diggin guide - Paris (France) #1.

Here's the long overdue diggin guide for Paris, France. Part one. 

For diggers in Paris, the compulsory stop is Saint-Michel, aka the Latin quarter, where the Sorbonne University is located. In this quarter, there are a few record stores which are worth a stop, and sometimes a purchase. 

First of all, the messy Boulinier. Not really a record store, but it's a second-hand shop that sells books, records etc. But, when diggin at Boulinier, you need two things : time and luck. Time, because nothing is in order, it's kinda crowdy, and most of all, and still, it's not a record store. Which means there is no selection. They put everything they buy from needy sellers in crates, without any further care. So, you could say there is no soul at Boulinier. Anyway, once in a while, you'll find a cool piece, sometimes for a cheap rate. How's that ? I guess they're ignorant and they hurry too much, as they don't really evaluate the value of a record. But once again, a soulless place. 

Then, a few buildings beside Boulinier, there is Démocratie. Which is not a record store. Either. On ground floor, it's like a hype shop, selling a bunch of fashion stuff. But underground, there is a record store. Obviously run by a cool dude who loves it, it's a bit disappointing. Prices are a bit high. And the selection is quite poor. I don't know, maybe I'm too picky, but in my opinion, the main function of a record shop is to present a selection. That's what gives a soul to a store. But, in too many occasions, second-hand record stores don't dig, they only buy what comes to the counter, and then sell it with a margin. And I'm not dissing the margin. I'm dissing the lack of selection. Anyway, back to Démocratie. If you're into electro music, you could find your happiness there. Same thing for diggers of 45's, especially in French music. 

When you go up the Boulevard Saint-Michel, you can't miss Gibert Jeune. Originally a second-hand bookstore, the shop expanded to selling records in a dedicated store. To be frank, this must be one of my favorite places, even if it's not a "real" record store. First of all, back in the days, I started buying my rarest CD's at Gibert, because they had the coolest and most uncommon CD's you could find. The Japanese edition of the the "Ghost Dog" soundtrack ? Got it there (for a awful sum but still, I got it !). That was a long time ago. Since then, I switched to LP's, and I'm still pretty satisfied with their services. They have both new and used LP's. They sleeve in everything they sell, and they don't sell damaged stuff. So you can be confident when you buy used stuff from Gibert. But the main thing about Gibert is that they are much cheaper than "real" record stores. The "WITCH" box from Now-Again ? 10 euros cheaper (or more) than from your local record dealer. To me, that's a deal. A real and fair deal. It may be a good thing to support and feed your local dealer, but the crisis affects everyone and I obviously need to fill my need of record-buying when my dealer doesn't (clearly, they sometimes speak of records without any passion ; don't get upset, I said "sometimes"). You would think Gibert sell the more obvious stuff, but once again, you would be wrong. I found the Ethiopian "Wedding Songs" there, a few Asian cuts also... That's the closest deal you'll get to the best eBay bids. And if you are still into CD's, you can get a whole lot over there as well. 

In the same area, there is the reference store Crocodisc-Crocojazz. The two stores are separated by a wall, but it's the same spirit. The guys are pretty nice and chatty, you can get good advices and they really know their stock and crates, even if they are numerous. This is a place for reggae diggers as the section is quite big compared to the total space. I recall the soundtrack section is pretty interesting, as well as the soul space. Like most French record stores, they're also deep into pop and rock. This is one of the only stores that has a real "dollar bin". It may not be the American kind of "dollar bin" (by "American" I mean that only in the US you could find really interesting thing with a "1 dollar" tag, in Europe it's mainly damaged LP's and corny stuff), but it's still good to know they have one. Being a quite old store, it's always worth a visit. They also sell CD's. I don't remember seeing new LP's so there must only be used ones there. Good place.  

