I missed Golden Dawn Arkestra at Levitation Austin two years ago, so I’m keen on catching their show this year. They have a wild mix of African, Asian, and Caribbean beats, amazing costumes, and a wild stage show. I’m sure it will be a performance that gets everyone moving.
Keep your mind open.
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French psych-rockers Wall of Death are returning to Levitation Austin. I’ve seen them twice: Once at Levitation Austin 2013 (when it was still known as Austin Psych Fest) and then later that same year when they opened for the Black Angels in Indianapolis. They always put on a good show of loud psych, so I’m interested in hearing their new material.
Keep your mind open.
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Swiss electro / house duo Klaus Johann Grobe create an interesting mix of stuff I can best describe as “electro-lounge.” They sample a lot of Euro sounds and lay down some good dance beats.
Levitation Austin is bringing in a lot of electro, synth, and techno acts this year. There are a few I want to see and these two cats are one of them.
Keep your mind open.
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Brazilian singer extraordinaire Ceu has released tour dates for this summer.
I hope to catch her at that Chicago date on June 24th. I’ve yet to see a live bossa nova show, let alone one that combines electro beats with the genre. Catch her if you can.
Keep your mind open.
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Natural Information Society is a Chicago jazz collective led by Joshua Abrams. Bitchin’ Bajas are a Chicago-based kraut-rock band. They’re two great tastes that taste great together on their collaboration that blends world music funk, jazz, electro, and synth-wave.
It’s nice to see Levitation Chicago bringing in local acts, especially this team-up that should bring a meditative feel to their March 12th performance.
Keep your mind open.
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The lovely Brazilian singer Ceu‘s new album Tropix will be out March 25, 2016. You can see the video for the first excellent single, “Perfume Do Invisivel,” below. It’s a beautiful single combining bossa nova with electro as Ceu does better than most.
You can pre-order Tropix on Ceu’s Bandcamp page.
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Recorded on December 13, 2014 at the end of their world tour, Tuareg musicians Tinariwen (Ibrahim Ag Alhabib – vocals and guitar, Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni – vocals and guitars, Hassan Ag Touhami – vocals and guitar, Iyad Moussa Ben Abderahmane – vocals and guitar, Elaga Ag Hamid – background vocals and guitar, Eyadou Ag Leche – background vocals and bass, Said Ag Ayad – background vocals and percussion) recorded a fantastic album of their blend of desert rock, traditional music, spiritual songs, and poetry. Renowned Tuareg singer and poet Lalla Badi, who hadn’t performed in France in three decades, joined them.
Badi performs the first traditional poem in the opener, “Tinde,” which sets a near-sacred tone to the record. “Tamiditin” brings in the traditional crisp guitars you expect from Tinariwen and is mellow enough to relax you but snappy enough to make you tap your toes. The band ramps it up a bit on “Koudedazamin,” which will add head bobbing to your toe tapping.
“Imidiwan Ahi Sigidam” is full of wonderful percussion and swirling, snappy guitars that induce full-body swaying to the dance the band creates for you as the record progresses. The guitar work on “Tamatant Tiley” is almost like a riff from a Bo Diddley record while the percussion keeps the song firmly in the Tuareg tradition.
Another rousing “Tinde” with Lalla Badi follows and then comes “Azawad” – a song that would be perfect for a motorcycle trip across an African plain. The guitar work on it is as almost like a piano solo. “Chaghaybou” is as hot as the band’s homeland can get from time to time. The percussion instantly gets you moving and the guitar work takes on a rougher edge. The song speeds up to whirling dervish pace before blissfully fading out into the wind. “Toumast Tincha” induces happy trances and dancing every time I hear it. The bass on it also comes to the front now and then, which is a nice touch.
“Tiwayyen” could’ve been a Jimi Hendrix song in another dimension, as the guitars in it are reminiscent of Hendrix’s psychedelic blues riffs. “Emin Assosam” continues the uncanny blues flavor thanks to the heartfelt vocals that sound like something from an old Mississippi Delta blues B-side, even in a foreign tongue.
The album fittingly ends with “Tinde Final,” which brings the audience and listener back from the wonderful spiritual journey this performance creates. My wife and I were lucky enough to see Tinariwen at Austin Psych Fest (now known as Leviation Austin) three years ago. They played a great set under a blue sky while people of various ages, races, religions, and, admittedly, states of mind danced with each other. This band heals spiritual wounds, and this album is a delightful tonic for a bad day.
Keep your mind open.