Paolo Casa - Hi Vi

Paolo Casa's record America Giovane No. 3, from which 'Hi Vi' is taken, exists solely on collectors websites. The classification of the music varies from 'Library Music' to 'Theme Music' to Funk. Very little other information is available, but for the fact that it's from Italy and was released on Italian label Otter Records. The music speaks for itself though, really blissful and dated funk music.

Label: Otter Records
Year: n/a
Genre: Funk, Electronica, Soundtrack

Mahmoud Ahmed - Be Leselese Qu'al

This fantastic rare track by Mahmoud Ahmed doesn't sound unlike much of the 'hypnagogic pop' of recent years - the reverberated guitar, the handclaps, the horns... of course, Ahmed came first and the influence of such Ethiopian musicians upon modern Western acts is undeniable: Ariel Pink, for example, covered Yeshimebet Dubale's 'I Remember A Man' on his 2010 track 'Reminiscences'. That being said, there's nothing more rich and authentic than the original, and what Western acts miss in particular are the beautifully distinctive vocals! Mahmoud Ahmed - and Roha Band, who appear on many Ahmed songs including this one - are icons both in Ethiopia and internationally. And understandably so.

Label: n/a
Year: 198?
Genre: Ethiopian Pop, Jazz

Resonance FM 18/12/13 (Kiran Leonard)

Wednesday's show saw a special pre-recorded session from Kiran Leonard, in which he premiered two new songs; 'Southport' and 'Abductor'. As well as this exciting session, I span tracks from Japan, Ethiopia and 1950s USA!

Dig That Treasure (18/12/13)
Mayumi Kojima - Me & My Monkey On The Moon
Kiran Leonard - Southport
Hirut Bekele - Esu New Messelegne
Kiran Leonard - Abductor
Patience & Prudence - Tonight You Belong To Me

Resonance FM 11/12/13 (Sean O'Hagan)

On Wednesday night I hosted a special live session from Sean O'Hagan of The High Llamas! This was particularly exciting, as the Llamas are a favourite of mine. Sean read an extract of his upcoming play Here Come The Rattling Trees and performed one of the production's songs for only the second time (to an audience, that is). He also played Talahomi Way track 'Ring of Gold'.

Dig That Treasure (11/12/13)
Alan Parker - My World
Sean O'Hagan - Here Come The Rattling Trees (extract)
Sean O'Hagan - Ring of Gold
Ewnet Yet Legegnesh - Instrumental

Dr Nico & l'African Fiesta Sukisa - Marie Nella

Dr Nico & l'African Fiesta Sukisa were a soukous band from Congo led by guitar marvel Nico Kasanda. This song, Marie Nella, is a dreamy and yearning piece, equipped with finger-picked guitars and sweetly sung vocals.

Label: African / Sonodisc
Year: 197-?
Genre: Soukous, Jazz

Aventuras De Kirlian - En Francia

While The Pastels and Talulah Gosh led the UK twee scene in the 1980s, Aventuras De Kirlian were doing something similar in sunny Spain. Although they've since faded into obscurity, the Spaniards were highly influential in their time and famed for their short and tight pop songs. 'En Francia' is the quintessential Aventuras song: a minimal guitar/bass/drums jam, short and sweet and god-damn catchy.

Label: DRO
Year: 1989
Genre: Indie Pop, Twee

The Bran Flakes - I Have A Friend

The Bran Flakes are a collage group led by Otis Fodder and Mildred Pitt. Using samples sourced everywhere from well known popular songs to novelty videos, they create tongue-in-cheek collage pieces that often evolve into richly melodic pop songs of their own. This track, I Have A Friend, heavily samples a television show presented by Fred Rogers called Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, in particular an episode about a short-necked giraffe... The result is an awkwardly sweet ditty about friendship and young love.

Label: Illegal Art
Year: 2009
Genre: Pop, Collage, Avant-Garde, Novelty

Resonance FM 4/12/13

Wednesday evening saw Dig That Treasure return to the airwaves with a bang! The show opened with the wonderfully brusque Oakland Highball by Kiran Leonard and ended with some beautifully low-key French-language Japanese dream-pop, but not before making stops off at Senegal, Ethiopia and San Francisco. Listen to the episode below!

Dig That Treasure (4/12/13)
Kiran Leonard - Oakland Highball
Mor Thiam - Ayo Ayo Nene
Woubeshet Feseha - 'Track One'
Coconut - Congratulation
Coconut - Hold Your Bunny
Tamao Koike - Automne Dans Un Mirior

Hirut Bekele - Essu Lij Yene Newu

Melodically this reminds me of Kennedy Mengesha but the vocals prove otherwise! This great track by Hirut Bekele is jaunty and upbeat, with great interplay between the Amharic vocals and horn section. Not for the first time have I struggled to gain information about an Ethiopian artist - I can't find any record label, date of release or album for this song!

Label: n/a
Year: ?
Genre: Ethiopian Pop, Jazz