Traveler '06

They Say...

Review by Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Thirty years ago, most people who were interested in musical cultures outside of the United States and Europe got their fixes by snapping up new releases on the Nonesuch label's Explorer series of field recordings. In the 21st century, things have gotten a bit funkier. Now, the world music aficionado is just as likely to hear club mixes of Tuvan throat singing and reggae-flavored bhangra as the more serious ethnomusicological releases that still come out on small academic labels. Some might argue that this dilutes the pure experience of other cultures' music. They're probably right. Unfortunately, everyone else can't hear their argument very well, because they're too busy dancing around the club and whooping to the sound of the dhol and the rebab and the breakbeats. Or they're at home with one of the Six Degrees label's Traveler albums, cranking up the beat-crazy remixes of material by Cheb i Sabbah, Karsh Kale, Bossacucanova, and Issa Bagayogo. The 2006 installment in this well-established series is one of the best so far, featuring a few surprises as well as all the usual varieties of globetrotting ethno-funk. On the stranger side are an unusually dark Temple of Sound remix of Cheb i Sabbah's "Esh 'Dani, Alash Mshit" and Waxxhopper's brilliantly beat-heavy (and also rather dark) take on Dierdre's "Firefly." Less startling, but equally engaging, are the slightly Brazilian-flavored Dalata remix of Shrift's "As Far as I Can See" (which very nicely juxtaposes Nina Miranda's light and flutey voice with sharp and heavy beats) and an eerie, reggaeton-flavored take on Issa Bagayogo's "Touba." Everything here is well worth hearing, and more than half of it is drop-dead brilliant. Highly recommended.