Closer to the Chatelet-Les Halles area, you have Monster Melodies. A really messy place, so I guess that's what you could call a "real" record store. The ground floor is dedicated to gear, so you can replace your old turntable with another old turntable. The first floor is filled with tons of LP's. Tons. You litterally have to walk over and on boxes of records to get access to the furthest crates. It's an impressive place. But you will need a loooooot of time to get into all the boxes. Or you know precisely what you're looking for. Monster Melodies is about rock. All kinds of rock music. There's a jazz section also, a French section, a teeny-tiny hip hop section, a fair reggae/dub section, a cool afro section. I didn't see other kinds of global groove, but it could be my mistake. Anyway, true diggers will be happy in this place. Rock diggers. But be ready to spend a few more bucks than usual on some pieces. I saw a "Histoire de Melody Nelson" by Serge Gainsbourg sporting a "60€" label, which freaked me out. Same with other Gainsbourg album, marked "30€", which is kind of unusual as well. In a world where eBay and Discogs have become the first tools of a record digger, it's embarassing to see such price tags. But Monster Melodies is the place to find rarities, so pay them a visit, and be careful of where you put your feet and hands, it's a dangerous place. And pay the guys a smile, as it seems they've lived in the dark so long that they sport sad faces. Once again, passion, guys, passion. Stop talking business, talk passion. I didn't notice the presence of a "dollar bin", but I could be wrong. 

I also had a chance to shop at Superfly Records, which is located in a whole different area. Advertised as a shopping place for Gilles Peterson and DJ Spinna, it's a very decent place. Once again, smiling seems to be a forgotten thing, but I guess it's a thing among record dealers. Is it getting a "serious" job or something ? Frowning ain't better. Anyway, I guess they know their stuff and that's the most important thing. The selection is tight. Their new arrival bin is impressive, with lots of afro stuff. Expensive, but not so much compared to the rarity of some of the LP's you can find there. One thing I didn't get is why pretend you have a "dollar bin" (or a discount bin to be more accurate) when the discount stuff is actually labelled "5€" or "10€". I guess the "dollar bin" spirit is definitely dead. RIP. Superfly Records is nonetheless worth the publicity it gets from a lot of diggers (they have ads - yes I know they pay for it, but still - in Wax Poetics and such) and the store has an accurate newsletter. 

Last advice for this part one : don't expect to dig before 1 or 2pm. That's usually the time the record store open. That's another reason why I go to Gibert so much as they have normal business hours. 

biZdar.

This man is one of the most underrated actors of the music industry, and one of its busiest element. His name : Zdar. Philippe Zdar. 

One half of La Funk Mob, Cassius and Motorbass, Zdar also works as a solo act, mixing, remixing, producing, supervising other people's work and spreading ideas all over the world.  

The Fader had the good idea to write a whole paper about him. It's a pretty extensive field study of the guy, which browses most of his career. 

Zdar definitely deserves more recognition for what he brought to the table over the years. 

o.x.m.o.

Speaking of artwork, French rap icon Oxmo Puccino revealed the cover of his next album, "Roi Sans Couronne". Out on September 17th. 

And speaking of good French rap, iconic label Alariana announced and released the reissues of Ideal J's two albums, "O'riginal MC's Sur Une Mission" and "Le Combat Continue". 

For those who don't know, DJ Mehdi, the one you would know through his connections with electronic music label Ed Banger, was the main producer for Ideal J. 

RIP Mehdi. 

MMS artwork.

Here are, on Rappcats, a few vinyl covers off the Madlib Medicine Show series. 

Why only "a few" ? 

Because the artwork was handmade by Hit+Run, and is, so to speak, one of a kind. Using the same elements for a single album, the guys at Hit+Run assembled them differently, maybe randomly, maybe not. 

D+? = !!

After he came back on stage in Europe, I guess the US audience got frustrated. How come Europeans could get what his home country had been expected for more than a decade ? Maybe it was to come back stronger, European crowds acting like a test audience. It was probably to prepare the come-back he just did, alongside ?uestlove and a A+ line-up comprised of Jesse Johnson, Pino Palladino, James Poyser, Kirk Douglas (yeah, but no), and others... D really is on his way, and I can't wait to hear some more. A new album in 2012 ? Well, just maybe. 2013 ? Probably. That guy is a torturer. 

Still, while you're waiting for a new opus, the 90-minute concert at Bonnaroo is available for streaming, and for downloading also. 

Hungarian jazz.

The Jazz Kid did it again. 

