Customer Reviews

Six Degrees Collection: African Travels

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Whoever came up with the idea of mixing techno dance beats with African pop music was a genius. Although I am quite familiar with African music, this was like nothing I have ever heard. It is a wonderful CD, and words alone cannot do it justice. It opens with Issa Bagayog's "Diarabi", which features the use of a kamae n'goni (a unique Afrian string instrument). The next song, "MAW Expensve" by Masters at Work is a remix of Nigeria's gret Fela Kuti. Following this, we are treated with excellent tracksfrom Bob Holroyd, Mabi Thobejane and Organic Grooves, all of whom perform excellent songs, which cannot be described or categorized easily. Bob Holyroyd "Waking the Spirits" was particularly interesting, with an excellent mix of vocals and percussion. Future Loop Foundation gives an excellent performance of "Freetown," which is particularly dancy. However, the final song, a remix of Les Go's "Dan Goa", is also particularly good, and leaves you wishing that the CD never ended. Ah well, thats why we can just play the CD over and over again. Overall, this is a terrific CD, which I strongly reommend to anyone, whether or not they are interested in African music or not.

Fun compilation of "African techno" -- whatever that means. I suppose what it mostly means is modern mixers sample mainly old tracks and combine them with techno beats. Although the approach is generally similar across the tracks, the results are not, and this makes the collection enjoyable to listen to straight thru since the music varies from track to track and its not just the same electronic dance beat from start to finish.

Some of the most interesting are tracks where the sampled music is played on traditional string folk instruments Issa Bagayogo' "Diarabi" and Organic Grooves' "Sutukung" where the combination of the traditional instruments and the electronic beats create a nice tension. Neba Solo's "Noumou Foly" is a variant on this approach, but the main folk instrument, the balafon (a wooden xylophone with gourd resonators) already sounds like an electronic beat so the folk-instrument-meets-the-beats contrast is a little more blurred.

Masters At Work "MAW Expensive" is a remix of Fela Kuti's "Expensive ..." -- see the Amazon page of the original recording for the details of the song's origins -- and its similarity to the original recording brings home just how timeless those 1970s Afrobeat recordings were. Joe Clausell's remix of Les Go's "Dan Gna" is a fairly straightforward remix of a 1999 international dance tune.

Finally, some of the other tracks go the other way - are more techno than African, such as Bob Holroyd's "Waking the Spirits" where despite the sampling the African input is pretty incidental.

I want to make this short: this cd is extremely good, excellent. It's the type of music that will rock you and that you will want to listen anytime. It motivates you and it has some beats that will conquer you! I have traveled with this one (cd) to different places and everyone loves it, I mean everyone, from south america to north america.

Honestly, it's the best cd I have in my collection and I always want to show it of. Please also get Arabian travels, wow...a pair that will give strong reputation to your music collection!

I first heard this CD in a van with 6 other people as we trekked from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Las Vegas, Nevada. One guy on the group was a local radio DJ and does a World Beat show. This was the only album we all liked from his suggestions. He still had to sit in the back since he was on the low end of the totem pole. However, since this album was a hit with the group, he earned a ride home minus the quips, jokes, and insults usually reserved for such a lowly passenger...

Track 1 (Diarabi) is the perfect start for the album. It's uplifting beat is great and the song was the favorite of one of our passengers... *****

Track 2 (Maw Expensive) is decent. Definitely not the song you want on repeat as the lyrics can become a little annoying if you're in a bad mood (or on a 7 hour ride with seven people who are starting to get on your nerves...) ***

Track 3 (Sidudla) is the most Techno of the group, but the lyrics keep it solid and brings it back from a song that almost ended up as one that "only a teenager could like..." ****

Track 4 (Awakening) doesn't have a preview here on Amazon - and rightly so. It's not one of the better songs on the album, but still acts as a great bridge from song to song... ***

Track 5 (Sutukung) flip flops with #6 and #8 as my favorite depending on the mood i'm in. The long-step beat is just great and the vocal is masterful. I don't care what foul mood you're in - this song can bring you back from the dead. *****

Track 6 (Noumou) is one of the most "African" sounding of the group. Watch out for when the lyrics, bass, drums, and xylophone(?) all meet - just gorgeous! One of my favorites on the album. *****

Track 7 (Freetown) has an interesting voice distortion. ****

Track 8 (In the Sun) is just a "good" tune until the chanting vocals enter. Then is it's just a fantastic song! *****

Track 9 (Dan Gna) i feel is not up to par with the rest of the Album. I found it strange at the end and you keep waiting for the album to continue. I might be missing something, so i've been keeping an ear out each listening and i never skip over the song... ***

Definately a great album to own. I'm not into techno junk or new age crap, but i love this album's African roots with a modern beat that hasn't been overdone. Seems to work on many levels. Very cool...

I bought this CD on a 20 sec. sound sample and without ever buying world beat music before and absolutely loved it. It's so much different than any of the music I've listened to before and is complex/intricate enough in its construction to listen to over and over again. The rhythms are quite intoxicating and seem to force me to move, but I've also used this as background for studying. The variety represented is great, and I would definitely recommend this to those without a lot of experience listening to this kind of music.

i was looking for a tribal, african precussion cd. This is not real tribal but its listening bliss. Song number 5 by organic grooves will give you chills especially when the voice kicks in. It is a must have for any one who enjoys any sort of africa music or any one who just enjoys good, laid back, filla brizillia, thievery corporation type of music. its not real hard on precussions but close your eyes and you will feel like you are floating!! a must have for any one with taste of laid back, chill music. this cd only adds a little african flavor to it. GET IT!!

Like "Traveler '01" and other CDs in the Six Degrees Travel Series, African Travels is a refreshing blend of world music and electronica. The tracks on African Travels are full of rhythmic drums and African chants - the music is at once energetic enough to dance to, mellow enough to relax to, and interesting enough to listen to again and again.

Having previously loved "Asian Travels," I was impressed by the reviews of this CD and had to try it out. Simply put, this CD is mindblowing!! It grabs you from the first track and does not let go or slacken throughout the entire disk. Virtually every album I own (including many classic recordings) can't maintain their level of excellence throughout. Most every recording has those moments that people in the CD age tend to skip over, but this one is that rare exception. It covers an amazing variety of styles and is the very definition of the word "synthesis." If only music this excellent could reach a wider audience, the world would be much better off. If you can't tell from all the positive reviews here, it's time to get back to where music all started and make "African Travels" your next purchase. The drums are waiting.

So exotic with down to earth percussion and not over teched out. The Issa Bagayogo track almost otherworldly. The Joe Claussell track is chill and dance rolled in one Afro-beat house groove. I hope they keep this comming in series, Love it!!!

This cd was recommended to me...I bought it and love it. The beats and tribal sounds are amazing...an all around great cd.