What do you get when you have an African athletic hero studying music in New York who became obsessed with baseball and disco and with bringing his native music into dance clubs in 1979? You get Sidiku Buari‘s fun album Disco Soccer.
Mixing English and his native Ga language vocals along with West African rhythms and disco beats, Buari came to make everyone have fun in 1979. “Koko Si” is a song encouraging everyone to make love and get down when you’re feeling blue. The song is complete with women moaning in orgasm, lush strings, wah-wah’s guitar, and basically everything you want in a disco track. The funky bass on “I’m Ready” will be stuck in your head for days, and that’s not a bad thing. “I’m Ready” was the first song I heard by Buari and I knew right away that I had to track down this album after hearing this great jam about being open for anything.
“Let me feed your body, baby, with my natural thing,” Buari sings on “Feed My Body.” You can pretty much guess where the song is going from there, and the track speeds up to a horn section-heavy groove. “It’s What’s Happening” could easily have been a theme song to a cool 1970’s film. It’s the first track on the album in which Buari sings in his native language, and you can tell right away that he’s loving the chance to do it. “Hard Times” is the soundtrack of an (unfortunately) unmade Shaft film. Buari sings about poverty, world hunger, and suffering on both sides of the Atlantic as his drummer (Errol “Crusher” Bennett) goes wild on the track with some of his heftiest grooves that sound like he’s about to break his high-hat at any moment.
“Born with Music” slows things down a bit, but the African hand percussion beats are still prominent. Disco synths and piano take the forefront on “African Hustle.” “Kinyi Kawali” has bold brass and guitar licks that sound simple but are trickier than you think. It blends well with “Adesa A,” which flows well into “Minyo.” The three tracks make for a sweet mix of African disco (and the violin work on “Minyo” is sharp). The closer, “Games We Used to Play,” sends you out on a bit of a synthwave note.
It was great of the UK label BBE to reissue this gem because it deserves to be heard by a lot more people.
Late Night Tales is pleased to announce its latest installment to its long-running artist-curated mix series, this time curated by Khruangbin, the trio of Laura Lee Ochoa (bass), MarkSpeer(guitar), and Donald “DJ” Johnson (drums). Having first come to prominence in 2013 when producer and D.J. Bonobo included Khruangbin’s “A Calf Born in Winter” in his own collection of songs for the series, the little known Houston trio had yet to release an album, but have since gone on to become international superstars forming their own exotic, individual sound. Most recently, they released Mordechai, “a nostalgic LP that explores human memory” (TheNew York Times). “Late Night Tales is such a special thing to be a part of, because we wouldn’t have made it if it wasn’t for Bonobo’s Late Night Tales,” says Khruangbin. “Because that’s how we got into the LNT family – and got a break.”
Today, in conjunction with the announcement, Khruangbin share their horizontally brilliant cover of Kool & The Gang’s “Summer Madness,” exclusive to their mix, as is Late Night Tales tradition.
“‘Summer Madness’ became a staple in this medley that we play,” says Johnson. “Specifically, one of my favourite things about it is the tone of the bass, which really reminds me a lot of Laura Lee’s bass which has this chunky, peanut butter, rich tone. It was always a special moment, getting to that song because, it just did something to the room, everywhere.” Laura Lee continues: “‘Summer Madness’ was paying homage to Kool & The Gang, a band we aspire to be like and also we’ve played it a hundred times but never in full.”
With a mind-blowing selection of tracks that cross borders and cultures, Khruangbin’s deep love of global grooves – from Asian pop to Nigerian reggae – Japanese mellow groove to Latina flavas – are steeped in eclecticism; Nazia Hassan’s Hindi-disco “Khushi,” produced by British-Indian legend Biddu, South Korean rock band Sanullim who contribute “Don’t Go,” a pair of African bangers from NigerianMaxwellUdoh and RohaBand, from Ethiopia; a diversion to Belarus for Песняры and thence to Madrid for the strident vocal performance of Paloma San Basilio with “Contigo” before hightailing back to Texas.
