A new week deserves new music (okay that's bs) but I got a system, and that's how I do. Sound Travels today was full of my weaknesses, which is an undying love of reggae and bhangra. I did however,start on a slighly different note.
A few notes really; from Japanese singer-songwriter Chara, whose new mini-EP Utakata just dropped. I thought it was interesting enough to include it today. Though the EP itself is only so-so, this tune stood out for me for its darkly sweet sound. Speaking of sweet, Honey Singh, the Indian rapper/producer whose new album International Villager features some nice bhangra pop and showcases quite a few notable names in the bhangra world like Malkit Singh, the late Romey Gill and here on this tune Manak Ali.
Chara "Oshiete" Utakata
Honey Singh "Sambhle feat. Manak Ala" International Villager
Part two of the set was all reggae. Argentine rootsman Fidel Nadal strikes again with an even stronger album and follow up to his 2009 release Crucial Cuts with this year's Forever Together. Roots reggae with a cumbia edge and Spanish lyrics is what he does and the new album adds more electronics and vocoded vocals to Fidel's furious flows. While I haven't digested the new album, the single is super-tasty. As is the socially-conscious (and just a bit militant) tune "Alien Invader" from UK reggae singjay Bongo Kanny. Bongo Kanny, a.k.a Aaron Kedar, is a rising star on the UK scene and it sounds like he's got the skills to stay.
Fidel "Yuh Don't Know" Forever Together
Bongo Kanny "Alien Inveder"
