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On Rough Guide To Planet Rock, Johannes Heretsch has compiled 16 tracks which show how the world rocks from “Cambodian-American psychedelia” to “Tuvan throat singing”.

Les Boukakes and the Transsylvanians are bursting with energy. Hip Hop Hoodios are not that far away in spirit and Dengue Fever is a great name for any band (these are a Cambodian-Americans).

Over in Africa, Tinariwen’s desert blues are always excellent as is Etran Finatawa from Niger. Ba Cissoko (Guinea) really rock-out on the guitar solo and Congo’s Konono N°1 provide the longest and best track, ‘Ungudi Wele Wele’, which is just as good as ‘Lufuala Ndonga’ (as featured on the Gilles Peterson In Africa compilation). Konono N°1 was formed over 25 years ago by Mingiedi, a virtuoso of the mbira (consisting of metal rods attached to a resonator), now that’s heavy metal Steve Reich style.

For the most electric guitar clash, Balkan Beat Box outta Israel/USA is a surprise and be prepared for the concrete yodelling of Albert Kuvezin on an Iron Butterfly cover!

While I liked the Haydamky track (Ukrainian-reggae) and the rock drum hip hop with the ragas of ‘Superbol’, these are a couple of the tracks that might make die-hard air guitarists put their hands down. More fool them I’d say.

The obvious absence from the set is Rachid Taha (who was also at Bestival) but as an introduction to the more obscure, the Rough Guide series can’t be beat and this is another great CD in their catalogue.

Hectic Mix nomination: ‘Ungudi Wele Wele’, ‘Ya Man’, ‘In A Gadda Da Vida’, ‘Listopad’

Reviewed: Various — Rough Guide To Planet Rock (World Music Network) Cat. No. RGNET 1172 CD Release date: 14 September, 2006 Compiled by Johannes Heretsch and contains an interview with the compiler.
Tracklisting:
1 Dengue Fever - We Were Gonna (3:20)
2 Les Boukakes - Sidi H’Bibi (3:42)
3 Tinariwen - Oualahila Ar Tesninam (3:47)
4 Ba Cissoko - Sabolan (3:57)
5 Hip Hop Hoodios - Kike On The Mic (3:53)
6 Balkan Beat Box - Ya Man (3:35)
7 Albert Kuvezin & Yat-Kha - In A Gadda Da Vida (3:48)
8 Alms For Shanti - Superbol (2:35)
9 Yela - Dodosya (4:04)
10 Donna Maria - Pao P’ra Multidao (3:44)
11 Transsylvanians — Jaoska (4:45)
12 Haydamaky - Listopad (5:03)
13 Rim Banna - The Grandma With A Limp (3:52)
14 Etran Finatawa - Iledeman (3:41)
15 Konono N°1 - Ungudi Wele Wele (8:26)
16 Gogol Bordello - I Would Never Want To Be Young Again (3:48)

Links:
www.worldmusic.net
http://rachidtaha.artistes.universalmusic.fr