Elsewhere, the Lone Star state reps proudly, with DavidMarez and KellyDoyle, while the mix concludes with an exclusive, Khruangbin-produced spoken word piece by TierneyMalone, accompanied by fellow Houstonian Geoffrey Muller’s atmospheric banjo rendering of Erik Satie’s “Gnossienne.”
“We definitely wanted to cover as much global territory as possible,” says Khruangbin of their Late Night Tales mix. “So it was the globe and then home. We wanted to show the treasures from our hometown, or people from our hometown that the rest of the world probably doesn’t know. Then these gems from across the world, showcasing them in the same way. That’s what makes Khruangbin Khruangbin. The stubbornness about being so hometown-centric. But what makes Houston is this constant international influence; that’s the gulf stream, bringing it right into the city.”
The Late Night Tales series was established back in 2001 with FilaBrazilia taking to the controls and mixing up the first of what would continue to be the first choice of music connoisseurs worldwide. Since then, the series has seen releases from the likes of TheFlamingLips, HotChip, FloatingPoints, DavidHolmes, Bonobo, JonHopkins, Röyksopp and many more.
Khruangbin’s Late Night Tales Tracklist: 01. Devadip Carlos Santana And Turiya Alice Coltrane – “Illuminations” 02. Brilliantes Del Veulo – “I Know That (When The Springtime Comes)” 03. Nazia Hassan – “Khushi” 04. Kelly Doyle – “DRM” 05. Sanulim – “Don’t Go” 06. Maxwell Udoh – “I Like It (Don’t Stop)” 07. David Marez – “Enséñame” 08. Gerald Lee – “Can You Feel The Love (Reprise)” 09. Justine & The Victorian Punks – “Still You” 10. George Yanagi + Nadja Band -「祭ばやしが聞こえる」のテーマ 11. Песняры – “Зачарованная моя” 12. Khruangbin – “Summer Madness” (Exclusive Kool & The Gang Cover Version) 13. Paloma San Basilio – “Contigo” 14. Roha Band – “Yetikimt Abeba” 15. Tierney Malone / Geoffrey Muller – “Transmission for Jehn: Gnossienne No 1” (Produced by Khruangbin) (Exclusive Track)
Los Angles, CA quartet Here Lies Man announce their forthcoming fourth album Ritual Divination today and share the lead single “I Told You (You Shall Die)” via YouTube, Bandcamp and Spotify. Please see track listings for vinyl and digital variants below.
Four albums in, the convenient and generalized catchphrase for Here Lies Man’s erudite sound — if Black Sabbath played Afrobeat — might seem a little played out. But Ritual Divination is perhaps the best rendering of the idea so far. Particularly on the Sabbath side of the equation: The guitars are heavier and more blues based than before, but the ancient rhythmic formula of the clave remains a constant. “Musically it’s an opening up more to traditional rock elements,” says vocalist/guitarist/cofounder Marcos Garcia, who also plays guitar in Antibalas. “It’s always been our intention to explore. And, as we travelled deeper into this musical landscape, new features revealed themselves.”
The L.A. based band comprised of Antibalas members have toured relentlessly following their breakout 2017 self-titled debut. Their second album, You Will Know Nothing and an EP, Animal Noises, both followed in 2018. Third album No Ground To Walk Upon emerged in August 2019. All of them were crafted by Garcia and cofounder/drummer Geoff Mann (former Antibalas drummer and son of jazz musician Herbie Mann) in their L.A. studio between tours. Ritual Divination is their first album recorded as the full 4-piece band, including bassist JP Maramba and keyboardist Doug Organ.
Ritual Divination continues with an ongoing concept of HLM playing the soundtrack to an imaginary movie, with each song being a scene. “It’s an inward psychedelic journey, the album is the trip,” Garcia says. “The intention and purpose of the music is to create a sonic ritual to lift the veil of inner space and divine the true nature of reality.”