Remember the post about jazz from Czechoslovakia ? Well, this time he compiled a few great tracks of jazz from Hungary. Who knew such a scene had existed ? 

Of course, as usual, the Jazz Kid made a mix, available on Mixcloud. 

Get schooled again. 

a buyer's dream.

Here's the story of a pretty good deal (if you consider the buyer's side) : a guy bought the vinyl collection of a Vancouver radio, CBC.

A few numbers :
- 37 913 LP's
- 11 780 45's
- 492 78's
- around 10 000$

What makes it a good deal is that, apart from the relative cheap price, the collection of a radio is generally in very good condition, especially when it implies a respectable institution like CBC.

Next time your local radio offers that kind of deal, be the first (and last) one to bid.

Channel Orange.

I'm warning y'all, I won't say sorry for being so eclectic. 

A little later than expected, Frank Ocean is getting ready to take the R&B world by storm, starting next month. Following the underground success of his "Nostalgia, Ultra" mixtape, the failure of his business/artistic relationship with Def Jam, and his birth to a wide audience with his cameos on "Watch The Throne", Franky announced the release of his album "Channel Orange" on July 17th. 

As a teaser, he offered "Pyramids" for download, with a Groening-inspired artwork. 

With Usher unleashing his new album (featuring the Diplo-produced "Climax"), the only missing link remains Justin Timberlake... (yeah, I obviously think Bieber is not a class act).  

undustin' the groove.

Dust&Grooves did it again, with another good interview of a record collector. Well, to be exact, a record accumulator, which is a different, but quite equal, pathology. This guy, DJ Jonathan Toubin, doesn't organize his records.

Imagine living in that kind of mess...

By the way, have a dive in the new Dust & Grooves website, which is pretty dope in my opinion, especially that short intro video by the boss, Eilon Paz.

soleil rare 27 - stange games.

Library music and soundtracks this time. Setting the mood. 

Lilio Narduzzi - Week End. 

There's a lot of things in this track : funk, rock, a childish feel, energy. Electric guitars are flying around, supported by a garage beat. There's nothing much about Lilio Narduzzi on the web. Another stage name for a well-known musician ? Probably. 

Anyway, killer garage-like track.   

Serge Gainsbourg - Dusty Lane. 

Not your usual vibe from Serge. "Madame Claude" was an erotic movie by Just Jaeckin, released in 1977, the year after Gainsbourg unveiled his concept album "L'Homme A La Tête De Chou". 

"Dusty Lane" is not really psych music. It's more funky and rhythm&blues than what we're used to from Serge. The guitar work is awesome, mellow and precise. Good stuff.  

Piero Umiliani - Saudade. 

Piero Umiliani is a legend of the Italian movie scoring scene. Alongside Ennio Morricone, Bruno Nicolai, Riz Ortolani, and others. Quite forgotten when it comes to that kind of list, Umiliani's name and talent resurfaced when one of his tracks got featured on the "Ocean's 12" soundtrack. 

"Saudade" is so Italian... so relax at first, then more joyful after a minute, and the classic Morricone-like vocals at the end.

Galt McDermot - Sodomy. 

Yeah, full lyrics say : "sodomy, fellation, cunnilingus, pederasty, father why do these words sound so nasty ? Masturbation can be fun, join the holy orgy, kama sutra everyone !"

Now that's fun. The unique art of Galt McDermot lies under these crazy lines, giving this track a soul vibe. Too short. 

Francis Lai - Jeux Au Japon. 

The first time I heard that theme, I realized I had to know more about Francis Lai. I started buying every record by him I could find, but somehow could never find this one. Francis Lai is part of a golden generation of French soundtrack composers, with guys like François de Roubaix (maybe Belgian though), Georges Delerue, Michel Legrand, Michel Colombier etc. 

Somehow, this is one of the saddest and most beautiful themes I know. I've never watched the movie, so I don't know if sadness is the purpose. Masterpiece anyway. 

  

François de Roubaix - Dernier Domicile Connu. 

