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!

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.

 

soundsystem flyer
“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

NGOMA Afro Tech / Cashmere Radio

ngoma-jan-flyer

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!

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.

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.

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Ways of Life 3: African Anarchy

There are African histories of egalitarianism and democracy independent of, and predating, modern Western progressive movements.  It is time we revived them from systematic displacement and erasure, because they may hold the key to our collective future.

treecontemporary Northern Ghanaians holding council.  Photo courtesy of Marc Becker

Indigenous Democracy

An epiphany of cosmic proportions dawned upon me during a taxi ride from Kampala International airport to the city last year.  My incidental travel companion was the Ugandan film maker Dolman Dila; and in his unhurried, quiet, and measured tone, this is what he said:

“Of the 53 major “nations“ in the region today known as Uganda (name arbitrarily taken from one of them, Luganda, by the British), only 10 featured any kind of hierarchical political structure.  The majority of them, with population size from 1 to 3 million, lived in entirely egalitarian organizations, voluntary cooperatives, and share/gift economies, without centralized political power, high levels of inequality, or warfare.  For instance, Acholi, the 2nd largest society in Uganda, lived in communal, collaborative, and mutualistic arrangements.  In these societies elders and experts were respected, and held influence, but did not have exclusive decision making power over others.   In fact, the people of these societies having almost entirely no concept of power, control, domination, and subjugation was a significant factor for the ease with which Europeans conquered these lands.  When an Englishmen said to them „I will rule this territory from now on“, they probably looked at each other, shrugged, and with such trust toward their fellow men, as strangely dressed as these were, said something like:  “We don’t know exactly what that means, but why not, it should be fine.‘“

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NGOMA July 16

Bildschirmfoto 2016-06-22 um 10.40.01

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

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VOODOOISM

VOODOO5

A new series of Polyrhythmic Bass and Afrocentric Techno is born at this sweet underground spot by the spree near Schlesisches Tor with big sound.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1589940924667453/

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Lamin Fofana (Sci-Fi & Fantasy)
dj zhao (Ngoma Soundsystem)
Qumasiquamé (Through My Speakers)
Sheikh (SOUL FUTURE BASS)

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FUSION 8 – Secrets of the Sun

Dj Zhao - FUSION 8

Mixing and blending songs from the Indian Ocean, Yoruba Muslim ritual music, Ugandan percussion, Haitian Vodou lullabies, Lebanese Dabke, Tazania Taraab, Egyptian mystical jazz, music of the San people from the Kalihari, even some Kraut psychedelia, with grimey bass and beats.  Richly layered tapestries of indigenous music and deep dub ebbs and flows, swelling into fiery bass and drums toward the end.

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