Likewise, musically and sonically, the album is self-reflexive. “On this album the feel changes within a song,” Garcia says. “Whereas before each song was meant to induce a trancelike state, now more of the songs have their own arc built in.” Similarly, the guitar sounds themselves herein eschew the fuzz pedals of previous recordings, going for the directness of pure amp overdrive and distortion using an interconnected rig of 4 amplifiers. And, here, the well-versed live band is able to record as a unit, giving it much more of a live and dynamic feel.
Rough Trade named the band’s self-titled debut in their prestigious Top 10 Albums of 2017. BBC 6 & Classic Rock Magazine deemed it among the year’s best, as well as countless other press outlets singing its praises. Each subsequent album furthered the band’s reputation for genre-smashing rhythmic experimentation, topping many year-end lists as well as earning features from countless metal and indie rock outlets, plus cover stories in weekly papers.
“We’re very conscious of how the rhythms service the riffs,” Garcia explains. “Tony Iommi’s (Black Sabbath) innovation was to make the riff the organizing principle of a song. We are taking that same approach but employing a different organizing principle: For Iommi it was the blues, for us it comes directly from Africa.”
Ritual Divination will be available on LP, CD and download on January 22nd, 2021 via RidingEasy Records.
Digital & CD: 01. In These Dreams 02. I Told You (You Shall Die) 03. Underland 04. What You See 05. Can’t Kill It 06. Run Away Children 07. I Wander 08. Night Comes 09. Come Inside 10. Collector of Vanities 11. Disappointed 12. You Would Not See From Heaven 13. The Fates Have Won 14. Out Goes The Night 15. Cutting Through The Tether Vinyl: Side A: 01. In These Dreams 02. I Told You (You Shall Die) 03. Underland 04. What You See 05. Night Comes Side B: 01. Come Inside 02. Collector of Vanities 03. Disappointed 04. The Fates Have Won 05. Out Goes The Night Bonus 7″ (UK pressing & direct from RidingEasy) Side A: Run Away Children Side B: I Wander
I don’t remember where I stumbled onto FalleNioke and Ghost Culture, but I’m glad I did. Their music makes you dance and feel a sort of spiritual warmth come over you when you hear it, and their Youkounkoun EP, is four tracks of musical magic.
Nioke hails from Guinea Conakry in West Africa and plays percussion while singing in six different languages while most of us can barely manage one. Ghost Culture is a producer / DJ who blends house, electro, and dub. The two of them are a powerful combination.
Opening track “Barké” (“Blessing”) is about doing good for others and receiving blessings from such work. Good grief, don’t we all need encouragement to do that in 2020? I’m not sure which bumps more on it, Nioke’s voice or Ghost Culture’s electro-bass and beats. “Fufafou” is an instant house hit with Nioke moving around and with GC’s beats like Muhammad Ali’s butterfly float and bee sting.
“Loneliness” mixes Nioke’s percussion and GC’s beats so well that you can’t tell where one ends and the other begins. “Mounemouma” shuffles, curls, and bumps along for over three minutes of body-moving bliss.
It’s all upbeat, and somehow great for dancing or chilling at the same time. You could drop this EP into a workout playlist, a lounge DJ set, a world beat mix tape, or a wedding reception and it would work in all of them.
In 1971, the Shell Oil Company sponsored Venezuelan poet and musician Chelique Sarabia to compose an album of traditional folk music updated for modern times. This album would be given as Christmas gifts to Shell employees, friends, and customers in 1973. Sarabia enlisted local musicians to play a host of traditional instruments so he could filter those tracks through synthesizers, sequencers, tape loops, and who knows what else. The result, Revolución Electronica en Música Venezolana, was an amazing South American synth-wave album that’s still ahead of its time.
