The Smell of Carnaval

Greetings from Carnaval-drunk Santa Cruz de Tenerife.  The fiesta that is Carnaval in Santa Cruz is coming to an end, mind you,only to spring up in other parts of the island.  Santa Cruz is the biggest open toilet at this time.  While moving to the battling sounds of murga's in one earhole and DJ El Killo  in the other, the stench of a weekend of us pissing on any available space took over...goddam!

Some amazing costumes were to be witnessed however.  

The best for my eyes was the guy with a sheep attached to mid-riff as if he was giving the sheep his manhood from behind.  The surprised expression via the sheep's eyes gave the costume it's crowning glory.  The other top costume was a mobile replica of a swimming pool, complete with two live-action synchronized swimmers. 

This week's program doesn't reflect Carnaval at all, not one iota...sorry, sick of hearing Salsa!

It's a bit loaded with El-P/Co.Flo material for some reason.  I had to play 'Fuck the Law' from the WeAreAllGoingToBurnInHellMeggaMixx2 release 'cos of the killa line:

"My god they got a child convinced with a lie that he'll die honorably"

Former Co.Flow deckwizard, Mr. Len also shows up behind the boards for Kice of Course.

Speaking of  'of course'...of course I had to check out the link to Nickelus F track featuring Portishead.  Well, it's not featuring, he raps over a couple of their tracks....Cowboys and Roads.

For awhile I had a habit of listening to  Nubian Minds' "Black Science" as a wind down to the sonic day.  It has the some of the same subtle Techno sensibilities that Martyn is running ahead with at the moment.

Hey, where the females at?

Sorry for the lack of representation ladies....step forward Voice.  Over a piano laden jazz step of a beat, Voice brings humour and wit to the situation of a rapper trying to make ends meet.

When I found the Nickelus F track over at nahright.com, I also found this gem, Alex the fourteen year old beatboxer....which 12million views on youtube,  everybody 'cept me musta seen this by now, nonetheless, it's brill'.

Ear Conditioning 03 March 2009

• King Midas Sound / Lost - Flying Lotus Remix  (Hyperdub)
  
• Company Flow / No Locks (Rawkus)
  
• Nickelus F / Cowboys featuring Portishead (mp3)
  
• Kice of Course / Like Smack (Dummy Smacks)
  
• Self Scientific vs. Linton Kwesi Johnson / Degrees of Bass Culture 
  
• IQ Productions vs. Kope  (Banana Klan)
  
• J-Zone / No Consequences feat. Huggy Bear (Old Maid)
  
• Ice / Trapped in Three Dimensions - El-P Remix (Morpheus)
  
• El-P / Fuck the Law (Definitive Jux)
  
• Voice / Mediocre (Public Transit)
  
• Freeform Arkestra/ Freeform Theme (Straight Ahead)
  
• LV vs. Dandelion / Takeover Dub (Hyperdub)
  
• Jazzsteppa / Taylor Rain (Studio Rockers)
  
• Ize / Tronka di Mundo
  
• King L Man with Grenouille/ Mariposa  (Ear Conditioning)
  
• Wesley Willis / The Frogs (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
  
• Nubian Minds / Black Science - Restless Soul Remix (Archive)
  

Ear Conditioning is 'earable Tuesdays

FM Radio - Radio Norte 89.4FM  20h30 GMT

Internet Radio - Sunhole www.sunhole.net 22h00 GMT

FamilleBou Bess / Bomb Squad

A little news piece on FamilleBou Bess from today's La Opinion newspaper.

There needs to be more African voices heard in this place, too much talking about them and never hearing first hand.  That's the thing that gets me, as I mentioned in the previous post.

I did feel a bit weird that they asked if we could take the photo-shoot on the beach...a bit corny I thought, but as the concept around interview was the sea and how it connects Africa and the Canary Islands, I let it slide.   

