ASHWIN BATISH

You think you know what to expect....but it's better.

The wailing sitar of Ashwin Batish set to the dated back beats of the 1980s. 

It's what you want it to be, and it's also more that you hope it will be. 

BOMBAY BOOGIE // INDIA BEAT 

BABAJI

In under the wire. Breathe......breathe. One very primitive SRI HAIDAKHAN BABAJI field chant from 1979 followed by a slightly more complete mantra with a death march to peace vibe, appropriately recorded just before his death in 1984. The closer is a celebration, presented in full force. Take it all in and then, hopefully, let it all out. 

HAIDAKHANDI ARATI WITH SRI BABAJI SINGING MANTRAS 

BABJI

 

While I simply can't get behind the whole "love and light" thing in the face of inpenetrable darkness, a brief retreat into "Truth, Simplicity, Love" can prove a good reset. And maybe it helps to clear the palate to let the hate flow back into you, a pure vessel. Because the hate flows, and the casual disregard for humanity (and humans) masked as ideology...we need to understand the motivation. To refuse to accept the hatred is an act of hate itself. I'm pretty sure this (flawed?) logic flies directly in the face of the teachings of Haidakhan Babji, but knowledge and understanding take many forms. 

HAIDAKHANDI MAHADEVA

MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI

 

Once again, I'm not really qualified to discuss Amma with anything approaching authority - my background is simply the result of a general (and genuine) curiosity. I heard about Mata Amritanandamayi in 2004, and I watched a fellow from Helsinki I was on tour with talk about her at length with our host in Amherst, Massachusetts (they had both been hugged by her - that's how they met, in fact).  So it's a thing, a really big thing. And not surprisingly there's a sound that goes with it. 

BHAJANS Vo.3

KULDIP MANAK

Not going to pretend that this was anything more than a $1 cassette that promised some impermanent entertainment when I picked it up. Also not going to pretend that I can speak (or type) with any kind of authority on Punjabi music. However, this 1998 compilation led me down a rabbit hole and left me curious and intrigued instead of mindlessly entertained....Manak was a fixture through the '90s, and if you search for video of his funeral procession then you'll likely be as floored as I was. Check the trance-like expression on all three percussionists at the 7:50 mark of this birthday party performance then use that as your starting point, and whether curious or adventurous, I expect you will enjoy your journey. 

MANAK'S 2 MIGHTY: THE ONE & ONLY GANGSTER KULDIP MANAK

The ads at the end of each side for other Hi-Tech Music releases are a nice touch as well, - I'm talking SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK level crass commercialism here. 

MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL PRESENTS: "Punk From The Middle East And Asia"

Last year Maximum Rocknroll had a fundraiser of sorts for their record archive. It passed a "collection" many years ago, and has evolved into one of the most comprehensive archives of punk vinyl in the world, well over 50,000 records (and growing). The funds were raised to help create a database (that will include original reviews, and will be free and searchable) and curate the existing archive - it was (is) a shitload of work, and shitloads ain't free, you know? Various incentives were offered to encourage donations, including mix tapes....giver's choice. Some enterprising (and brilliant) fukkr asked for the following tape: "one side Asia (non-Japan), one side Middle East." Well played, punk rocker. Archive coordinator Shivaun crushed this mixtape, and I hope that you will be as thrilled as I was digging on the gems she uncovered from all over the damned place. Not surprisingly, Tian An Men 89 Records makes several contributions (I mean, come on - of course that's the first place you look, right?), but Pakistani grindcore? OK....I'm sold. Bands from: Syria, India, Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkey, Singapore, Armenia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Algeria, Israel, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Sound Korea, Lebanon, Morocco and United Arab Emirates. 

PUNK FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA