yes baby fly

death has come up to look me in the eye. and leave me with questions.

i have often wondered what life is. i mean, what is it that animates us? what makes a human being, an animal, a plant, a single celled organism -- all essentially earth, fire, wind and water -- but what magical thing or energy makes our elements 'come alive'?

a close friend was remembering watching her father during his last days, telling me that he had everything taken away from him. he lost the use of his body, his ability to communicate, his mind. and then she said this:

"the only thing that remained was love. all he had left was his ability to give love and his ability to receive love...."

and so there's my answer.

so, this track is from emo dada, a danish producer and vocalist, snd is dedicated to you, my long lost friends, you know how you are.

emo dada - yes baby fly:


...and then a little something for me, to fill me up with the stuff that keeps me alive...

emo dada - i want my love:


more love:

• stevie wonder - free
  
• finley quaye - even after all
  
• massive attack - paradise circus
  
• yonderboi - riders on the storm / pink solidism

get this at amazon

the hop

niko schabel assembled a collective of berlin-based musicians, notably the unmistakeable and unforgettable bajka on vocals to put forth their first release, berlin serengeti. the work is fueled by 'jazzy, earth-shaking tropical dub and snake-charming soul, channeling mulatu and coltrane in a dub shack studio with a barrage of big horns blasting blacksploitation flavors with an eastern funk twist...'

try it out. climb into your ride and crank up 'the hop' as you fly on the street. as the sun goes down, snake charm your partner with the dub infused groove on the sweetly whispered 'el cielo', so warm and buttery...

radio citizen - the hop (featuring bajka):


radio citizen - cielo (featuring bajka):


related:

• nneka - africans
  
• bonobo - walk in the sky
  
• derek vincent smith / pretty lights - finally moving remix
  
• nostalgia 77 - seven nation army

get this at amazon

novalima

a few weeks ago i did something i don't do enough of and checked out a little-known band at a local music venue.

novalima is a multi-member outfit based in peru. my friend jc returned from a visit to lima in 2007 with novalima's eponymous (and rare, to my dismay) debut cd. it quickly fell on heavy rotation, bringing some heat and spice into the dying days of my winter... i've lost the cd and long to hear novalima again...

their first toronto gig was not something i wanted to pass up.

the latin-loving lula lounge was a hot, packed, sweating room throbbing with the deep polyrhythmic syncopations of this talented crew... and a whole lot of boogy-ing fans. the stage was almost too small but no lie, they made some big sound. the best way i can describe it is a groove-salsa-meets-conscious-electronic-dub-pounding-hop.

i had fun.

and until i get my hands on their first cd (rafael - if you're reading, send it on!), this will have to do...

novalima - ruperta/puede ser:


novalima - africa landó:

PS - i got them... thank you rafael...

related to this:

• up, bustle + out - all out king
  
• amadou + miriam feat. manu chao - senegal fast food
  
• hanine y son cubano - arabo-cuban improvisation

you can find this at www.novalima.net