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What are your favourite "world fusion" musicians/songs?

There's not a really great term to describe what I mean, but I know many use "world fusion". In the past year or so, I've found myself really attracted to music that takes on more of a fusion of styles from around the world; a merging of western and other styles.

It really begun when I discovered Natacha Atlas a little while back, followed by looking into Transglobal Underground, for whom she used to sing. From there I found Nitin Sawhney and Sheila Chandra. Then, on thinking about it, I've always been a fan of Kate Bush who did a lot of this kind of thing too. Listening to Siouxsie and the Banshees shows they did it a bit as well. Of course, there's Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon (who I don't like much) and David Byrne (who I do). The mixing of sounds from around the world, the thinning of boundaries between genres, it's much more interesting for me to listen to these days. Checking out Basement Jaxx recently, I loved how a song like "Hey U" starts off sounding like something out of Carnival and seemlessly merges into Romani music, while being sung by a Scandinavian artist and based around western House music.

Any favourites/recommendations?

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by Anonymousreply 195August 20, 2022 3:20 PM

Natacha Atlas - Amulet

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by Anonymousreply 1March 3, 2020 9:51 AM

Sheila Chandra - Ever So Lonely/Eyes/Ocean

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by Anonymousreply 2March 3, 2020 9:57 AM

Ofra Haza - Im Nin'alu

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by Anonymousreply 3March 3, 2020 10:01 AM

Lists of arcane musicians are DL magic! Fun for everyone! Including the numerous dimwits who will post Shakira! and the like.

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by Anonymousreply 4March 3, 2020 10:04 AM

Hector Zazou did some fantastic albums. "Chansons Des Mers Froides" is a masterpiece imho with exceptional collaborators.

But the link I include is a track from an album he produced for Sevara Nazarkhan. The album is called Yol Bolsin.

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by Anonymousreply 5March 3, 2020 10:08 AM

^Thanks for the link, and the suggestions! Will have to check more of his stuff out!

by Anonymousreply 6March 3, 2020 10:14 AM

The Cat Empire - The Wine Song

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by Anonymousreply 7March 3, 2020 10:15 AM

I recently came across an old mix CD with some Afro Celt Sound System on it. They're a great blend of so many different genres I forgot how much I enjoyed their stuff back in the day.

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by Anonymousreply 8March 3, 2020 10:45 AM

Dead Can Dance. From their 2018 album Dionysus.

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by Anonymousreply 9March 3, 2020 10:55 AM

Far out R8 and R9, you've come through with the type of music I absolutely LOVE! Never heard of either of these bands before, will definitely be adding them to the list. Thank you!

by Anonymousreply 10March 3, 2020 11:29 AM

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

by Anonymousreply 11March 3, 2020 11:33 AM

r11 = Cady Heron

by Anonymousreply 12March 3, 2020 11:37 AM

No, Mr. Gorgenchuck - I will *not* stop rockin’ in your classroom!

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by Anonymousreply 13March 3, 2020 11:47 AM

R11, Thank you! I'm listening to their KEXP performance right now. I'm always a sucker for vocal polyphony. Along those lines, here is a polyphonic performance by Greek-Sudanese performer, Marina Satti with her group Fonés. It's brilliant and I hope others enjoy it too. A mixture of contemporary Western and traditional Greek, Arabic, Bulgarian music.

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by Anonymousreply 14March 3, 2020 11:48 AM

Värttinä may be a bit too folksy for some, but I think they are amazing. This is a remix of one of their songs, so it doesn't really represent the band as a whole, but it's closer to OP was asking about.

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by Anonymousreply 15March 3, 2020 12:15 PM

A great remix collaboration of a Björk song.

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by Anonymousreply 16March 3, 2020 12:17 PM

Oh, R15, that is GOOD! Thank you!

R16, That remix is really great! Based on this, I think I should look into that remix album of Biophilia she released, for sure. Talking of Björk, I wonder if the reason I find Post to be one of my favourites of her albums is that it very much has the kind of kitchen sink, world fusion approach that I'm talking about in this thread?

by Anonymousreply 17March 3, 2020 12:24 PM

A very rare duet of Brigitte Fontaine & Grace Jones.

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by Anonymousreply 18March 3, 2020 12:41 PM

Thank you R18! I really like this one too. I mean, it's Grace Jones after all!

by Anonymousreply 19March 3, 2020 8:38 PM

Rez Abbasi

by Anonymousreply 20March 3, 2020 9:03 PM

Japanese and kitschy American pop.

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by Anonymousreply 21March 3, 2020 9:16 PM

Pink Martini. Beautiful arrangements and vocals.

by Anonymousreply 22March 3, 2020 9:18 PM

R20, thank you, I'll have a look into him.

R21 hahaha, that sort of kitschy American pop seems to be very popular in Japan!

