Each week, Audio Taste Test serves up an obscure and independent playlist for your evening, tantalizing your musical palate with flavors from all different soundscapes. Listen on demand here and on 88Nine from 10-11 p.m. every Thursday.
Order up! It’s a new episode, and I’ve got the latest earworms for your audio tasting pleasure.
FrontnBack (aka the “Lions of Afrobeat”) released a booty-shaking single that mixes high-energy beats with traditional storytelling. The song is called “Odogwu,” which comes from the Igbo language of Nigeria and means “hero.” Some of the descendants on my mom’s side have Igbo and Nigerian roots. Cool, right?
Infusing the mood with a dash of disco is the French duo Tonique & Man. They channel their inner Quincy Jones on “Your Lovin’,” which blends analog synths and vocal harmonies to create a warm sound. Keeping with the infectious groove, I ask the question: What happens when you take traditional South Asian melodies to the club? Baalti & Lapgan have the answer in “Romance” from their collaborative album Threads.
Perth artist Ethan French’s project ideas of the day, vol. 1 drops Oct. 2 and was created with the idea of composing a new song every day. It’s a trend that has taken off on social media, and we should all be glad that French decided to take on the challenge. His melodic, jazz-forward compositions have me LOCKED IN. Finally, funk-fusion Japanese group Fujimaru Band also make an appearance with their rare track “Paper Machine” from 1977 album BGM.
Happy tasting!
Episode playlist
- FrontnBack, “Odogwu”
- Charlie Bett, “Omens”
- Four Tet, “Baby”
- Tonique & Man, “Your Lovin”
- Baalti & Lapgan, “Romance”
- Mexican Institute of Sound, “El campeon (Bienes funerarios)”
- Panic Shack, “Girl band starter pack”
- Castlebeat, “Moonlight”
- Hannah Lew, “The Clock”
- Ethan French, “Reckless and arranged - day 56 (extended)”
- Paul & Linda McCartney, “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey”
- Sports, “Cadillac”
- Ivan Page, ”Spiderweb”
- Fujimaru Band, “Paper Machine”