Opening track “El Pajarillo” blends funk bass with traditional guitar arrangements warped by reverb, pan, and filter controls into a trippy, exotic vacation. “Maracaibo en la Noche” blends distant female vocals and birdsongs with the psychedelic guitar. “Polo Margariteño” has what sounds like a lovely clarinet piece throughout it, and the effects are taken off the guitar to let the traditional dance rhythms come to the forefront. “Cantos de Mi Tierra” has a bit of a spooky feel to it at first, which I love, and then it curves into a beautiful dream space.
“El Cumaco de San Juan” shimmers with an underlying brightness that eventually fades as the guitars come forward as snappy as Rice Krispies. “El Diablo Suelto” is as subtle and witty as Old Scratch himself. “Polo Coriano” sounds like it’s going to be a bold piano-led track at first, but then makes a left turn and becomes a toe-tapping track that brings a smile to your face.
The opening chants of “Mare-Mare por Comer Zopoara el Pájaro Guarandol” weave in and out of the track but rarely overtake the beautiful accordion, organ, and traditional guitar flourishes. “Somobra en los Médanos” reminds me a bit of Italian romantic comedy scores from the 1960’s, and Sarabia puts the filter effects to good use again on the guitar solos.
“Barlovento” gets off to a mind-warp start and continues spinning down a rabbit hole into a Venezuelan wonderland of guitar solos, traditional hand percussion, and echoing vocal sounds. “Rio Manzanares” brings in a hot saxophone riff now and then to mix with the traditional guitar strumming, producing a great effect. Not to be outdone, the closing track, “La Bella del Tamuangue,” adds a trumpet that drifts back and forth from leading with skillful zigging and zagging to hanging out in the back with long, soft tones to add more psychedelia.
It’s a sharp record that will make you want to bug out to South American for at least a few weeks, and, again, so far ahead of its time that it sounds like it could’ve been released last week instead of almost fifty years ago.
Originally released in 1971, Santana‘s third album, originally titled Santana but later known as Santana 3 (or Santana III or Man with Outstretched Hand), was the last of their albums featuring the original “Woodstock-era” lineup of musicians for their first two classic chart-topping, platinum-selling albums (Santana and Abraxas). It’s also the debut of a chap named Neil Schon who would later go on, with original Santana member Gregg Rolie, to found some obscure band called Journey.
To say this album is a classic is an understatement. The band was firing on all cylinders in 1971 and experimenting like few other bands were at the time, mixing Latin funk with jazz, R&B, psychedelic rock, Afrobeat, and garage rock with such ease that it was easy to forget they were still college-age dudes who hadn’t been playing together for decades.
The opening track, “Batuka,” brings in the sweet percussion from Jose Chepito Areas and Coke Escovedo and builds it, along with David Brown‘s killer bass lick, to a surprisingly heavy jam. It flows so naturally into their classic single, “No One to Depend On,” that you barely notice the transition. The mix of English and Spanish vocals from Carlos Santana (not to mention his fiery guitar solos) and Michael Carabello‘s conga work were destined to make the song a hit. The breakdown into deeper beats and heavier guitar is outstanding.
“Taboo,” has a sweet mellow groove throughout it that was probably the soundtrack for many trip-out sessions in early 1970s San Francisco. The “Toussaint L’Overture” is a great example of the blend of musical styles Santana could create that was, and still is, hard to define. It’s definitely not just “Latin rock,” “world music,” or jazz. It’s something in-between and also beyond all of those things. It’s also simply stunning and nearly six minutes of jaw-dropping percussion that dances all around you.
“Everybody’s Everything” was another top single from the record back in 1971 (reaching #12 on the charts), and the addition of Tower of Power horns certainly helped it reach that point. The tune takes off right out of the gate and doesn’t stop its hot groove for three and a half minutes. Rolie’s organ solo on it is also nice. “Guajira” is something you hear in the sultry Central American nightclub of your dreams.