R22 Oh I have Pink Martini's song "Sympathique" downloaded somewhere and really like it; will have to check more of them out.

by Anonymousreply 23March 3, 2020 9:22 PM

Speaking of Marina Satti, this song went viral a couple of years ago.

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by Anonymousreply 24March 3, 2020 9:25 PM

Joey Heatherton USO show, Vietnam

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by Anonymousreply 25March 3, 2020 9:28 PM

R23 / OP Pink Martini's version of Que Sera Sera is very odd and beautiful.

by Anonymousreply 26March 3, 2020 9:33 PM

Just listening now R26. It sounds like it would work very well in a horror movie. I like it much more than the original, especially towards the end with the brass.

by Anonymousreply 27March 3, 2020 9:39 PM

R27 Very perceptive!! In the early 2000s, a TV series titled Carnivale used it as their theme song. It was perfect. It was an odd series with a great cast of quirky actors (Amy Madigan, Toby Huss, John Carroll Lynch, Clea duVall, Clancy Brown, lots more).

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by Anonymousreply 28March 3, 2020 10:16 PM

Ha! There you go! Actually I have that show on DVD somewhere, I bought it and never got around to watching it, so maybe now it's time?

by Anonymousreply 29March 3, 2020 10:20 PM

This is DL after all.

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by Anonymousreply 30March 3, 2020 10:24 PM

R29 you’re the mirror-world version of me; CARNIVÀLE was the one and only tv show I watched in the early-mid 2000s. I don’t regret it, as it’s a stunning work of television that has always been underrated. I feel desiccated saying this but they really don’t make them like that anymore.

The beautiful score fusing bluegrass with Eastern European folk weirdness is just a bonus.

by Anonymousreply 31March 3, 2020 10:25 PM

R30, never actually listened to her, but I'm open to seeing what she's about, haha.

R31, well you've already sold me on the score alone! I have heard great things about it, so think I'll definitely make it my next binge watch.

by Anonymousreply 32March 3, 2020 10:27 PM

R29 / R31 Now I have to find it and watch again. Glad I could be of help!

by Anonymousreply 33March 3, 2020 10:29 PM

I love this track: it's the modernized version of traditional Lithuanian folk chanting called "sutartinės". It sounds creepy a bit, but in a good way.

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by Anonymousreply 34March 4, 2020 5:21 AM

Another great one! Don't mind music sounding a bit creepy. My favourite songs tend to be in minor keys, I've noticed.

by Anonymousreply 35March 4, 2020 6:00 AM

Here's another song I like: an updated version of traditional sufi music. And the singer is pretty hot too, which is an extra plus.

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by Anonymousreply 36March 4, 2020 6:10 AM

You'd have to go a fair ways to top this Azerbaijani band's cover of Pink Floyd's The Wall

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by Anonymousreply 37March 4, 2020 6:24 AM

Thank you both R36 and R37! Traditional sufi music! Cool! And he sure has a good head of hair on him doesn't he? And I really enjoyed that Pink Floyd cover - I don't particularly love the original (don't hate it either), but I really enjoyed hearing their version!

by Anonymousreply 38March 4, 2020 6:34 AM

One more for you R38 : Enigma's 'Return to Innocence' by the same Azerbaijani band Bizimkiler.

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by Anonymousreply 39March 4, 2020 6:44 AM

Lovely, R39. I think I like this one even more. Thank you!

by Anonymousreply 40March 4, 2020 7:08 AM

Nitin Sawhney - Nadia

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by Anonymousreply 41March 4, 2020 11:01 AM

Kate Bush - The Sensual World

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by Anonymousreply 42March 4, 2020 11:58 AM

OP, how about Egyptian hipster band Cairokee. Their albums are great - music is hip hop electro and sometimes simple in structure, but many songs go deep into weird tones and production. Of course I want to fuck every one of these guys, too!

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by Anonymousreply 43March 4, 2020 5:06 PM

This one is pretty and freaky

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by Anonymousreply 44March 4, 2020 5:07 PM

Thank you R43/R44! They are some attractive guys! I particularly enjoy the vocals on the second track.

by Anonymousreply 45March 4, 2020 8:27 PM

I love this version of You Only Live Twice

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by Anonymousreply 46March 4, 2020 10:12 PM

Yes R46! That is a great version! Arranged by David Arnold who also did a number of the 90s and 00s James Bond scores, also did Björk's "Play Dead". I think Atlas also did a version of "From Russia with Love" from memory.

by Anonymousreply 47March 5, 2020 12:09 AM

Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart featuring Sinead O’Connor. This was kind of mainstream.

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by Anonymousreply 48March 5, 2020 12:20 AM

R46, that was so enjoyable. It’s now on one of my Spotify playlists. It made me feel all kinds of things. Her voice is incredible.

by Anonymousreply 49March 5, 2020 12:25 AM

The Red Hot + Lisbon compilation from about 20 years ago is phenomenal. It's mostly Portuguese/Brazilian inspired songs. My absolute favorite is "Fado Hilario" by KD Lang.