During interview FBB talked about their respective journeys to Tenerife, no easy feat, six days in an open-top, over-crowded boat suffering from a  lack of  food and water.  

This isn't something for adults never mind teenagers.

 

The Ear Conditioning program for this week features a mix from The Bomb Squad, with a little help from The Loop Orchestra to close matters.  The Shocklee Brothers are seriously into their dubstep.

Update:  The Bomb Squad have just informed me of another mix they've uploaded for us to soak in, here.

Ear Conditioning  is 'earable here: 

Radio Norte 89.4FM      Tuesday 20h30 GMT  (Catchment area -  North Tenerife)

Sunhole www.sunhole.net  Tuesday 22h00 GMT  (Streamed repeatedly during the week)

Those damn Africans again!

The Canarian President, the short ass that is Paulino Rivero recently got my missus in a state when he said that 'the sad state of the hospitals and other social services here was due to the influx of immigrants' (read Africans).

We have had to wait seven hours in the hospital for results of a blood test, and it's the fault of my man Beyal yeah?

Go fuck yerself Paulino, there are only two hospitals on the island of Tenerife, just two, and they are within sight of each other.  Man, your political party have been controlling the Canary Islands for ages, and what you done besides fill the pockets of your associates? 

We've met people in the hospital that have to come from some of the other islands to get treatment.

Is that Ibrahima's fault? Don't think so mate.

How come we never see politicians canvassing at hospitals during election time?

Because they would get an serious earful and a rightful kickin´, but then the people forget when it comes to the vote.

Politicians and commentators have this habit of talking about the immigrants, but you never ever hear immigrants talking first had about their experiences.

With Famille Bou Bess, a group featuring three rappers from Senegal, with production from Ventor of Species/Dr. Luna and myself we aim to change that, in what little way that we can. More on FBB as it happens.

At least twenty-two Africans looking to make a better life for themselves and families lost their lives a couple days ago when a boat carrying them from Senegal capsized a few metres from a Lanzarote beach.

Meanwhile Europeans/Canarians continue to consume fish from West African waters like it's their god-given right. The European Union have recently ignored recommendations from their own scientists regarding fish stocks and approved higher quotas, when their scientists said there should be a reduction. This is directly affecting our brothers in Senegal and Mali, and contributing to people looking to get into Europe.

Yankee you got the power

When you want to enter country, you don't no need no visa

When you wanted some oil, you send the power
Anything you want, anything you do

You de policeman, the prosecutor, you the lawyer and judge and jury, jury.

Akoya Afrobeat 'B.F.B.F. (Panama)'

I was just catching up to see what the field-negro had to say, and his latest post was about the deep state of financial shit that the USA is in...that shit is knee deep and rapidly heading for their mouths of people around the globe. Racing to my mind came a conversation I had with somebody who is close to some of those that were residents at Guantanamo, courtesy of the US administration. The theory about the US being drawn into conflict in Afghanistan was raised. The idea being that a war in Afghanistan would be a financial drain. I was told that things went beyond their wildest expectations, although they didn't think that they would lay out (kill) so many innocent people....hhmmmm, something to think about.

Now sports...Last week when writing about Dub1, I mentioned Sheriff Lindo in the same sentence, which naturally led me to dig out the album. I now see that Lindo has a myspace page up and running. Cop the album Ten Dubs that Shook the World if you can.

People here in Tenerife are constantly asking me about ADF, so I dug out the DJ Scud remix of Witness...and hopefully some of those askers will be listening.

At Womad a few months back, the two guitarists from Antibalas gave me music from other afrobeat projects they have going on. Akoya Afrobeat is one, yeah, check those lyrics above, and Chico Mann is the other, a Casio-keyboard/drum machine led afrobeat thing. Yep, you read it right, Casio tone afrobeat!

