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DIRTMUSIC

Lion City (180 GRAM VINYL / BONUS CD) | Mint (M) Mint (M)

Lion City (180 GRAM VINYL / BONUS CD) | Mint (M) Mint (M)

Regular price $ 21.90 USD
Regular price $ 21.90 USD Sale price $ 21.90 USD
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Variant
4030433601112 | BGXZHD-B9MG-HH

Description

*BRAND NEW / 180 GRAM VINYL / BONUS CD*

Description

LP version on 180 gram vinyl. Includes a CD copy of the album. Dirtmusic's previous album Troubles (GB 005CD/LP) was recorded in Bamako, Mali in the dark days of the 2012 political upheaval. A propulsive collection of cinematic Afro-rock, Troubles for the most part rose out of improvisational sessions involving Hugo Race (Fatalists, Bad Seeds) and Chris Eckman (The Walkabouts) of Dirtmusic and the nimble, balafon-driven Ben Zabo band. Malian luminaries like Samba Touré, Zoumana Tereta, Aminata Wassidjé Traoré, and Virginie Dembelé from the Rokia Traore band, brought exhilarating vocal and instrumental contributions to the collective. Troubles was not a mere construct or hybrid, but rather something deeply collaborative and genre-busting. Louder Than War wrote: "an incisive and unique journey in sound... this album is rock, it's roll, its funk, it's African, it's an aural delight." Lion City, the new Dirtmusic album, is culled from the same Bamako sessions as Troubles but offers a decidedly different atmosphere and ambiance. While the Ben Zabo band is still the core collaborator, the textures and tempos are slower and more opaque. Organics and electronics intertwine and unfold unpredictably. There are less guitars and more liquid sounds. The outward frustration and fear documented on the previous album has given way to something more insular and pensive. The echoing space between the notes is emphasized and subsequently so are the voices and the texts. Samba Touré provides a vocal and lyric for "Red Dust," a song that enshrines the contemplative mood of the album. Over a swirling dubscape he intones: "How can we reconcile and forgive? How can we bring peace to those that hate us? Yet we have no choice. We need to stop fighting." While Samba Touré, Ben Zabo and his band, and Aminata Wassidjé Traoré previously appeared on Troubles, Lion City also features an inspired team of new collaborators: Tamikrest members Ousmane Ag Mossa (guitar), Cheikhe Ag Tiglia (bass) and Aghaly Ag Mohamedine (percussion) appear on the bluesy and meditative "Movin' Careful." This is the first time the two groups have collaborated since Dirtmusic's BKO album from 2010. The iconic Takamba band Super 11, from northern Mali, exchange thorn-like trance sounds with Hugo and Chris on the album's opening number "Stars of Gao." MC Jazz, an up and coming Bamako hip-hop artist adds a fiery incantation to the mostly instrumental "Day the Grid Went Down." Ibrahima Douf, a young singer from Senegal, provides a stunning vocal on the album's final track "September 12." The 21st century claims to be borderless. A world of hyper-communication and instant nostalgia that is both celebrated and feared. On Lion City Dirtmusic stayed clear of such theorizing and just got on with the practice. The collective joy they found in making this music is what mattered most.

Track Listing

Disc 1
01.    Atars of Gao (feat. Super 11)    03:07    
02.    Narha (feat. Aminata Wassidjé Traoré)    04:21    
03.    Movin' Careful    04:36    
04.    Justice    03:52    
05.    Ballade de Ben Zabo (feat. Ben Zabo)    03:59    
06.    Red Dust (feat. Samba Touré)    05:14    
07.    Clouds Are Cover    04:02    
08.    Starlight Club    03:13    
09.    Blind City    04:24    
10.    Day the Grid Went Down    03:10    
11.    September 12 (feat. Ibrahima Douf)    04:18    

  • Media Condition: Mint (M)
  • Sleeve Condition: Mint (M)
  • Format: Vinyl
  • Genre: MINIMAL
  • Format Type: LP+CD
  • Handling Note: **Please allow an additional 72 hours for this item's shipment.**
  • Released: 4/1/14
  • Internal ID: JITFE

Condition Ratings & Details

NOTE: Every title includes condition ratings. The first rating pertains to the physical media, and the second grade pertains to the sleeve.

NOTE: Images may not be exact. Please refer to the description to determine whether the images are Actual Photos or Photos Not Actual. New records will likely use generic web photos to represent the product.

Condition Ratings

  • MINT (M): Perfect, brand new, unplayed.
  • Near Mint (NM): Like new, barely played, will play perfectly.
  • Excellent (EX): Very close to near mint, with minor cosmetic wear. Will play perfectly.
  • Very Good Plus (VG+): Light cosmetic blemishes that do not affect play. Close to perfect playback.
  • Very Good (VG): Some light marks that may cause minor noise during playback. Still enjoyable and plays well.
  • Good Plus (G+): Noticeable noise during playback. Only listed if of collector value. Not ideal for listening.

Sleeve Details

  • PHOTOS ACTUAL: The photo is an original image of the exact item you will receive.
  • PHOTOS NOT ACTUAL: The photo is sourced from the web and may differ slightly from the actual item.
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