Since OP brought up David Byrne, his Luaka Bop label is worth checking out. The label puts out a lot of world music and world fusion.

by Anonymousreply 50March 5, 2020 12:45 AM

R48 - Jah Wobble! I know of him but never really heard anything he's done. I liked this one, thank you! I love how so many of those musicians were working with and around each other - Sinead, Jah, Natacha, the guys from Transglobal Underground, David Arnold, Björk, Massive Attack, Neneh Cherry etc etc. Seems like a real community thing going on there. I know Peter Gabriel's Big Blue Ball album is based off of recording sessions involving many of these artists and others in the early 90's; I wonder if this is where many of them met?

R49 - Natacha is amazing, and there's a lot to discover with her, I can highly recommend her. You can't go wrong just beginning with her first album, Diaspora, and going from there.

by Anonymousreply 51March 5, 2020 12:45 AM

Thanks R50, that's a great idea, looking into what his label puts out. And I shall try and find that Red Hot + Lisbon album!

by Anonymousreply 52March 5, 2020 12:46 AM

The 1982 version of "Ever So Lonely" released by Monsoon (Sheila Chandra). I'm sure many of you will remember this one.

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by Anonymousreply 53March 5, 2020 9:05 AM

Jah Wobble's Take Me To God album is very good.

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by Anonymousreply 54March 5, 2020 9:25 AM

Siouxsie Sioux as The Creatures.

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by Anonymousreply 55March 5, 2020 9:31 AM

Kiran Ahluwalia owns this thread.

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by Anonymousreply 56March 5, 2020 9:39 AM

Jeremy Durocher co-owns this thread.

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by Anonymousreply 57March 5, 2020 9:42 AM

^Dutcher^

by Anonymousreply 58March 5, 2020 9:43 AM

The soundtrack of the 90's movie Steam (Hamam: The Turkish Bath) is sublime.

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by Anonymousreply 59March 5, 2020 9:43 AM

Letta Mbulu - What’s Wrong With Groovin’ (1967)

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by Anonymousreply 60March 5, 2020 10:09 AM

Milton Nascimento - Vera Cruz (1969)

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by Anonymousreply 61March 5, 2020 10:16 AM

Thank you for this thread, OP. (Are you the one who posted Nadine Shah?). It’s good for our brains to hear new things. And it’s a respite from the coronavirus and election news my husband keeps blasting.

by Anonymousreply 62March 5, 2020 10:31 AM

Mychael Danna's score for the movie 8MM has some interesting world music elements used throughout.

"Hollywood"

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by Anonymousreply 63March 5, 2020 10:49 AM

"Dance With The Devil"

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by Anonymousreply 64March 5, 2020 10:50 AM

"Scene of the Crime"

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by Anonymousreply 65March 5, 2020 10:51 AM

sapho is also one u can discover, she's from an older generation, lorca is a good song, never attached a link, dunno what the result will be

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by Anonymousreply 66March 5, 2020 11:15 AM

Wow! Thank you everyone! There is a stack of new stuff to look at since I last checked the thread. I never want to miss responding to anyone, so let me send a big THANK YOU to you all now. I am listening to everything posted and loving pretty much everything so far!

R62, it's my pleasure. I agree, there is SO much good stuff out there, and it'd be a shame if people weren't aware of it. (By the way, there's a hell of a lot of modern Francophone pop out there at the moment that's really good (better than the Anglophone stuff), so I hope people keep their ears open for that too.)

It wasn't me that posted about Nadine Shah. Not heard of her until now, but will check her out too.

by Anonymousreply 67March 5, 2020 12:00 PM

R54 - cheers for more Jah Wobble! You know, I never used to think much of reggae and ska, stuff like that, but I'm enjoying it so much more as I get older.

R55 - This is the first The Creatures song I've heard and I can tell I'm going to like them. Cool to see Siouxsie exploring more in this direction, something the Banshees occasionally did. From my admittedly slight knowledge, mostly during B-Sides.

R56/R57 - Indian and Celtic music always seem to fuse together so well! I've noticed this with Sheila Chandra too. Lovely voice on the second song, and I enjoyed the little twists and turns that song took.

by Anonymousreply 68March 5, 2020 12:14 PM

R59 - Sublime, indeed! I spent some time in Turkey a few years ago and have wonderful memories, so anything that reminds me of that is welcome. That drumming around the 3-4 minute mark, mm! Cheers!

R60 - this is one of those songs I wasn't sure of as it begun and all of a sudden it grabbed me and I ended up enjoying it a lot. R61 is great too. I don't usually find myself loving as much stuff from the 60s (due to the production mostly), but these were awesome! Shows to always keep an open mind. Thank you!

TBC.

by Anonymousreply 69March 5, 2020 12:34 PM

Does this Ukrainian song tick the "world fusion" box? Probably not, but it's still an amazing track.

