Edition #246
90 minutes of 80’s Trans-Culturation.
Raï music, a popular form of political culture since the 1920’s in Algeria, became a globally recognised musical form during 1980’s. The word 'Raï' itself means ‘opinion’ and this underlines the genres aspirations to freedom of speech and expression, while artists are differentiated by the prefix ‘chab’ (young man) and chabates or ‘cheba' (young woman).
This is an hour and a half of selections from some of the many, many cassettes released by Algerian Raï artists during that decade. And the genre was released almost exclusively on cassettes. The music itself is raw and thrilling, hypnotic and insistent, angry, rebellious, frantic, its moods romantic, yearning and melancholic. It is multi-layered and dreamy, dizzyingly fusing afro-beat, western pop tropes and Arabic instrumental riffs.
Pop Raï, the sound that comprises most of the selections here, was controversial throughout the middle east in many of the non-democratic regimes. It was a highly secular and regionally diverse sound. Raï singers were challenging long held traditions and teachings - resisting increasing strict islamic conventions. Consequently the sounds became enormously popular with the young across the Arab world, directly addressing harsh realities of circumstance around unemployment, immigration and religious taboo's like drunkenness and sexual relations. Singers faced difficult challenges of censorship and govermental repression, and songs about tormented love or abandonment in later years became a powerful metaphor of longing for those exiled abroad.
Raï sprung from what the authorities viewed as a controversial melding of musical forms - middle eastern vocal traditions and north African rhythms blended with western influences as disparate as Spanish flamenco and Reggae, integrating electric guitars, synthesizers and drum machines. With lyrical concerns which provoked debate around politics, identity, and sexuality, Raï music and its artists were considered transgressive and dangerous by the islamic reformists in control of Algeria’s government and culture.
Conditions worsened considerably during the Algerian Civil War in ’91 due to the jihadist Armed Islamic Group of Algeria who conducted a violent campaign in their attempts to overthrow the government. Singers and performers often faced beatings and death threats, many were forced into exile (often relocating to Franco-Arabic neighbourhoods of Paris) while tragically others, including Cheb Hasni and Rachid Baba-Ahmed were murdered for their flaunting of rebellious politics and western sensibilities.
##CLARIFICATIONS
As always, my motivations are to share and celebrate music and musicians. This is not my culture, and i do not represent its values and traditions in any way, nor do i seek to profit from it. But i am eager to disperse and transmit the wonder of these artists and their music, to pay tribute and to honour their struggles and triumphs.
Celebrate don't appropriate. Honour music & the musicians who bring their music to us. With their talents, their passions, their struggles and sometimes even with their lives.
≈Ω HuussH Ω≈
When I'm waiting, I think in hours, and in minutes when I’m late. Most often, I think in days, yet rarely of today. It takes a sudden adjustment: a friend's opinion; a parent's confession; the sensation of falling; the present, given as a gift. A date written down purposively: a token. Something to look forward to, and later, back on - to remind me that far more will change than the habits of the sun.
Steven and I are back broadcasting for just one hour this month. Mostly his picks - very nice stuff. Secret pop stars and Fairlight sequences, all found east of the Eighties, with some exceptions.
Join myself and Ryan English for an hour of discussing the music of the Scottish Renaissance. No, seriously. We’ll be discussing my latest project looking at the music of this era and you’ll have an opportunity to hear our recordings of 16th and 17th century Scottish ‘court’ tunes. Yep.
And we are finally back! After a month hiatus Lafropunk is ready to play some lovely lovely tracks. Expect: Afro-beat and other great gems.
Join us as we celebrate the end of term and the end of a day of workshops at Civic House! Come along for a drink, some food and a dance.
£5 dinner served from 7pm by Civic House Kitchen, best enjoyed with those you love the most.
During the day join us at Saturday School at Civic House ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
✨DJs!✨
The Queer History of Dance Music (subcity.org/shows/qhodm)
rest assured radio b2b Dilly Joints (subcity.org/shows/rar & subcity.org/shows/loosejoints)
[underthunder] (subcity.org/shows/underthunder)
Redstone Press (subcity.org/shows/redstonepress)
✨Live Act✨
Taxidermy Cab https://soundcloud.com/taxidermy-cab/1-dont-slurp-it
✨More surprises!✨
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Free before 9 £5 after All tickets OTD
Please note the bottom floor of the venue is accessible, if you have any questions get in touch !
Subcity believe in operating a safe(r) space policy. Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable on the dance floor, no matter what. If you have any problems, please get a member of the Subcity team who will be distributed throughout the venue on the night, or a member of the bar / kitchen staff.
Subcity Radio were lucky enough to attend this year's Counterflows Festival - one of the best experimental music festivals Glasgow and the UK has to offer. We spent the weekend talking to some of the fantastic performers and organisers that help keep Counterflows consistently one of the most interesting music events around. This includes LYZZA, Alexander Hawkins, MC Carol, Jim C. Nedd, Palm Wine, the Gorbals Youth Brass Band and Bill Wells, Dakim, Micheal LaCour, Nena Etza, Myriam Van Imschoot and Doreen Kutzke, Sholto Dobie, Humming Dogs and more. Listen back to all these interviews below:
1) Introductions with Alasdair Campbell
The co-curator and founder of Counterflows Festival Alasdair Campbell joins us in the studio to discuss the origins of Counterflows, the performers and to play some music that will be heard live throughout the festival.
(https://subcity.org/shows/counterflows/4dd7f/)
2) Tomorrow!
To celebrate the beginning of the festival programme we speak with:
Alexander Hawkins - Hugely talented jazz performer and improvisationist talks to us about his work and reccommends some of his favourite songs.