Speaking of François de Roubaix, here's "Dernier Domicile Connu", one of his most known themes. Heavily sampled (Bow Wow, Missy Elliot, MC Solaar, Khéops etc.), this one synthetise the art of the artist : various movements are contained in just one track, classical music sounds mixed with funk and rock, well this is genius... different layers of violins, guitars, bass, drums and even tribal percussions as an introduction make it an unforgettable track. 

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Her Hollow Ways. 

Generally, when Danger Mouse decides to get involved in a project, he means to score (pun intended). And without a doubt "Rome" is a fine project. This is supposed to be the soundtrack of a movie, but there's no movie attached to the album. This is so handy : just by listening to the music, you can imagine your own scenes.

Once again in this selection, thanks to Daniele Luppi, the mood is very Italian, so to speak. And it's brilliant. 

Vladimir Cosma - Paris-London. 

Off "Un Eléphant Ca Trompe Enormément", here's a jazz track which would perfectly fit to a crooner like Sinatra, but it's only instrumental. 

Cosma may not be very well-known, but he is a real god of movie scoring in France, having a full list of major films in his resume. 

"Paris-London" starts like a big-band song, then slows down the pace. Smooth. 

Riz Ortolani - Paintings On The Wall. 

  

Alright, time to sleep, and before that, make yourself confortable with this cotton-like song by Italian icon Riz Ortolani. 

Not really anything at all, just a nice horn on top of a bass. I guess one would call it jazzy. Maybe. I just think it's great music. 

crate diggers.

Think you got game ? Maybe so. But the Chocolate Boy got 100 000 records. Yeah. Or more. 

soleil rare 26 - where's the 25 ?

The answer : banned. Suck it up. 

This time it goes with some weird and/or unexpected.

Lee Hazlewood - No Train To Stockholm. 

The title of this album finds its explanation in the recording place of this album by Mr. Hazlewood : Sweden. I don't exactly know why Lee Hazlewood chose to record there, but it obviously inspired him to compose a themed album. With such a voice, Lee could have been a country singer ; instead, he made folk music. This song is a nice ballad, filled with gentle drums, organ, bass and guitar. Maybe a flute also. 

Leonard Cohen -  Chelsea Hotel No. 2. 

Let's keep it in the same wave with Leonard Cohen, purely folk music. Recorded in 1974, this song showcases Leonard Cohen in conversation with his acoustic guitar, delivering his classic storytelling. For the story, the song refers to Janis Joplin ; Leonard Cohen revealed it, before regretting he did. A love story. 

Everything But The Girl - Goodbye Sunday. 

Being the 4th album of Everything But The Girl, "Idlewild" is mature enough to be a reference of the band. Released in 1988, it is filled with the duo's speciality, soft rock songs. Tracey Thorn's vocals are as relaxing as ever. A song to set the mood of the evening. 

James Blake - Once We All Agree. 

One day, James Blake will have to change his formula. I guess people will grow tired of it. But for the moment, it still works. A voice that sounds to be sent from the clouds, piano notes that sounds to be played randomly, weird sound effects behind to remind you that James Blake is a dubstep artist... "Once We All Agree" sounds like a revelation. You either like it or hate it, either get into it or find it stupid. 

J*Davey - Kill 4 Fun. 

Okayplayer introduced me to J*Davey and I thank them for it. Since I heard their cover of "Smell Like Teen Spirit", my interest for the duo grew even bigger. "Kill 4 Fun" is from their first album. It's on a rock mode. Well, rock mixed with electro music. Jack Davey tries a few words in French, or seems to, I don't know exactly. 

Laïka - Black Narcissus. 

At first, I wondered why the presence of the bass was so prominent on this song. Then, I realized Meshell Ndeogecello is behind it. So, that explains it. The bass contributes to the warm feeling that this song provides. It's jazzy, with a Benson-like guitar and the sweet voice of Laïka. Modern jazz at its best. 

The Nino's - Le Téléfon. 

The Nino's are a band that makes covers of French singer Nino Ferrer. "Le Téléfon" is a classic song from his repertoire. The cover is quite respectful of the original, even if it's not as good, of course. 

I guess that's the "weird" part of this selection. 

Kate Bush - The Kick Inside. 