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by Anonymousreply 70March 7, 2020 1:59 PM

R63 etc, thank you for posting those. I'm so dumb, for a brief moment I read those as being from the movie 8 Mile and thought: "Wow, Eminem sure is exploring different musical styles!" Hahaha.

R66, it attached fine, and thank you for posting it, I enjoyed it!

R70, I think it does and it is a great track too! Thank you!

by Anonymousreply 71March 8, 2020 10:59 AM

Juno Reactor - God is God.

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by Anonymousreply 72March 8, 2020 12:32 PM

Transglobal Underground - Ali Mullah

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by Anonymousreply 73March 8, 2020 8:43 PM

Someone posted The Creatures earlier, and I've been listening to their first EP and first album. Really enjoying this one:

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by Anonymousreply 74March 10, 2020 10:59 AM

KEXP showcase such great stuff, this is an Occitan band, San Salvador, with their song La Grande Folie:

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by Anonymousreply 75March 15, 2020 1:19 AM

OP: you forgot me, bitch.

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by Anonymousreply 76March 15, 2020 1:31 AM

Dengue Fever: California+Khmer

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by Anonymousreply 77March 15, 2020 1:44 AM

Lo Còr de la Plana - Tant Deman (occitan)

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by Anonymousreply 78March 15, 2020 1:47 AM

R76, sorry Madge, but Ofra Haza (see R3) does it so much better!

Speaking of which, for those unaware, Ofra Haza is responsible for the beautiful backing vocals in Paula Abdul's "My Love is for Real" (a song I suppose that could also fit into the world fusion label, though I wonder if it's a bit more of a case of western music tacking on vaguely middle eastern sounding instrumentation rather than seriously melding them together. Someone more knowledgeable than I would have to say).

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by Anonymousreply 79March 15, 2020 12:22 PM

(but in addition, thank you R76 for posting that. I do like that song.)

R77, thank you, I really enjoyed that one. It reminds me a bit of La Femme who also use that surf-y sound mixed in with other elements too. I also laughed when that sound went off at 2:53 that she seemed to find unexpected.

R78, I'm thinking Occitan music is something I am going to really love discovering, I've heard so much good stuff so far, and this just adds to that. Thanks!

by Anonymousreply 80March 15, 2020 12:32 PM

Seeing as Madonna has been posted up above, what do folks think of this remix of "Nothing Really Matters", by Talvin Singh?

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by Anonymousreply 81March 17, 2020 12:35 PM

Funny how things connect; this is Marina Satti (from R14/R26) doing her own cover of the Björk remix posted at R16!

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by Anonymousreply 82March 18, 2020 1:45 AM

The James Bond soundtracks did this a bit, I suppose it's standard for many film scores actually. Something like this is kind of a middle Eastern/jazz hybrid (I include it as I just watched the film tonight, this isn't exactly my favourite example).

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by Anonymousreply 83March 28, 2020 11:54 AM

Altın Gün is a gateway drug to the wonderful world of Turkish psychedelic folk/funk

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by Anonymousreply 84March 31, 2020 6:37 PM

84 responses and no mention of Stings' faux mid eastern yodeling about the desert ?

by Anonymousreply 85March 31, 2020 7:06 PM

Leonard Cohen infused elements of world music for decades. Gypsy, klezmer, traditional European folk, Romanian, Basque, chant, you name it. Too many examples to post just one.

His last offering before dying, You Want it Darker, was a hypnotic mix of spoken poetry or rap with a backing of Yiddish cantors:

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by Anonymousreply 86March 31, 2020 8:41 PM

R84 Altın Gün are amazing; I only know a few of their songs so far (Leyla, Süpürgesi Yoncadan, Goca Dünya) but I really love them.

R85 never really been a fan of Sting; that sounds kinda hilarious!

R86 I've not listened to a lot of Cohen, but I love that styles like Gypsy, klezmer, etc so will have to check him out.

by Anonymousreply 87March 31, 2020 11:12 PM

[quote] Altın Gün are amazing; I only know a few of their songs so far (Leyla, Süpürgesi Yoncadan, Goca Dünya) but I really love them.

Listen to all their stuff R87, then discover Özdemir Erdoğan (be sure to turn on subtitles)

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by Anonymousreply 88March 31, 2020 11:36 PM

Thanks R88, I definitely shall!

by Anonymousreply 89March 31, 2020 11:43 PM

More :) Actually, if you dig this music, you might as well go ahead and subscribe to the Anatolian Rock Revival Project channel and continue to have your ears blessed!

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by Anonymousreply 90March 31, 2020 11:50 PM

Oh wow, thanks! I really appreciate it!

by Anonymousreply 91April 1, 2020 12:00 AM

Rıca ederim, arkadaşım :)

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by Anonymousreply 92April 1, 2020 12:04 AM

You've reminded me of this one I found a couple of months ago (think it was just randomly recommended by YouTube). I enjoy it. It's based off of the bassline to Heaven On Their Minds from Jesus Christ Superstar.