Downloaded the Q-Tip/Tribe Called Quest mixtape by J. Period. Great stuff covering Q-Tip´s solo material as well as the Tribe material, obviously. Had me wondering though, where the hell is Shawn J. Period? Are they the same person? Answer to that is no, but I still wanna hear some freshness from Shawn J. Are ya out there Shawn? In the meanwhile I have to be content with what I have, which includes the Mos Def´s ´Universal Magnetic´ that Shawn produced, and a few other gems.

Ear Conditioning is broadcast every Tuesday via Radio Norte 89.4FM from 20h30 GMT and also via www.sunhole.net from 22h00 GMT

Ear Conditioning/Feb. 17 2009

• Sheriff Lindo & The Hammer - Fatal Dub (Endless)
• Pablove Black - Race Track (Studio 1)
• Chico Mann - Say What (Kindred Spirits)
• Negativeland - Christianity is Stupid
• Mos Def - Universal Magnetic (Rawkus)
• Q-Tip - Renaissance Remix feat. Lil' Wayne, Raekwon & Busta Rhymes (mp3)
• State of Bengal - Skip-ij (SOB)
• Amadou & Miriam - Ca N'est Pas Bon feat. Damon Albarn (Because)
• Hijo de la Cumbia - El ghetto va a macer (Soot)
• Kollington Ayinia - Omo n Gbo Temi (Honest Jons)
• The Bug - Politicians and Paedophiles (Rephlex)
• Asian Dub Foundation - Witness/DJ Scud Remix (Nation)
• Flying Lotus - Roberta Flack/Mike Slott Reflunk (Warp)
• Ekkehard Ehlers - Plays John Cassavettes Part 2 (the Agriculture)
• King L Man - OneThirtySix (Ear Con)
  

It´s called Freestyle, but this style is expensive

Yes yes good people.
What´s the dilly?
Well, trying to maintain man, just trying to maintain, you know it´s the standard refrain.
Seriously though, the Ear Conditioning program will now be carried by the good folks at Sunhole.net, based here in Tenerife.
As usual, the program goes out on Tuesday´s, the time, 22h00-23h00, we are in the same time zone as London, UK, if that helps. Finally Ear Conditioning will have a solid internet presence.

This week´s program starts with a short jaunt across the water to Senegal for some proper drumming courtesy of Doudou N´daiye Rose, the master drummer and his massive group.

I´ve been working over the past two weeks with Famille Bou Bess, three rappers from Senegal who survived the treacherous waters between Senegal and Tenerife. Also involved is Ventor, who people may know of through his work in Species, and also Dr. Luna, which contributes a percussion-concussion to the program with Pidele.  More on Famille Bou Bess as it happens.

Continuing on, we have new-ness from Filastine, El Hijo de la Cumbia, Dub1 and Sukh Knight.

Dub1 sent me his album last week, it´s in the family of Sherrif Lindo and the Hammer, African Head Charge. With me now? Good.

Also in the set, representing the unclassifiable we have  King Midas Sound, Kode 9 vs. LD and Martyn, who I can't get enough of at the moment, with his rerub of Shut Up and Dance's 'Epileptic'.

Did someone say "How 'bout some old school?"  

Okay, old joints from Fun´da´mental and the Trinidad Steel Drummers, which both have that carnaval spirit that is ramping up in these parts.

Ear Conditioning 10.02.2009
Doudou N´daiye Rose - Ligueyou Ndeye (Virgin France)
Dr. Luna - Pidele
Shut Up and Dance - Epileptic/Martyn´s No Strobe Remix
Kode 9 vs. LD - Bad (Hyperdub)
Dub1 - Formed against (cdr)
Robert Fisk - Arab Democracy
Sukh Knight - Knightlife
Filastine - To the Motherfucking East (Soot/Jarring Effects)
El Hijo de la Cumbia - Cumbia de los Barrios (Soot)
Afronaut & Son de Batey - Golpe (Bitasweet)
Trinidad Steel Drummers - Cissy Strutt (Mystic Brew)
Fun-da-mental - Mother India/Moody Boys Mela Remix (Nation)
King Midas Sound - One Ting/Dabrye Remix (Hyperdub)
Lewis Parker - 101 Pianos (Melankolic)
Lewis Parker - 101 Pianos Instrumental Melankolic)