I'm a proud owner of this one. "The Kick Inside" is the debut album of Kate Bush, released in 1978. With this album, the whole world got introduced to the unique universe of this artist, and to a beautiful voice. The production is mastered, and it's no wonder when you understand who's behind it.

With a two-year recording process, Kate Bush could only deliver the finest. Done. 

At first, I wanted to end this selection with a 20-minute song, but it would have been a bad idea. Go with this 8 songs.

16 years later...

The cult status of Nas is growing as the rapper from QB is getting older and somehow wiser. That may be the reason why the wait surrounding his next album, titled "Life Is Good", is getting unbearable. That and the quality singles Nas has been dropping for a few months already. "Nasty" opened the list, followed by "The Don" and more recently "Daughters". 

Retrospectively, it's fair to say that Nas' albums received various levels of popularity at the moment of their release. But all of them contained bangers. Seriously, a few years later, even his weakest albums would make the cut compared to other rappers' efforts. 

A t the time of its release, "It Was Written" was felt disappointing. People forgot that Nas set the standard so high on "Illmatic" that it was litterally impossible to equal the same performance once again. Still, people were foolish back then, because 16 years later, "It Was Written" can be considered a standard of rap music. It tells so much about what Nas was going through following the critically acclaimed "Illmatic". 

Complex did a nice presentation that does justice to this album, with exclusive thoughts and revelations of Nas' then manager Steve Stoute and producers Trackmasters about the making of "It Was Written". More of this would be welcome.  

les mains noires.

I chose to redirect you towards the latest post of Les Mains Noires, a reference blog about record digging. 

Their latest post is dedicated to a serious Brazilian digger, named Edson Carvalho. He's been digging for 15 years, specifically, but not only, looking for Brazilian 7" and library music.

Les Mains Noires has a banging formula, which is like a triple threat : accurate questions, very interesting visuals, and entertaining mixes. All this in just one post focusing on just one digger. 

How can you beat that ? 

latest additions.

Latest purchases. OG only. 

Sorry I'm bored...

Banksy's back.

Not exactly related to vinyl, but I like this guy. I'm talking about Banksy, the goadfather of street art. 

He recently posted new stuff on his website, both done outside and inside.  

Both good. 

And if you really want to make it your inhome decoration, just download and print some of his stuff. Brilliant. 

a call to US record collectors.

If you're a record collector living in the US, Dust & Grooves is interested in meeting you to talk about your love for vinyl and to share your passion. All the info here. 

Onra + Fool's Gold.

Alright. Onra will be dropping a new EP on the Fool's Gold imprint on June 12th, in the middle of his tour in the US. 

This is a major step for Onra, who can now take over internationally, being produced by an American label. 

Judging by the first track released, the feeling is the same neo-disco wave than on his previous effort, "Long Distance". 

Onra may have lost a few fans from the first hour by taking this road, but you honestly can't blame an artist for trying to evolve. 

WITCH.

You may know this band thanks to the reissues released by the German label Shadoks. 

If not, here's a brief : WITCH is a band from Zambia. Their name stands for We Intend To Cause Havoc. Their music is a blend of rock (in the garage/psych wave) and afro music. Needless to say, they were pioneers in their country, and on the African continent. 

Though Shadoks released two of their albums, Now-Again Records did better by printing 5 albums and a compilation of tracks originally released on 7". The 6-LP box is issued at 1000 copies worldwide, so you'll have to be fast to secure one for yourself. Why ? Because there has been a cult rising around these guys, especially since Shadoks released "Lazy Bones !!" ; but nowadays, these reissues scores really high prices. 

So, two possibilities : either the Now-Again box set will slow down the inflation on Shadoks issues, or it'll get even worse, considering that records by Shadoks are known for their quality. We'll see. 

Anyway, have a go, get introduced to African rock music by listening to WITCH. You can't be wrong. 

Kheper.

Imhotep's second album, "Kheper", will be released on June 18th. The cover brings back to the good old days of IAM's album covers, designed by Tous Des K. Can't wait. 

Gainsbourg on TV.

To French speaking readers, if you missed the TV program "Un Jour, Un Destin" dedicated to Serge Gainsbourg, here's the 100-minute film. Journalists, friends, writers, artists, collaborators : testimonies of a unique history. 