Gorbals Youth Brass Band & Bill Wells- we talked to the founders of this inclusive music programme, the children involved and the underground legend that wrote the piece to be performed, Bill Wells
Nina Etza also joins us in the studio for a fantastic selection of latinx tunes from QTWOC artists
(https://subcity.org/shows/counterflows/fa56a/)
3) Day 1 Recap
After the first night of Counterflows we spoke to:
Sholto Dobie - Scottish musician and performance artist speaks to us about his creative process and forthcoming album with Penultimate Press.
Doreen Kutzke & Myriam Van Imschoot - Yodel sound art collaborators tell us about their work and the diverse history of the yodel.
(https://subcity.org/shows/counterflows/35be9)
4) Day 2 Recap
French noise artists and Latinx american icons:
Humming Dogs - One of our favourite acts of the festival, french noise rock group Humming Dogs sit down with us and perform a special accapella version of the song "Ah ha ha!"
MC Carol - Brazillian baille funk godess gives us some insight to her opinions on music, politics and dance music.
LYZZA - Rising star featured on Boiler Room and NTS spoke with us about being called experimental and gave us some advice on acheivement.
(https://subcity.org/shows/counterflows/ca0ec)
5) Day 3 Recap
Hip-hop, hardcore and hope:
DAKIM - Underground hip-hop producer and beatmaker talked with us about creativity and taking hip hop seriously as an art form.
Michael LaCour (aka B L A C K I E ALL CAPS WITH SPACES) - Before his first performance as Micheal LaCour, the incredibly influential industrial hip-hop artist gave us insight into his influences.
Fielding Hope - Subcity alumni, programmer for Cafe OTO and Counterflows co-curator tells us about his career and behind the scenes of the festival
Jim C. Nedd & Palm Wine - Incredibly knowledgable musicologists and DJs Jim and Simone gave us an incredibly informative interview into Pico soundsystem culture. Unfortunately due to time we couldn't broadcast enough of the interview to do it justice so look out for a full version coming out soon.
(https://subcity.org/shows/counterflows/6402a)
A huge thank you to everyone that spoke with us, those that tuned in and especially to Alasdair and Fielding for making Counterflows happen
Regardless of whether your Valentine's Day was lonely or lovely, Subcity Radio offers a warm embrace to one and all on Saturday 16th February at The Vic Bar - where you'll be guaranteed to fall in love with the music (if no one else) !!
💓� Outpost: Sangoma (https://subcity.org/shows/outpost) 💓
Keeping the good vibes rolling from our Rubadub instore, outpost: sangoma will get those butterflies in your stomach fluttering with afrobeat and other sounds of Africa 💃
💓� Breaks and 808s (https://subcity.org/shows/breaks808s) 💓�
Steaming things up a bit more, as midnight strikes we’ll be absorbed in the lustful hip-hop and trap rhythms that can only be Breaks and 808s �
💓� Jack 2 Jack (https://subcity.org/shows/jack2jack) 💓�
From steaming things up to speeding things up, set your lonely hearts to the love-tempo with Jack 2 Jack's electronic and dance selections 🚀 💓� MUSIC, Please! (https://subcity.org/shows/musicplease) 💓
With the love vibrations well and truly charged to the max, HuussH will be our cosmic guide through those higher sensations - dress to embrace ☄�
£5 before midnight / £6 after All tickets OTD We expect this one to be pretty busy, get down early to avoid disappointment and ensure maximum time to meet your soul-mate
Please note the venue is fully accessible. If you have any questions, get in touch.
Lots of love, Subcity Radio x 😘
Subcity Radio is proud to present a series of programming to celebrate the life and work of one of the most incredible musicians that ever lived. Despite passing tragically young, Arthur managed to produce a vast catalogue of work spanning disco, avant-garde and many more. From spending time in the Talking Heads to recording Buddist chants with Allen Ginsberg, no career in music is more unique.
The series of programming will begin with the screening of the film Wild Combination (2008) at the CCA and will culminate in the broadcast of a special performance of selected works by Peter Broderick
Many thanks to our many contributors that were a part of putting this together including Phil Niblock , Tim Lawrence and Peter Broderick (https://phillniblock.com/) (http://www.timlawrence.info/) (http://www.peterbroderick.net/)
Monday 21st... Screening of Wild Combination (Matt Wolf, 2008) at the CCA (https://www.facebook.com/events/537024640040806/)
Tuesday 22nd... Queer History of Dance Music Special featuring Tim Lawrence (https://subcity.org/shows/qhodm/ecba1)
Wednesday 23rd... Subcity Spotlight and Loose Joints, Amy Krawczyk Warm-up special (https://subcity.org/shows/spotlight/e2d56/) (https://subcity.org/shows/loosejoints/48323/)
Thursday 24th... Subcity Interviews Peter Broderick and Dangerous Songs (https://subcity.org/shows/subcitypresents/81c1a) (https://subcity.org/shows/dangeroussongs/e89ac/)
Friday 25th... Arthur Russell's Fish Tank Documentary special (https://subcity.org/shows/subcitypresents/b94c4)
Saturday 26th... Celtic Connections: Peter Broderick sings Arthur Russell at the Blue Arrow Jazz Club w/ Afterparty featuring Loose Joints (Subcity) Amy Krawczyk (Subcity) and The Lawnmower (https://www.facebook.com/events/2354292984642970/) (https://www.facebook.com/events/232512914358728/)
Sunday 27th... Broadcast of Peter Broderick Solo Arthur Russell set at the Blue Arrow Jazz Club (https://subcity.org/shows/subcitypresents/c0b27)
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