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by Anonymousreply 93April 1, 2020 12:13 AM

"world fusion"? How about interplanetary transfusion?

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by Anonymousreply 94April 1, 2020 12:19 AM

Every piece of music is world fusion.

by Anonymousreply 95April 1, 2020 4:54 AM

R94 wow that was actually really good! I loved their vocals. Thanks for sharing!

Does anyone else feel like the mid-late 70s to early 80s was the best time for this kind of music; weirdness that works? I swear there was something in the water then, haha.

by Anonymousreply 96April 1, 2020 9:30 PM

Ahh, so I just realised I did know who Sun Ra is, he wrote the original "Rocket Number 9" that Lady Gaga sampled on "Venus". Always love these little connections.

by Anonymousreply 97April 1, 2020 11:59 PM

R95, that's a really interesting point, and I think ultimately that's true. I don't want to turn this into a whinge about certain concepts, but it's one of the reasons I have trouble with the "cultural appropriation" argument in music, as people have been sharing for so long that to find the origins is quite difficult. As long as people are free to and have the opportunity to exploit their own works and nothing is being stolen, to me it's all good.

As I alluded to in my initial post, it's a very nebulous term I'm using, but it's been really pleasing to see pretty much everyone is sharing the type of music I was hoping to get when I posted, and those who are posting something different are posting excellent songs that are becoming new favourites. So I guess it's kind of an understandable term at the same time, maybe?

by Anonymousreply 98April 2, 2020 12:05 AM

R81 it goes nowhere and you can't dance to it.

by Anonymousreply 99April 2, 2020 12:29 AM

Pizzicato Five

by Anonymousreply 100April 2, 2020 12:38 AM

R99 Haha, fair enough! I will admit there are many better remixes out there.

R100 ooh yes, I do like that Twiggy Twiggy song!

by Anonymousreply 101April 2, 2020 1:09 AM

A lot of fusion is shallow melding of performances by mediocre artists from different musical traditions. An easy listening of global character.

When done well by masters it is sublime.

by Anonymousreply 102April 2, 2020 3:06 AM

I have always been a fan of Curtis James Jackson III for his symphonic arab infusion into "Just a Lil bit"

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by Anonymousreply 103April 2, 2020 3:13 AM

Angelique Kidjo

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by Anonymousreply 104April 2, 2020 3:19 AM

R103 And I've always been a fan of Amanda Leigh Moore for this track, which one magazine described as "Indian-influenced Eurodisco".

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by Anonymousreply 105April 2, 2020 3:23 AM

R102, that reminds me of an interview I read with Diamanda Galas once, where she was decrying the tendency of pop producers to put sounds in their music that they thought were Arabic music, a kind of exoticism, without understanding exactly the history of Arabic music, the different scales, etc. It was an interesting discussion, and I wish I could find it again. I guess songs like R103 and R105 would come under that category.

For me personally, that stuff is totally for dancing drunk in a club and more power to it, I certainly love it in those situations. On the other hand, my preference is still for music that I really connect with, and the stuff that is well done cannot be beat.

R104, I enjoy Angelique! That "Wombo Lombo" song of hers was everywhere when I was a kid, but I only found it again a few months ago because I was looking for that song I only knew went something like "woombo noombo woombo noombo woombo noombo" hahaha. Great choice!

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by Anonymousreply 106April 2, 2020 11:26 AM

Ece Seçkin

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by Anonymousreply 107April 2, 2020 1:52 PM

R107, that one was really interesting; I've not heard a Turkish/African musical hybrid before! I enjoyed it. Çok güzel, teşekkür ederim!

by Anonymousreply 108April 3, 2020 12:56 PM

Here is a French interpretation of Bollywood music. Absolutely adore this band. As they were wont to do, this is a song with an upbeat melody and melancholic lyrics:

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by Anonymousreply 109April 3, 2020 1:47 PM

A thousand apologies, I forgot to change the url from the previous song after I was checking it out. D'oh!

Here is the song I meant:

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by Anonymousreply 110April 3, 2020 1:48 PM

Humph! That's done the wrong link twice. Will try once more. Sorry!

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by Anonymousreply 111April 3, 2020 1:50 PM

Rıca ederim, arkadaşım R108!

And now for something completely different:

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by Anonymousreply 112April 3, 2020 10:29 PM

R112, wow Mongolian heavy metal? That's very cool! They have a tradition of throat singing in Mongolia, don't they? Works perfectly for that type of music, it's a wonder we don't hear more of it!

by Anonymousreply 113April 3, 2020 10:48 PM

There's a small but active scene, R113

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by Anonymousreply 114April 3, 2020 10:58 PM

^ Seems made for each other! I can even see that as someone who doesn't listen to a lot of music like that. Thanks for sharing!

by Anonymousreply 115April 3, 2020 11:18 PM

I believe in Keltic Punk Faeries

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by Anonymousreply 116April 4, 2020 12:00 AM

makes me want to learn Irish

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by Anonymousreply 117April 4, 2020 1:03 AM

This song from the end credits of Strange Days.