From Ginsburg, to Gainsbourg and finally Gainsbarre, you get it all told as a novel. And if you want more, go read the biography by Gilles Verlant. 

this is going way too far.

The "soleil rare 25 - air spanking" compilation became a collector since it's been removed for infringing copyright over Michael Jackson's "Bad". Even a remix of the track couldn't make the cut, and was hunted down by the big bad wolf. 

Wtf.

record stores across the world.

As a casual traveller, there's one thing I'm always looking for : addresses of record dealers. And good ones if possible, because time is a valuable asset for a digger.
So, among the latest addresses I collected, here are a few ones compiled by Pitchfork, and located in the US, England, and Canada. And here is a list of French, Swiss, Luxemburg, Belgian record stores.
This one list is pretty solid, to say the least, and all I can advise is you to use it too much when visiting these countries.  

a day with Madlib.

Guys, listen. I tried to resist, like... 5 or 6 seconds. I don't want to post too much of hip hop, because this blog is about eclectism, so to speak. 

But ! Well, I don't remember seeing a Madlib interview. I read very few interviews, but a video following a day with Madlib ? Never. So, when this one hit the web, it hit the fan at the same time. Fan might be too strong a word, but whatever. It's only 4-minute long, but it's full of 'Lib-branded punchlines. Dude seems a bit nervous and shaky, but you would be the same if you slept only "2 hours a night". How does he do that ? 

is mature better ?

Earl Sweatshirt, the most promising talent off the Odd Future posse, lyrically-wise, signed his return a few weeks ago with his extended verse on the posse cut "Oldie". 

But since he came back home in February after some time in the Samoa, he seems Earl didn't waste his time. Indeed, the New York Times revealed that he had signed a deal with Sony to release multiple projects, either in solo or with his buddies. Actually, it allows him to keep his business inside the family, as Odd Future as a group had previously signed under the Sony flag, through the RED imprint. 

As a matter of fact, the NY Times published a 3-page article about the boy everyone remembers for his killer track "Earl". Dude was only a kid then, and assures he has matured, especially in his lyrics. After all, Earl's father is a South African poet. Well, "Oldie" didn't disappoint, so we'll see what he has to offer. Confidence prevails.  

Discogs most expensive items.

Maybe you've been wanting these for years. Maybe it's been your everlasting quest, your digger's dream. But it costs so much that you just can't. Yeah, some records are so goddamn expensive. 

Just to make you even more envious, Discogs posts a monthly list of the most expensive purchases through the website. 

Unsurprisingly, "The Dark Side Of The Moon" by Pink Floyd topped the list twice in a row, selling for more than $1000 each time.  

Some things on those lists are really surprising though... really weird...

French grooves.

I couldn't have done better, so I'm posting this last mix made by The Jazz Kid. French touch indeed.

John Peel's virtual museum.

A few months ago, I wrote about John Peel's vinyl collection going online as part of a virtual museum project. Well, it appears it'll be launched tomorrow. 

Good news, nerds.

Edit : a few indications about this promising project. 
First, you'll have to wait until October for the whole collection to be displayed, at a pace of one letter per week. 
Second, you'll need to be registered to Spotify to listen to the tracks. Note that for obvious issues of intellectual property, you will not be able to listen to all the tracks of an album. 
Third, the main issue of all this is to display Peel's collection, not to make it available to streaming, let alone downloading, so don't get confused and/or overexcited. 
Fourth, the experience starts like a game (Flash animations are fashion again ?) ; it reminds me of the "Forever" enhanced CD by the Wu-Tang Clan. 

that shit crazy.

Not telling anyone (well, French readers only) how to vote one week from now, because I hate propaganda especially during election time, but this is a good video : French presidential candidate François Hollande's campaign team used "Niggas In Paris" by The Throne (Jigga+Yeezy) to score a suburb-themed video. 

Funny thing is that I was directed to this video by US website Pitchfork. The same website posted an article, written by their France-based journalist, about the buzz surrounding this ad. It's a pretty good read, as the writter speaks more generally about how rap music and its actors are perceived in the French society. 

soleil rare 24 - been around the world.

