FUSION Festival 2022

Sorry for neglecting this site for some time. There is a lot of exciting things happening with my dj work but just have been a bit overwhelmed with other projects. Much more soon!

But for now, any lucky people attending Fusion this weekend should know that Dj Zhao’s set will be Sat. night / Sun. morning from 3am – 6am, on the Salon De Baile stage.

Expect next level and all inclusive African Futurism.

See you there!

Ndagga Rhythm Force / DJ Zhao – YAAM Thursday 08.08

NDAGGA_WEB
Thursday YAAM at 7pm sharp will be a real Ngoma set from me, meaning Afro-centric poly-rhythms not restricted by the forms of the usual dance club. And the opening and closing sets will be special ones, encompassing Spiritual Jazz, deep Yoruba drums, Jungle, Juke, Reggae, and much more.
And the band of course is amazing.
Hope to see some of you there!
NDAGGA RYTHM FORCE (live)
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ECz3xA
Youtube: https://bit.ly/2MduOyR
Dj support: dj zhao (ngoma)
Einlass 19:00 / Konzert: 20:30
VVK ab 15,- incl. Gebühren bei KOKA36 / EVENTBRITE & An allen bekannten VVK Stellen

In 2011 Mark Ernestus (of Basic Channel, Rhythm & Sound, and Hardwax fame) traveled to Senegal in search of original Sabar and Mbalax recordings but ended up inviting over 20 percussionists and other musicians – most of whom he had become interested in via local cassettes or Youtube clips – for a spontaneous recording session in Dakar. Mark arranged and mixed these recordings back in Berlin, which were released on the 2012 twin albums “800% Ndagga” and “Ndagga Versions” under the “Mark Ernestus presents Jeri-Jeri” moniker – simply using the Sabar drummers’ clan name.

Since then, the project has evolved into something new in its own: From the initial pool of artists involved, Mark has handpicked a smaller core group with whom he intensified collaboration, toured throughout Europe and recorded new tracks to arrange, edit, finish production, and mix with his own, more electronic aesthetic. The album “Yermande” was released to much critical acclaim late in 2016.

The group has become a killer live outfit and has played clubs and major festivals all across Europe – including Melt!, Roskilde, Dour, OFF! in Katowice or the Festival Ile d’France in Paris – and in the process long have outgrown initial limitations. We’re more than happy to have MARK ERNESTUS & NDAGGA RHYTHM FORCE at YAAM Berlin in August!

Sound System Culture – on the radical roots of rave

Sorry for the short notice.

Tomorrow Friday my talk at 18:00 will be on the Insurrectionary Politics of Dancing, and dj set from 21:30 – 23:30 of Afro-centric Breaks and Jungle.

 

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“Understanding the sound system as a social space, we want participants of different genres and scenes (from roots, dub and contemporary bass music to techno/tekno) to gather and exchange.

In a colorful program of exhibitions, live-performances, workshops, talks, discussion and diverse music Berliners and international artists are entering into a dialogue and are actively shaping the event.

Exhibitions:
– Roots of sound system music & culture – including audio examples and open dialogue by David Riley (Supported by Mr. Glue)
– UK sound systems in the 90ies – photos and input by Ed Twist

Workshop:
– “Listen! Material and Loops – A hearing experience” by E.L.L.I.

Discussion Panel (FLTI):
– “Sound Systems, Rave Collectives and Gender” by Meetup Berlin & PRIZM:Berlin

Talks:
– The revolutionary essence of social dance by He Zhao
– Sound system culture, hardcore techno and the Berlin Fuckparade by Bianca Ludewig
– Sound System Cultures of the Black Atlantic: Angolan Kuduro by Stefanie Alisch (Humboldt Universität zu Berlin)
– Rave & psychoanalysis by Feli Concat
– Musique Concrète Jungle – spatial delivery research by Lukas Jakob Löcker

Performance:
A/V synth performance by SAOU TV & Kevin Koen

Music:
Benjammin
– Chantal
– Dj.Pult (do not dance)
dj zhao
– Feli Concat
Gretchen Bazooka
Hägen Daz
Jahminta Zulu
Jah Forcefield (Bademah & Zentash Gigawatt Dubz)
– Jukebox Utopia
Mila Chiral – live
– One Woman Army in Dub
Pmp Mzk alongside Tcp (Harlekinsound / Certain:Dubs)
– Smi
– Spiriel
– Aporia Barrage
Token

Supported by:
– VJ Flimmerkiste
– A-Sound System
– Triple P Sound System

Dance Dance Revolution: The Insurrectionary Politics of Shaking It

ddr.jpgAnarcho-Communist mega-party-mix: end of article

“If I Can’t Dance, I Don’t Want to Be Part of Your Revolution”

–Attributed to Emma Goldman

“Music is a weapon, a real weapon, in a concrete sense.”

–Desmond Tutu (1)

“Dancing is the remedy of resistance, the art of the marginalized and dispossessed.”

–Marc de la Maison (2)

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NGOMA Afro Tech / Cashmere Radio

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Tonight is a big big night, with top beatsmiths and djs from Uganda, UK, and Berlin providing us with outlandishly excellent sonic services in this historical NYEGE NYEGE FESTIVAL gathering on the other side of the globe.

And tomorrow all 4 of us, David Tinning, Spooky-J, Moroto Hvy Indstr, and myself will be weaving ecstatic aural tapestries on the esteemed Cashmere Radio, where there is a dopetastische absinthe bar, from 8pm to midnight.

Get your dancing shoes ready for tonight, and smoking jacket for tomorrow!

Official Ngoma Avant Classical List

Last year on this day i made the following post on Facebook:

Deleting everything from Avant Classical collection which i don’t LOVE listening to. DON’T GIVE A FUCK how highly regarded it is. Sorry Luigi Nono; sorry Brian Ferneyhough, sorry Georg Friedrich Haas. Some to all of your material has got to GO.

And some people requested screenshots.

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The Journey Part 2

 

Rhythms of the mother continent meets Sound of Berlin: NGOMA envisions dance music of a society that we want our grand children to live in.  Decolonized poly-scyncretic drum machines of a high-tech egalitarian future, constructed from the plurality of various life experiences and multiple sonic perspectives today, NGOMA fuses the best of many worlds for maximum mind expansion, soul elevation, and body intoxication.

The Journey Part 1

in anticipation of the party on Saturday, i stepped in for Moon Wheel on his show The Journey on Berlin Community Radio:

 

Rhythms of the mother continent meets Sound of Berlin: NGOMA envisions dance music of a society that we want our grand children to live in.  Decolonized poly-scyncretic drum machines of a high-tech egalitarian future, constructed from the plurality of various life experiences and multiple sonic perspectives today, NGOMA fuses the best of many worlds for maximum mind expansion, soul elevation, and body intoxication.

 

NGOMA Afro Tech

webfront

Sound of Berlin meets Rhythms of the mother continent: NGOMA envisions dance music of a future society that we would want our grand children to live in. Imagining a decolonized polycultural drum machine constructed from the plurality of our various life experiences and multiple sonic perspectives, NGOMA fuses the best of many worlds for maximum mind expansion, soul elevation, and body intoxication.

Continue reading