Ear Conditioning

Radio Norte 89.4FM                           Sunhole www.sunhole.net

Tuesday / martes 20h30-21h30       Tuesday / Martes 22h00-23h00

Ear Conditioning Radio 27.01.09

Going out tonight via the airwaves of Radio Norte/Tenerife....Newness from DJ/rupture's  Soot label.  They have two albums ready to go, 'Dirty Bomb' from Filastine, and an album from Argentina's El Hijo de la Cumbia.  Filastine has a new blog which holds words and pix from his travels and how this new album came into shape. If skewwed up maghreb-bass heavy-political as fuck sonic reflections are your thing, seek no more.  

On a side note, last week, or maybe the week before, Robert/3D of  Massive Attack posted on the Hoping Foundation, which assists Palestinian children.  One of their myspace 'friends' felt that "musicians should stay out of politics".  Get a grip guy.  

Should we leave politics to politicians?  

If so, why do we vote for them?  

I think our man has forgotten that they are our representatives.  

Okay, he isn't the only one that has forgotten this fact. 

We are all guilty of such, and have let politicians run amok.  

Anar-fucking-chy...or something different than this non-participatory couch potato politics.

Right, back to sports....

Emilliano Gómez is Hijo de la Cumbia, which translates as 'cumbia's son'.  Smile-generating upsteppin' movimientos estas aqui hombre....muy guapo.

The third contribution in today's program that has Dj/rupture's hand on it in some way is the mix from Spoek Mathambo of Sweat X.  Via his negrophonic blog, he posted a link to the mix.

Electro, hip hop, 4/4, dubstep and swathes of Detroit techno embrace each other in this mix.

From the Studio Rockers label  is The Widdler, outta New Jersey.

So there you have it for this week's radio blast.

Two further stations here in Tenerife (Sunhole.net and PlanetRadio) have got in touch this week regarding carrying the program, so finally we should have a decent internet/podcast facility happening as well as island-wide coverage through the traditional airwave/broadcast method.  More news on that as it happens.

For the moment, Ear Conditioning is available via Radio Norte 89.4FM Tenerife Norte

20h30 - 21h30 

• El Hijo de la Cumbia / Intro (Soot)
  
• El Hijo de la Cumbia / Soy (Soot)
  
• The Widdler / Sensi Samurai (Studio Rockers)
  
• Artist & Title Unknown dubstep thing
  
• Jazz Steppa / Taylor Rain (Studio Rockers)
  
• Spoek Mathambo - H.I.V.I.P. mix Dezemba Liazonz featuring Geeneus, Sidelele, Izinja, Durban Funk, DJ Skhokho
• Filastine / Bitrate Sneers (Soot/Jarring Effects)

Palestinian childhood

Translation 

I would tell him to come see out condition, our children, how they are left in classrooms, on the tile floor, no carpet, no food, no water, no electricity.

Is this life?  This is siege, this is the biggest siege, the greatest siege by Israel.

I would tell him look and see how we are living; we're left here, we don't get to play, we don't et to laugh, we don't get to learn, we don't get to see kids' shows.  I turn the TV on; all is see is funerals, shooting, death, war, tanks and invasion.

I don't find kids shows that I can pass time, learn from.  I don't find cartonns to play (sic), watch and pass time.  Everything is funerals and carrying martyrs and shooting.

We here, we don't have food, no water, no drinks, nothing.  We are left like beggars.

Look at the other people, how they play, have fun, and laugh.  We are under siege, nearly two years under siege. We don't get food or water; they have done nothing for us.  They did not even open the border crossings so food and other things can get in.

African Head Charge

What a joy to have seen and heard, and continue to be amazed by. 

Ladies and gentlemen.....

African Head Charge - God Is Great