Indie Rock Rediscovers the Motherland

Kinky Afro

Comments (0) By Randall Roberts Wednesday, Mar 5 2008

Various Artists, The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (1986): This is one of the most influential collections of African music ever released — not necessarily a good thing. The first song plants you in Graceland — Soweto was the main template for Paul Simon's classic album — and each song features this distinctive South African vibe, a certain swing that marries weight and melody, message and celebration. Youngsters looking to steal riffs, however, should approach with caution; because of the Simon connection, quoting from it will not necessarily seem hip.

Kronos Quartet, Pieces of Africa (1992): The only composers Kronos has yet to record with are the No Limit crew, and that's only because they can't get a meeting with Master P. On Pieces of Africa, they roam the continent performing on string and percussion compositions from Zimbabwe, Morocco, Gambia, Uganda, Sudan, Ghana and South Africa. The CD is brimming with rhythm, both the banging-on-the-body-of-the-cello kind and the tapping-on-the-tip-of-the-scroll kind, and is stretched taut with David Harrington and company's thrilling shrills.

King Sunny Ade shares Yoruban party sounds with the world on Juju Music.

Talking Heads' Remain In Light seamlessly unites post-punk and Afrobeat.

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Damon Albarn et al., Mali Music (2002): You can pile on Damon Albarn — he of Blur, Gorillaz and The Good, The Bad & The Queen — all you want, but he's right way more often than he's wrong, and he was never more correct than when he followed his muse to Mali. Albarn convened some of the country's best musicians and recorded their jam sessions for this combination of syrupy percussive meditations and joyous wind sprints. Soft percussion floats around the room like the mist of a conjured spell just before it hits its target.