Santana and Schon’s guitars on “Jungle Strut” are a great match and bounce off each other well. Rolie also gets a great opportunity to shine on a hot organ solo. “Everything’s Coming Our Way” is a bright, bouncy track with Santana singing in his falsetto and Areas’ putting down rapid grooves between jazz lounge beats. Their cover of Tito Puente‘s “Para Los Ruberos” is as hot as you hope it will be.
The reissue ends with three previously unreleased live tracks from their famous July 04, 1971 concert at the Filmore West – “Batuka,” “Jungle Strut,” and “Gumbo.” All are solid live cuts and make you wish you could slip back in time to catch that show in person.
III / 3 / Santana / Man with Outstretched Hand is a true classic and a must-have for Santana fans and fans of 1970’s funk-rock. Is that the proper term to describe their music? I don’t know if it is, or if it matters after hearing an album as good as this.
Keep your mind open.
[Stretch out your hand to the subscription box while you’re here.]
Milano, Italy’s Calibro 35 make music for films that are either independent affairs or that never existed, but should. Their score to Sogni Di Gloria, however, is from an actual comedic film directed by John Snellinberg about two men named Giulio – one of Italian descent and the other of Chinese descent – living in Italy and trying to get by.
The score gets off to a fun start on “Maionese (Titoli de Testa)” with plenty of surf guitar to go around for everyone. “Tema dello Sbattezzato” brings in delightful organ to match the cool guitar licks. “Come un valzer” could fit right into a 1970’s Euro-crime film, and “Notturno” is the late night jazz of your dreams.
The organ chords on “Tema di Alice” bring to mind summer walks along a sunlit country road. “Tema dello Sbattezzato (Bolero)” is a nice reprise. The guitars on “Tema malinconico” take on a bit of a psychedelic touch with their surf tones. “La partita” is a fun race with groovy bass and super-spy synths. You might want to check your pulse if it doesn’t move you. The whistling on “Un rigors sbagliato” will remind you of many spaghetti western scores – something Calibro 35 do well.
The bass groove on “Lento dello Sbattezzato” is slick in its subtlety. “Come un tango” is fun, sexy, and mysterious all at the same time. More funky bass is prominent throughout “Sala da carte,” and I love that groovy 1960’s organ, too.
The score ends with reprises of “Tema dello Sbattezzato” and “Tema malinconico” before we’re treated to the lovely “Il tempo che non ho vissuto” – the only song with vocals on the record. They are, of course, in Italian, and, of course, beautiful.
I need to track down this film, and any that Calbro 35 have scored. If the films are half as good as the scores, they’ll be winners.
Gordon Koang might be the biggest musical legend you’ve never heard. Born in South Sudan, Koang and his cousin, Paul Biel, began playing gospel music and historical tales and were soon selling self-produced indie CDs and tapes. Koang’s reputation grew and grew until he was in high demand everywhere in his homeland and became known as “The Michael Jackson of South Sudan.” While touring in Australia in 2013, violence erupted in South Sudan and both men applied for asylum in Australia – leaving families behind in hope of bringing them to Australia soon. Koang and Biel weren’t granted Australian citizenship for another six years after they hit it big with a couple sharp singles and their shows became rallying points for refugee charity efforts.
Koang’s newest album (his eleventh, mind you), Unity, is an uplifting tribute to both of Koang and Biel’s home countries and to hope, love, and faith.
Koang opens the album with “Aslyum Seeker” – a straight-up story of him finally receiving his Australian citizenship (“My dear asylum seeker, we know you’re waiting for your permanent protection visa. We know you’ve been waiting a long time.). He seems to be reciting one of many letters he received over the course of six years while dancehall beats thump behind him and he sings without holding a grudge.
“Stand Up (Clap Your Hands)” was the song that got the attention of Australian music aficionados everywhere and helped them realized Gordon’s music could be a new national treasure. It’s wonderfully catchy (and his first song with English lyrics) and will make you do exactly what the title suggests. The thumping beats of “Kone Ke Ran” provided by Biel and Gordon’s traditional thom (sort of a Sudanese lute) mix to provide a hypnotizing rhythm that’s impossible to ignore.
