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12"
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ANR 005EP
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On this remix collection, Switzerland's Alma Negra invite a trio of equally curious producers to remix their work. French producer and DJ Bambounou capitalizes on the quick tempo and raw-energy at the heart of the Maloya sound for his raw and hypnotic reimagining of "Kabare". Glenn Astro takes on "Haleto Lale Lalô", applying the soft pressure of his weightless, smooth funk. Cult producer and musician Michal Turtle, best known for LPs and compilations on Music From Memory, delivers only his second ever remix in a forty-year career, conjuring a magical slice of dreamy, percussive pop from "Tany Be".
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12"
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HEIST 033EP
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Alma Negra are back with their new Conversation EP. After releasing Endless Summer EP (HEIST 024EP, 2017), they've been rather busy. They're back on Heist here with three new tracks, supported by an Awanto 3 remix. "Conversation" is a beast of a track; it sits somewhere between a live African drum track, percussive techno and moody Midwest electronics while a relentless kick drum keeps the energy on a haunting level. "This Is The Place" shows a different side of house with Alma's love for dreamy deep house. Finally, "From The Heart" navigates a smart vocal loop topped with strings.
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12"
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ANR 003EP
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Dedicated to the music of Eritrea, on this EP, Alma Negra showcase the music of the Saho People from the Region of Zula. Alma Negra's "Haleto Lale Lalô (Saho)": Complete with that global clarion call of partying it up, the ululate trill, this is again a call-and-response vocal pattern, seemingly at odds with the somber backing track. SOL's "Erytrea Nèdègé (Saho)": a previously unreleased edit from the band -- a minimalist percussive belter, driven along by an eerie vocal-loop, until a male vocal introduces the main melody that eventually bursts into a full call-and-response chant with a female choir.
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12"
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ANR 002EP
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On their Maloya EP, the Basel collective pay tribute to the hypnotic rhythms that were feared both by the Catholic Church and the French government for the musical form's subversive part in the rebellion against colonialism. The release revolves around two contrasting Alma Negra re-workings of Lindigo's "Tany Be". The first takes a classic call-and-response structure in 12/8 and 6/8 rhythms, adding a driving bass line, and guitar licks. The "Dub Mix" concentrates on trance-inducing aspect of Maloya. The B side focuses on "Kabaré" by Christine Salem, one of today's stars of the Maloya scene.
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12"
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ANR 001EP
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12 Rhythms, as the name already suggests, is a collection series on the label Alma Negra. Vision demonstrates the important atypical grooves of Brazilian culture. Instruments like the berimbau, used in capoeira or the carnival strong batucada beat, are combined with the mysteries of Brazilian experimental music on "Vision". Hypnotic experimental vocals and dub chords combined with a personal interpretation of the batucada rhythm. "Capoeira" demonstrates a classic capoeira groove, created just for the dancefloor. "Berimbau" is a smooth sailing track with variations of berimbau that create a trance-like vibe when combined with harmonic flutes.
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12"
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HEIST 024EP
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Alma Negra, four guys with roots in Portugal, Cabo Verde, Italy, and Spain, hailing from Switzerland, present an African influenced EP. "Afrorleans" is a track with Fela's footprint all over it -- a lovely Rhodes jam over a classic Afrobeat, subtly supported by sparse electronic percussion. "Luanda Dub" is a modern reinterpretation of the traditional lamento style from Luanda -- it's a gloomy techno workout with killer bottom end, trippy guitars, spacey vocals, and tribal percussion. "Endless Summer" leans heavy on Rhodes keys, filtered wah-wahs, and African chants. Soulphiction's adds some serious grunts with percussion and a killer bassline.
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12"
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SOFRSS 013EP
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"A fresh installment in the Sofrito Super Singles Series: a limited 3 track EP of raw percussion sounds from the Alma Negra crew, at the crossroads between organic percussion and electronics, and inspired by the Carnival celebrations on the Cape Verdean island of Santiago."
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