Fairuz - Habbeytak Bessayf.

Being the absolute Lebanese singing star, the pride of her country, and a vedette in the whole Arab world, no Lebanese compilation could be made without Fairuz. Written by the Rahbani Brothers, the song dates from 1970. With its gentle guitar introduction, it was a nice way of starting this "Soleil Rare" compilation. Fairuz's voice stands as the ultimate standard for Arab female singers, and this song proves it. Notice the quite modern beat pattern. 

Manatsoa - Valiha Fombandrazanah.

In Gasy language, fanafody is a kind of a spell. And it's obvious that the sweeetness of the vahila can turn someone's mind into weird emotions. A difficult instrument to master, the vahila clearly is the most significant music instrument of Madagascar. It's bright, and sounds like several guitars played at the same time.

Here, you get a long instrumental introduction, then dramatic singing late in the song. Pure magic. 

Ozdemir Erdogan - Ac Kapiyi Gir Iceri.

Turkish psych is a delight. And I couldn't imagine that a few years ago. Until I got the revelation through Baris Manço, I was unaware of how rich this specific genre is. 

"Ac Kapiyi Gir Iceri", by Ozdemir Erdogan is another example of the perfect mix between Western vibes and Asian feelings. After all, the man hails from Istanbul, a city where mix really means something. Although the song doesn't showcase the audacity of counterparts Erkin Koray, 3Hurel and such, the feeling is great.  

The Stylers - Guitar Man. 

As Singapore's finest garage band, The Stylers took advantage of the central position of their city-state to expand their fame throughout all Asia. Indeed, they gained success in Hong Kong (continental China was kinda off the radar at that time), Indonesia, Malaysia, and other Asian countries. Actually, they were able to sing in various languages, so it worked. 

"Guitar Man" is pure garage rock : fast rhythm, guitar, bass, drums, all you need is this. A short track, but an entertaining one.  

Caetano Veloso - Alegria, Alegria.

Alongside Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Chico Buarque and a few others, Caetano Veloso created the unique tropicalia genre. An incredible songwriter, Caetono Veloso payed the price for it, having been sent to jail by the military regime before tasting exile in London. This song, labelled as the Brazilian anthem of the year 1967 was released before Veloso experienced both jail and exile. It's sweet, almost has a childish touch. Well, it's touching. Brazilian music at its peak. And if that's not a dope album cover...

Orchestre Polyrythmo de Cotonou - Mede Ma Gnin Messe.

The Orchestre Polyrythmo de Cotonou has been enjoyed a renaissance is the last couple of years, thanks to the many reissues of their albums. A few dedicated crate-diggers/globe-trotters and labels (whadup Analog Africa !) managed to put their hand on some decent copies and a few masters, to allow this music to travel outside the borders of Bénin. 

If you feel the need to get introduced to African music, you should consider starting with this awesome band. Pure funk, once they start playing, it's hard to stop them, hence the long exciting tracks. The band stills performs, and released an album in 2011. 

Woima Collective - Puno. 

Woima Collective is one of these bands that contributes to the Ethio revival. Inspired by the Ethiopian gondola ends Mulatu Astatke, Tilahun Gessesse, Mahmoud Ahmed, Seyfou Yohannes and others, these German musicians released their album on Kindred Spirit in 2010, explicitely titled "Tezeta". 

"Puno" is a clear Ethio track. Expect heavy drums, expansive horns, funky synths. Instrumental only. 

Los Brincos - Big Temptation. 

Back in the days, Los Brincos were known as the Spanish counterparts of The Beatles. The reputation wasn't false, as they were really good. They had their own artistic universe, sporting outdated capes. They could invent heavy melodies. They were able to innovate, introducing several variations of rock into a dictatorial Spain : psych, garage... When other bands weren't keen on taking risks and avoided singing, Los Brincos brought both instruments and voices to the listener's ear. That only should get them respect, not dissing on the other bands anyway. 

Here you go with a world tour : Africa, East Mediterrean, Europe, Asia, South America... garage, funk, jazz, psych, folk... different strokes for different folks. Link in the comments.