“South Sudan” is, of course, a song about his much-missed homeland and the wife and children (one of whom he has yet to meet) who await the day they can travel Down Under and meet up with him. The mix of handclap beats, hand percussion, and Koang’s intricate chords is delightful. The bright organ chords on “Mal Mi Goa” are a beautiful addition to Koang’s thom strumming.
The bouncy organ of “Tiel E Nywal Ke Ran (We Don’t Have a Problem with Anyone)” produces instant hip-shaking and grooving. It, like the entire album, is full of bright energy that cannot be ignored. Gordon’s thom is right out in front on the closer, “Te Ke Me Thile Ji Kuoth Nhial.” His Nuer language vocals skip along with his strumming and Biel’s hand drum beats.
I read a quote from Gordon about people listening to his music who might not understand Nuer. He said, more or less, “Don’t worry, God will translate it for you.” The themes of hope, love, longing, and unity are universal, and this record is a beautiful message from Gordon, Biel, and the Creator.
Legendary South Sudanese pop star Gordon Koang will release his eleventh album, Unity, out August 14th on Music in Exile / Light in the Attic. Today, he releases a new single/video, “South Sudan,” which follows lead single/video “Tiel e Nei Nywal Ke Ran (We Don’t Have a Problem With Anyone).” In “South Sudan,” Gordon sings in Nuer, his native language, and speaks of a leader and aid worker he knew whilst in South Sudan. He shares a story of this man’s wisdom and his efforts to keep Gordon and his community from falling into poverty. The catchy and percussive melodies transcend language barriers and are sure to have listeners across the world dancing! Gordon adds: “I’m so happy to share this song with you, my audience! Even if this song is not in English, God will translate it for you!”
Directed by frequent collaborator Nick McKk (Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly), the music video for “South Sudan” follows Gordon and his cousin and lifelong friend, Paul Biel, around some of their favorite local spots; highlights include Edithvale Beach, Dandenong Plaza, Dandenong Markets and their favorite kebab shop. The clip beautifully captures the warmth of their friendship and the joy that Gordon and Paul feel when they are able to share music with their community. Director Nick McKk elaborates: “Dandenong is a favorite spot of Gordon and Paul’s. Was a wonderful meander through the streets, the town stuck in a 80s wonderland. They both like extra chilli on their kebab.”
Gordon Koang is a Nuer musician, hailing from the banks of the River Nile in what is now South Sudan. Born blind, he began playing music on the streets of Juba as a young man though has now become a grassroots hero, the voice of the Nuer people, a prominent figure in the fight for cultural independence in South Sudan, affectionately known as the “King of Music.”
Unity is Gordon’s first album since coming to Australia. It is his only recorded output in the painstakingly long six years of living as an asylum seeker, and the album was completed just weeks before Gordon was awarded his permanent residency. In late 2019, Gordon began a series of collaborations with musicians from around Australia, in search of a new sound that would be suited to his adopted home. He now proudly calls himself an “Australian,” a term which so many from around the world have come to know as their own. Through his recordings, Gordon hopes to reach as many new listeners as he can around the world. He wants everyone to hear his message – on the radio, in clubs, at festivals, on the street.
And what is this message? Unity. Peace between all people of the world, regardless of religion or cultural differences. A painfully first-hand experience of what these rifts can create between people has led Gordon to devote his life, and his music, to a simple message of peace, love and unity. Love each other, and love yourself. It’s not so hard!
