"

Grabbz New Single Drops On MARCH 14TH "Walk With Me" https://youtube.com/shorts/h4pwP_HepDE?feature=share WALK WITH ME Grabbz's newest single "Walk with Me" brings a unique, yet captivating vibrancy to the hip hop scene with its strong blend of elements from modern day EDM & Hip Hop. The track tells a story of caution and self-preservation. Set to a mesmerizing beat, with lyrics that explore the themes of resilience and vigilance. Are you ready to embark on the journey with Grabbz and his new hip hop single "Walk with Me"? This metaphorical walk could lead to a better future - one that can only be found by taking the risks and stepping out into the darkness. The track opens with a low rumbling bass line, a mesmerizing synth lead, and a driving percussion arrangement. Grabbz's vocals come in with a sense of no urgency as he raps with raw passion claiming "he's not a rapper". The songs hook gives warning - you should move cautiously, because danger can strike at any moment, even to those we consider invincible - like Superman. "You should come and take a walk with me, down this path is kind of dark you see. I suggest you move cautiously. Cause you can be a victim anytime even superman died." The contrast between the cautionary words and the upbeat instrumental creates the perfect environment for Grabbz's verses, making the listener pay attention to every word. Grabbz's approach to the production of this single is truly noteworthy. He manages to successfully blend traditional hip-hop elements with a modern EDM sound. Creating a unique atmosphere that is both captivating and emotionally stirring. The song's mix of driving percussion, low rumbles of bass, and melodic synth leads, helps to create a mood that is both foreboding and energizing. The verses that follow are full of vivid imagery. Grabbz conveys the experience of walking down a dark path and encountering the various dangers that came with it. Including being federally incarcerated at 21. He touches on how he was able to take advantage of being locked down, by getting his education. Grabbz's powerful delivery of the message in "Walk with Me" makes it easy to connect with the song. This is not just another rap song - it's an invitation to take a journey, to explore the darker side of life and the dangers that come with it. If you're ready to take the plunge and join Grabbz on this journey. Be sure stream his music and leave a comment. Read the full article

[mister-brightside]

saw a marching band/percussion group practicing at my local park just now and I was considering going up to them and asking how I could join like yes I’m not fantastic as a kit drummer (yet) but that’s cause my legs suck, if I let loose with just my hands I’m pretty solid. the beats they were playing were definitely within my skill level and I can play traditional grip on the snare like they were doing without a problem. and then they all started twirling their sticks in the air and I was like dear fucking lord no

[90363462]

last year Dave matthews was one of the presenters introducing Willie Nelson in the rock and roll hall of fame. Now the band that is named after him is in this year’s class.

Dave Matthews Band harnessed an eclectic sound and relentless touring schedule to become one of the biggest bands in the world. Long, intricate solos, non-traditional rock & roll instruments, unique time signatures, and an electric live show trademark their unique sound.

Dave Matthews Band (also known as DMB) is an American rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991. The band's founding members are singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer and backing vocalist Carter Beauford, violinist and backing vocalist Boyd Tinsley, and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. As of 2024, Matthews, Lessard, and Beauford are the only remaining founding members.

Supported by a communal fanbase, Dave Matthews Band harnessed an eclectic sound and relentless touring schedule to become one of the biggest bands in the world – and they have continued to pick up new generations of fans along the way. Dave Matthews Band are one of the top-selling live acts of all time, and they are the only band with seven consecutive albums debuting at Number One.

They have been called a jam band, a college band, a pop band – and to their devoted fans, they are simply “DMB.” Hailing from Charlottesville, Virginia, the band formed in 1991 and cultivated a trademark sound that includes long, intricate solos, non-traditional rock & roll instruments, unique time signatures, and an electric live show. The airy jazz of LeRoi Moore’s saxophone blends with the animated bluegrass of Boyd Tinsley’s violin, while drummer Carter Beauford’s in-the-pocket grooves and bassist Stefan Lessard’s melodic lines create a powerful rhythm section. Dave Matthews fronts the band with captivating vocals, imaginative lyrics, and percussive guitar strumming.

The band quickly generated strong word of mouth thanks to endless live shows and an active tape sharing community. The 1993 independent-label debut Remember Two Things was popular in the local scene, but their major label debut, 1994’s Under the Table and Dreaming, landed them mainstream hits like “What Would You Say,” “Satellite,” and “Ants Marching.” 1996’s Crash went seven-times Platinum, earned the band its first Grammy award (“So Much to Say”) and yielded another hit, “Crash Into Me.” Live albums like Live at Red Rocks ’95 capture the band’s onstage energy and feature longtime collaborator Tim Reynolds on electric guitar. Musically, the band has influenced a generation of acoustic-driven singer-songwriters like John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and O.A.R.

In 2019, the United Nations designated Dave Matthews Band as Environmental Goodwill Ambassadors, and Matthews has served on Farm Aid’s Board of Directors since 2001. The band’s advocacy and activism has improved our world and inspired fans to think and act in new ways.

