Singleversity #46

Audiversity’s weekly column, even more modified, on random music we stumble across during our sonic adventures. No random numbers, just straight audio goodness.

MA:



I am not much of a print art connoisseur, but when I happen across an artist I like, my attention is captured for good. That is just what happened about a year ago while digging for a foothold to get my review of Low’s Drums and Guns rolling. A piece titled “March” by Bridget Riversmith graced the front cover, and as I stared at it for a good hour trying to find just the right description, I found myself more hypnotized by the gouache and graphite sketch than the music – though Low’s gently pulsing vibrations was certainly catalytic to the situation. Well not only does the Duluth, MN artist now have an expanded website, but she has a new film project titled Birds At Night (Might Fall). And if you are looking for equally hypnotizing music to soundtrack your browsing of Riversmith’s many surreal, storybook-inspired concoctions, might I suggest minimalist composer Terry Riley’s "Purple" from his 1968 concert: Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band All Night Flight. Both artists share a penchant for gently stumbling upon warm-hued, melodious impressions in mistake-friendly chaos: Riley with his erasable layers of loops and Riversmith with her pliable water-based media.

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This week has turned out to be all about Africa for me. It started when I finally reviewed Toumani Diabaté's latest record, The Mande Variations, after sitting on it for several days. This led me to visit Awesome Tapes From Africa for the first time in a few weeks, and I did my catching-up. I also finished Dave Eggers' riveting portrayal of Sudanese refugee Valentino Achak Deng, 2006's What is the What. The climax was when I received "The Last King of Scotland" in the mail from Netflix. My interest in crazed African dictators was renewed with this flawed-yet-entertaining film, but the soundtrack is also worth more investigation. Ofo & The Black Company - a Nigerian group led by Larry Ifedioranma with little other information to offer - has often been cited as the highlight with "Allah Wakbarr" (incorrectly titled "Love is You" on the album), but the b-side of that 1972 Decca 7" wasn't bad either: Here lies "Beautiful Daddy," a jam Idi Amin would doubtlessly have approved of.

Apparently the people up at The Fader saw this coming: on Thursday the "Africa issue" arrived, which is well worth the read even if you're averse to the whole "print media" thing. To bring it full circle, Brian Shimkovitz does his own Vinyl Archaeology toward the back of the rag. You may know him as thursdayborn from his blog, Awesome Tapes From Africa. Word.