Legendary South Sudanese pop star and 2019’s BIGSOUND Levi’s Prize winner Gordon Koang announces his eleventh album, Unity, out August 14th on Music in Exile / Light in the Attic, and presents its lead single/video, “Tiel e Nei Nywal Ke Ran (We Don’t Have a Problem With Anyone).” Unity is Gordon’s first album since coming to Australia in 2013. It is his only recorded output in the painstakingly long six years of living as an asylum seeker, and the album was completed just weeks before Gordon was awarded his permanent residency. He could have had no way of knowing the immanence of this reward, and yet there is no frustration in the songs, no impatience or anger – only Gordon’s unending positivity, his love of all people and of the world he has never seen. With a beaming smile that is unfettered by his blindness, a condition he has lived with since birth, Gordon is a fountain of warmth and joy, immediately accepting of any stranger who finds themself in his presence.
Following previously released “Mal Mi Goa (Ginoli Remix)” “Tiel e Nei Nywal Ke Ran (We Don’t Have a Problem With Anyone)” is a jubilant blend of Gordon’s signature thom (an East African stringed instrument that he has modified to suit his unique style of playing), light percussion, and Gordon’s jubilant vocals. “We don’t have a problem with anyone! Music is the friend of everyone in the world,” says Koang. “We are doing it with happiness, we love people, we love our audience and we know our audience loves us.”
Directed by Nick McKinlay (Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly), the video features footage from the Cranbourne Botanic Gardens and from Gordon’s home in Frankston. Warm and joyful, the clip visually captures the sentiments that are so clearly heard in Gordon’s music. “I had never met Gordon, but was familiar with his colourful live shows and friendly, matter-of-fact demeanour,” says McKinlay. “Joe and I met both Gordon and Paul at their place, an old motel turned apartments in Frankston, where we started to play in the shared garden. Before too long, there were several people watching and clapping as they finished performing. Watching these two play in public, two instruments that not many people had seen before was a pretty gleeful watch.”
Unity was recorded by Stefan Blair and James Mannix in various parts of Melbourne over the course of 2019. With Unity, Gordon hopes to reach as many new listeners as he can in his adopted country, and around the world. He wants everyone, and he means everyone, to hear his message of peace and unity, regardless of religion or cultural differences. After a painfully first-hand experience of what these rifts between people can create, Gordon has devoted his life, and his music, to a simple message of peace, love and unity.
Gordon began playing music from an early age, busking on the streets of Juba. Crowds would gather to hear his music, predominantly gospel hymns or extended, historical pieces charting the history of the Nuer people and their heroes. Accompanied by his cousin and lifelong companion Paul Biel, Gordon began self-producing tapes and CD’s, which were sold on the street and changed hands between communities. His music went viral, spreading throughout the country, and his reputation quickly grew as the poet and homegrown hero of the Nuer people, sometimes called the “Michael Jackson of South Sudan.”
In 2013, while Koang was performing to expatriate Nuer communities in Australia, renewed conflict broke out at home. He made a difficult and heartbreaking decision to not return to Sudan, applying to the Australian government for humanitarian protection. After six long years of waiting, living in a foreign country far away from his family, he now proudly calls himself an “Australian,” and eagerly awaits the day he will rejoin his wife and children in safety.
There have been changes at home over those six years. Gordon’s wife and children no longer live in a refugee camp, but have moved to a slightly safer, roofed building in a nearby city, aided by Gordon’s income from performing in Australia. Income from every gig, every club show or festival appearance, has been mailed home. He has a daughter now, five years old, whom he has never met. And the application process has begun for both families to come to Australia; hope has not been lost. As Gordon sings on the closing track of the album, “I am in a very far place, in Australia, and you are there. You are there and we are here. There will be a time when we are together. Even though we are here in a very far place, you are there together with our children, we are alone without you. We will not lose you and you will not lose us. We will meet again in a future time!”
Unity Tracklist 1.Asylum Seeker 2. Stand Up (Clap Your Hands) 3. Kone Ke Ran 4. South Sudan 5. Mal Mi Goa 6. Y Dah 7. Tiel E Nei Nywaki Ke Ran 8. Te Ke Mi Thile Ji Kuoth Nhial
Keep your mind open.
[I don’t have a problem if you don’t subscribe, really, but it would be nice of you.]
