Ancestral Yoruba, Kejawèn, and Akamba rhythms meets Jungle, Juke, Bass, Hip Hop, and Spiritual Jazz.
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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.
“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
Digital Africa 4
The Beat Continuum: The Socio-Political Evolution of Rhythm
100 Years of Beat
Honored to have participated in the curation of this festival, and looking forward to contributing to it, speaking alongside the likes of Kodwo Eshun and playing next to JLin.
Mark your calendars: Thu, Apr 26, —Sun, Apr 29
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NGOMA Afro Tech / Cashmere Radio
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
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.
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.
contemporary 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.‘“
NGOMA July 16
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.
Dj Zhao-Watergate 16.06.2-4am
VOODOOISM
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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Cosmic Rhythm Club
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A borderless multi-genre set for here and now: from the Tech House giant Kompakt Köln to Awesome Tapes From Africa, from Hugh Masekela to Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque, from Spiritual Jazz to Tropical Bass, from Afro Funk to Hip House, from Bollywood Acid to Cosmic Disco, a continuous deep river of polyrhythmic groove which flows through all times and places:
Astro Love Machine
With a strict focus on intimate dancefloors, this mid tempo mix (along with its faster sister which will soon arrive) connects Afro-Jazz and Techno, Soul and Bass, Highlife and Electro, Disco and Ancestral drumming in ways you’ve probably not heard before.
LIVE from Opium Club Vilnius
A dope night in Lithuania frozen in wav form: a set of Africanized Bass music for cool kids in the club
FUSION 8 – Secrets of the Sun
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.
Trapped
Baauer and RL Grime trapping fraternity kids
On a train going through the Czech Republic, random young Swedish travelers enthusiastically told me of their love for Trap music. Kids in Ho Chi Minh City are turning the f*** up to Trap. Vice magazine has made a documentary about Trap music and the ghetto streets from where it came.
Soliparty Tonight!
Sorry about late notice but this is very important solidarity event for refugee rights in the very cool concert/club venue Zukunft am Ostkreuz. Bands start at 6pm, dinner for all (Ramadan fast break) at 9pm, And i play from 2am!
Laskerstr. 5, 10245 Berlin-Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany