Word The Cat

There’s a lot of fear about bootleggers killing the Grime scene so I’m always a bit cautious about posting new Grime tracks. But as far as I can see, posting an mp3 of one track of a mix CD is promoting it, not cheating MCs out of a sale. With that in mind you can pick up JME’s new mix CD here. The Poomplex mix CD is an great example of people putting their own stuff out off their own backs so if you’re going to download some stuff and buy a CD once in a while then support this. Look for Skepta’s album, also on Boy Better Know, in a few months.

JME – Food 5.2mb

I have to confess, I don’t quite know what to make of Current 93. Extremely camp Blake-inspired hallucinations tend to distract from the music underneath. Can we take this seriously? Speaking as someone who enjoys Footballers Wives I don’t really feel the need to answer that question. I like to imagine David Tibet (like Alan Moore) as a scary aged man who hovers on the outskirts of the village measuring out arcane geometric lines in a heavy coat. But he could secretly be a fat fingered bishop who you might find stalked by death in a plague painting. Either way it does strike me as very English, so I’ll use him to displace Trinidad and Tobago from the top of the blog. This track is from the new LP ‘Black Ships ate the Sky’. The LP also features several versions of the same song performed by different vocalists including Will Oldham and Shirley Collins.

Current93 – black ships in the sky.mp3 3.4mb

Apparently there’s a football tournament going on… T&T’s Soca Warriors did great against Sweden at the weekend. England should still rinse them but let’s hope they beat Paraguay. These are world cup socas, my picks are the George Iwer and Maximus Dan:

George Iwer – We Reach 6mb

Bunji Garlin – Stand Up For Warriors 4mb

Defosto – Soca Warriors> 8mb

Maximus Dan – Fighter (soca warrior) 5.5mb

Ghana are playing tonight too, The Hiplife Complex has some Hiplife (that’s highlife/hip hop fusion) videos streamed from YouTube to watch here.

As Benn Loxo warms up for the world cup (keep your eyes peeled there), thought I’d post some Ethiopian groove. Can’t tell you a great deal about the artists or the songs (any info appreciated) beyond the fact that Tlahoun Gessesse is extremely popular in Ethiopia, but I can tell you that these songs come from a series of compliations called ‘Ethiopiques‘ available from all the usual outlets:

Muluqhn Mhllhssh – Hidhtch alu 5.6mb

Tesfa-Maryam Kidane – Tezeta.mp3 5.7mb

Tlahoun Gessesse – Ene negn wey antchi.mp3 4.2mb

Tlahoun Gessesse

During the 1930s before the war, European, American and Japanese colonial interests held sway over Shangahi which was the centre of international trade in East Asia. The city passed hands between these powers, a Chinese nationaist regime and finally to the communists in 1949. A great deal of 20th century Asian history was seen first hand by the first singer here: Li Xiang-lan.
Li was born Yamaguchi Yoshiko in 1920 to Japanese parents (her father worked for the railway) in Manchuria. She appeared in a number of films produced in Shanghai during the war under the name Li Xiang-lan before moving to Japan in 1946 (the incoming nationalist regime were understandably hostile to anything Japanese). She went on to appear in several American films under the name Shirley Yamaguchi as well as serving as a news anchorwoman. In 1974 she was elected to the upper house of the Japanese parliament where she served for 18 years.

Li Xiang-lan – If Only 4.8mb

Zhou Xuan was born in 1918 and appeared in a number of films in the same period (late 30s and 1940s) including the hugely popular ‘Street Angel’. This song is taken from that film.

Zhou Xuan – The Wandering Songstress 3.5mb

After the War, Chang Loo joined many who left the mainland for Hong Kong. She continued to record there for many years.

Chang Loo – The Plough Song 4mb

Here’s a double (of sorts) mix for missed May and coming June. Theme could be ghosts, or smells. I always forget that there are more smells in summer – just like the sunlight creates more colours. By the way, the image above is from Elia Suleiman’s strange and excellent film Divine Intervention. Beg, borrow or steal.

Word The Cat – May & June mix 40mb

This month’s mix includes tracks by (in rough order):

Xenis Emputae Travelling Band
Manual
Joakim Skogsberg
Piana
Ghostface
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
Ashtray Navigations
Build an Ark