Yes this is Peter Gabriel, not Harry styles kids!

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by Anonymousreply 118April 4, 2020 1:09 AM

fun fact -- they're Italian

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by Anonymousreply 119April 4, 2020 1:12 AM

K-maro

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by Anonymousreply 120April 4, 2020 5:08 AM

Since some of the songs posted are not really world fusion, but simply artists/songs unknown in the West, I thought I'd contribute Goran Bregović, a mix of Balkan, gypsy and Jewish. Singer: Vaska Jankovska

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by Anonymousreply 121April 4, 2020 5:38 AM

R116 Thank you, I always love Irish traditional sounding music. It's part of my heritage and I always feel it's uplifting.

R117 That was really great, thank you! Those are some really strong vocals, not to mention some rather attractive Irish guys. I'd love to learn some Irish too. I know a very small amount, but would love to improve it.

R118, thanks for sharing! While I've not been the hugest fan of Peter Gabriel before, this is not bad at all, and the soundtrack to the film seems very interesting, will have to check it out! I think I remember being aware of it before vaguely, due to the PJ Harvey cover.

R119 I enjoyed that, thanks! I've never heard an Italian band do something like that before!

R120 thanks for sharing, it reminds me of the types of stuff they used to play when I was a teenager going clubbing for the first time, but we never got the English-French melange like this. I like how it switches randomly between the two. Reminds me of the Italian-English patois my ex and I used to use together.

R121 thank you for this one, I love the music from Eastern Europe. There's so much great stuff out there.

by Anonymousreply 122April 4, 2020 12:32 PM

R122 One more Bregović. Live in Istanbul 2006. Balkan/Turkish!

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by Anonymousreply 123April 4, 2020 12:41 PM

Listen to everything by Hamsa Lila

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by Anonymousreply 124April 4, 2020 3:21 PM

Thanks R123, how amazing would it be to be part of a group of musicians like that?

R124, I shall, that song you posted was awesome, I enjoyed it very much. Thanks!

by Anonymousreply 125April 4, 2020 9:47 PM

The Knife's take on Bollywood:

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by Anonymousreply 126April 4, 2020 10:01 PM

Someone upthread mentioned Pink Martini, and I am getting around to listening to them in more depth now. I just have to say: how fucking amazing is this song? Love!

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by Anonymousreply 127April 8, 2020 2:00 PM

I always thought I wouldn't bother with Peter Gabriel as I've never really warmed to him, but I recently checked out his album "Big Blue Ball". Actually it would be more correct to say it isn't his album, but a really interesting collaborative effort from the early-mid 90's where artists from all over the world were invited to his studio to basically meet and head off with whoever they liked to play music together, all of which was recorded. The album was finally assembled and released in 2008.

This album is actually really enjoyable for the most part. One of the standouts is "Habibe" with Natacha Atlas on vocals, and it isn't even as much of a fusion as some of the other tracks on the album. Worth checking out!

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by Anonymousreply 128April 19, 2020 2:20 PM

Another from Sheila Chandra, this is a kind of Celtic-Indian-Pop hybrid:

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by Anonymousreply 129May 13, 2020 10:55 AM

I'm enjoying a bit of Yugoslavian funk and jazz-funk this evening. Well worth checking out.

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by Anonymousreply 130December 6, 2020 10:50 AM

Love this one from Afro Celt Sound System:

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by Anonymousreply 131December 13, 2020 9:25 AM

Nitin Sawhney is fantastic. Jeff Beck had a hit with Nitin's song "Nadia".

How sad that Ofra Haza died rather young. Her cheating husband gave her AIDs.

by Anonymousreply 132December 13, 2020 1:14 PM

That is so sad, R132. She had such a beautiful voice.

I love that song "Nadia", will have to check out that version too.

by Anonymousreply 133December 13, 2020 6:41 PM

Currently listening to Transglobal Underground's debut album "Dream of 100 Nations". It is SO good. Very early 90s, but we're far enough away from that now that it works, plus it still feels fresh and interesting in many ways too. Highly recommended!

by Anonymousreply 134December 19, 2020 11:01 AM

Continuing on through the first four Transglobal Underground albums and they are all really good! Perhaps I enjoyed International Times a bit less, I don't really enjoy Neil Sparkes' ramblings. It's probably partly why Rejoice Rejoice is my favourite of the four - he isn't on it, haha. But other than that, it's been so fun!

by Anonymousreply 135December 20, 2020 8:53 PM

[quote][R27] Very perceptive!! In the early 2000s, a TV series titled Carnivale used it as their theme song. It was perfect. It was an odd series with a great cast of quirky actors (Amy Madigan, Toby Huss, John Carroll Lynch, Clea duVall, Clancy Brown, lots more).