Selected Discography

“Ants Marching,” Under the Table and Dreaming (1994)

• “#41,” “Crash Into Me,” Crash (1996)

• “Warehouse,” Live at Red Rocks (1997)

• “Crush,” Before These Crowded Streets (1998) • 

• “The Space Between,” Everyday (2001)

• “Shake Me Like a Monkey,” Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King (2009)

• “Grey Street,” Live at Wrigley Field (2011)

• “Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin),” Come Tomorrow (2018)

What song/album made you a fan?

[sinceileftyoublog]

Julia Holter Album Review: Something in the Room She Moves

(Domino)

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Over the past decade and a half, Julia Holter has consistently made left turns. From the drones and baroque stylings of her 2011 debut Tragedy and 2012 breakout Ekstasis, to the urban, Hollywood, oceanside chamber pop of first Domino entrants Loud City Song and Have You in My Wilderness, to the epic experimentalism of 2018 opus Aviary, Holter has found ways to shift the focus of her sonic explorations and focused curiosities, all while maintaining a cohesive artistic voice. Her 6th album, March's Something in the Room She Moves, continues Holter's penchant for malleability, though more than any of her previous albums, it exudes an air of spontaneity. During COVID, just beforehand having had to focus on film score work, Holter experienced a bout of writer's block--understandably so, as she gave birth to her daughter in 2020 and wasn't able to consistently take in her usual cures of books and films. Instead, she overcame her stasis through a mix of what was right in front of her and her imagination. The songs on Something in the Room She Moves cull from Holter's perspectives and observations, stemming from experiences watching Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo with her daughter and devouring Peter Jackson's Get Back documentary about The Beatles. But they also dare to dive into the corporeal, evoking sounds from inside the body and mind, filtered through a surreal lens.

Listening to Something in the Room She Moves, you feel that Holter wished to encapsulate a childlike spirit but was careful to avoid the pretense of forcing too much chaos into the songs. Opening track "Sun Girl" does start like you've been dropped in the middle of the it, amidst clattering percussion, and introduces a smorgasbord of instrumentation, such as Devra Hoff's fretless bass, Tashi Wada's bagpipes, and Sonjia Denise Hubert Harper's picolo and flute. It's removed from the pop of Holter's previous records, but it moves with some discernible structure, consistent in its tempo changes, vocal layering, and arpeggios. "Place me, drag me, move me, Sun Girl," Holter sings, instructional text as if to remind the listener that this isn't someone randomly banging away at instruments. Like the best surrealist paintings, or even an unintentionally humorous mistranslation, Something in the Room She Moves always has one or two moments at a time that are off-kilter, made all the more eerie by the order around them.

The album's abnormal quality extends into Holter's lyrics and song titles, too, as she subverts traditional grammar. "These morning get sunrise / Tall fjord, some time lost / Brush aside any words sinking to the abyss ago," she sings on "These Morning". The record title itself, which Holter came up with as a play on the first line of The Beatles' "Something", adheres to sentence compositional rules but is only sensible from an emotional, not physical, denotation; a line on the title track clarifies that Holter does, indeed, mean for the wordplay to be uncanny: "Then standing there he said / I love the way you move / When you move the time line." At the same time, Holter's vocals do move, her melisma traveling along with the song's woodwind instruments as the track builds up in volume. And to the best of her ability, she messes with your linear sense of time. Songs like the title track, "Spinning", and "Talking to a Whisper" dip to the point where you think they're going to end, but they shoot back up. Minimal vocal exercises like "Materia" and "Meyou" toy with divergence. On the former, Holter sings, "Of love it's a matter of / Of love it's a matter of love," an imperfect circle of a verse. The latter harks back to Holter's Meredith Monk-esque ambient days, the chorus of voices repeating "me" and "you" together acting as a pulsating instrument. It's as jarring to hear for the first time as it was to hear the same Holter who released Tragedy and Ekstasis cover "Hello Stranger".

Something in the Room She Moves is not a concept record, about the body, the technological, childhood, parenthood, or anything else. Instead, it explores those concepts effortlessly and with a sense of self awareness. On the song meant to invoke the hormone oxytocin--called, yes, "Evening Mood"--Wada plays a spacey, almost video game-esque melody before the song takes a turn for the sensual. Elizabeth Goodfellow's mallet drums buoy a bossa nova-like sway, along with Hoff's bendy bass and Chris Speed's jazzy clarinet, and Holter layers her vocals and looks inward: "I was not alone / Thinking how I could wrap / My arms all around / My face, my face / My girl, my girl," she sings. Later on, she recalls, "Daylight hits me / I was not alone / Equinox hide in a beam." She's given us an album where the cosmically impossible seems captivatingly real, where we're better able to understand ourselves and the world by coming to terms with the intangible aspects of our points of view.