I wish that series would get a reboot. That theme "Que Sera Sera" by Pink Martini was my introduction to that group.

by Anonymousreply 136December 20, 2020 10:11 PM

Angelique Kidjo (Africa)

Celia Cruz (Cuba)

by Anonymousreply 137December 20, 2020 10:14 PM

Pink Martini is one of the groups I discovered after they were recommended to me here, and I enjoy them so much, particularly their first album Sympathique. There's not a song on that album I don't like.

by Anonymousreply 138December 21, 2020 6:32 AM

Gafsa by Natacha Atlas is beautiful.

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by Anonymousreply 139December 22, 2020 9:17 AM

This is fantastic!

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by Anonymousreply 140December 27, 2020 12:46 AM

Authentic, traditional flamenco can be a difficult listen, but I am a sucker for new flamenco, which is easier on the ears, and incorporates a lot of different musical styles.

Here's one example, by El Barrio. "Los Caños"

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by Anonymousreply 141December 27, 2020 2:40 AM

^That was really enjoyable. And speaking of new flamenco, I don't know if this counts, but Rosalía's last album basically takes her study of traditional flamenco and makes something new out of it:

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by Anonymousreply 142December 27, 2020 6:42 PM

80s French/North African funk/eastern music.

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by Anonymousreply 143December 28, 2020 8:46 PM

Absolutely love this whole album--Shiva Station, by Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra. Here's a sample. Hope you love it, too, OP. And thanks for starting this thread.

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by Anonymousreply 144December 28, 2020 8:59 PM

No, thank YOU for contributing to the thread R144. It's so great whenever I get a notification someone else has shared great music with us, like you have. I'm glad so many people are enjoying this.

by Anonymousreply 145December 28, 2020 9:01 PM

Alas, OP, I am strictly a Western sound kind of person.

by Anonymousreply 146December 28, 2020 10:12 PM

It's all good, R146. At the end of the day, we simply like what we like. So much space is given to us writing about why we as humans like what we like, but I think it's not really explicable.

by Anonymousreply 147December 29, 2020 12:17 AM

Tchiki Boum! (lead singer and songwriter: Muriel!)

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by Anonymousreply 148January 2, 2021 1:27 AM

Macumba!

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by Anonymousreply 149January 3, 2021 10:15 AM

Maybe a strange addition to this, but here is a version of Tori Amos singing Manha de Carnaval. She's managed to make it sound like the kind of song she would've written herself, mixing the original into her style at the time, in fact I think the last part of the song is Tori's own. I like it!

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by Anonymousreply 150March 1, 2021 7:22 PM

I've just come across the term that I probably should've used for this thread. Apparently it is called "Worldbeat".

by Anonymousreply 151March 5, 2021 10:18 PM

Afro Celt Sound System teaming up with Sinéad O'Connor. Wonderful!

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by Anonymousreply 152March 5, 2021 10:20 PM

^If you're going to listen to that, it's even more worth listening to the 7 minute album version:

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by Anonymousreply 153March 5, 2021 10:56 PM

Here's a great little song that I keep hearing in TV shows, etc.

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by Anonymousreply 154June 20, 2021 12:45 PM

So good!

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by Anonymousreply 155June 21, 2021 11:31 AM

Does Grace Jones' cover of "Libertango" count? A tango in a reggae style, filtered through early 80s New Wave.

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by Anonymousreply 156June 21, 2021 11:37 AM

Lene Lovich with a sort of cross between some kind of country, hoe-down music with Russian folk music.

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by Anonymousreply 157June 21, 2021 12:19 PM

Beck - Tropicalia

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by Anonymousreply 158June 21, 2021 12:38 PM

R85 - here you go

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by Anonymousreply 159June 23, 2021 10:28 PM

The always brilliant Sezen Aksu, the undisputed queen of Turkish pop.

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by Anonymousreply 160June 23, 2021 11:06 PM

^There is some really great Turkish stuff out there, I've been so pleasantly surprised by a lot of it.

by Anonymousreply 161June 24, 2021 11:30 AM

They're not a favourite for me, but I recently read someone talk about how Ace of Base were a reggae band and I was like: "What, really?" and then listened to them and realised they really were, and it kinda blew my mind. It's really obvious once you know it, but I never understood that at the time.

by Anonymousreply 162June 24, 2021 1:04 PM

And now that we're talking about queens, what about Yulduz Usmanova, the queen of Uzbek pop?

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by Anonymousreply 163June 24, 2021 4:44 PM

And for a more contemplative, subdued mood, here's Catalan goddess Maria del Mar Bonet with one of her most beautiful songs.

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by Anonymousreply 164June 24, 2021 4:47 PM

Ahh, thanks so much R163/R164. It's always so interesting to hear what is popular in other parts of the world.

From my cod-Italian, I see that second song is called "The sun and the moon". That is a very beautiful song!

by Anonymousreply 165June 24, 2021 9:03 PM

I am so glad that you enjoy it, R165! If you like this sort of music, here's Dulce Pontes (one of Portugal's most successful singers ever) - this song is called 'Ondeia' (Wave Away), and it's simply gorgeous.

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by Anonymousreply 166June 24, 2021 10:53 PM

And now that we're at it, this was HUGE in Portugal in 2015. It's performed by neo-fado superstar Ana Moura.

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by Anonymousreply 167June 24, 2021 10:56 PM

Ahh, brilliant! Thanks again, I love sharing music and hearing people's favourites.

by Anonymousreply 168June 25, 2021 10:05 PM

Samba magic!

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by Anonymousreply 169June 25, 2021 11:37 PM

Loving this one:

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by Anonymousreply 170July 11, 2021 12:01 PM

I don't know if this counts, but I think it might, and it's really cool:

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by Anonymousreply 171July 16, 2021 9:52 PM

Ofra Haza covering Madonna.

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by Anonymousreply 172July 17, 2021 12:06 AM

God, Ofra had a beautiful voice.

by Anonymousreply 173July 17, 2021 12:08 AM

Mory Kante's "Yeke Yeke" -a massive banger back in 1987 (I think)

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by Anonymousreply 174July 17, 2021 12:09 AM

Ofra Haza's voice improved everything. Including goth dance stuff.

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by Anonymousreply 175July 17, 2021 12:12 AM

^I've heard the name of this song before but never knew how it went. Just listened to it then and turns out I totally know the chorus. Thanks for sharing!

by Anonymousreply 176July 17, 2021 12:13 AM

Sorry, R176 was meant for R174.

I love that song R175, and it's totally due to Ofra, it's not the type of music I would normally listen to otherwise.

by Anonymousreply 177July 17, 2021 12:14 AM

Swedish pop star Agnes has recently been releasing some excellent material!

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by Anonymousreply 178July 23, 2021 8:02 AM

I saw Ofra Haza perform in LA a few years before she died of AIDS. She was sublime.

I live Sheila Chandra as well.

by Anonymousreply 179July 23, 2021 9:02 AM

Ofra Haza sang a beautiful song for the movie Queen Margot.

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by Anonymousreply 180July 23, 2021 9:06 AM

You're so lucky R179, I bet that was amazing!

Sheila Chandra is awesome too, and also has a very sad story with this burning mouth syndrome meaning she can't sing anymore. And yet these off key squawkers are still everywhere in pop music now? It's not fair.

R180, beautiful!

Thanks R178 - she's the girl that did "Release Me" back about 10 years ago, yes? That song was a staple at our parties back then.

by Anonymousreply 181July 23, 2021 9:18 PM

A new Altın Gün set on KEXP, released just today. Joy!

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by Anonymousreply 182July 27, 2021 11:23 AM

After watching A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night recently, I'm getting into this band:

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by Anonymousreply 183August 3, 2021 9:18 PM

A whole hour of Turkish funk!

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by Anonymousreply 184August 6, 2021 9:30 PM

I don’t understand the question and I refuse to respond.

by Anonymousreply 185August 6, 2021 9:33 PM

This has got to be a fantastic example:

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by Anonymousreply 186August 6, 2021 9:36 PM

Disco-Bollywood.

"When you go Rwanda, Congo, take me on your genocide tour. Take me on a truck to Darfur..."

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by Anonymousreply 187August 21, 2021 10:38 PM

It's really interesting to me how much "drone" music is a thing in many different parts of the world and how easy it is to them switch between different cultures' folk musics with ease. So it sounds so natural for Sheila Chandra to mix Indian and Irish and English music together, or for Afro Celt Sound System to do their thing. Kate Bush mixed Australian Aboriginal and Irish music together in places as well. Love this kind of stuff.

by Anonymousreply 188October 9, 2021 1:09 PM

Oba! Oba! Oba!

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by Anonymousreply 189November 3, 2021 11:38 AM

Angélique Kidjo - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

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by Anonymousreply 190November 3, 2021 11:59 AM

Angélique Kidjo is so good!

by Anonymousreply 191November 3, 2021 12:22 PM

I cannot stop listening to the Angélique Kidjo song, a day later. I REALLY like this one!

by Anonymousreply 192November 4, 2021 11:52 AM

Monsoon's Third Eye (with bonus tracks) album is FINALLY available on streaming. I'm surprised it took this long.

by Anonymousreply 193January 21, 2022 10:20 PM

I just discovered this amazing cover of "Kashmir" by Ofra Haza. The build up at the end is amazing!

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by Anonymousreply 194February 19, 2022 12:13 AM

I really recommend this track by Yasmin Levy and Natacha Atlas: Mano Suave.

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by Anonymousreply 195August 20, 2022 3:20 PM
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