About the cd that comes with this year's The Believer's annual music issue...
Of late, hordes of rock and hip-hop musicians—referred to from here on as MABELs (Musicians of American, British, or [Western] European Lineage)—are drawing inspiration from musical traditions by Nigerian, Peruvian, Indonesian, and other non-local musicians—referred to here as ANABELs (Artists Not of American, British, or [Western] European Lineage). (Here it should be noted that our little acronymic friends, MABEL and ANABEL, were born as a way of avoiding broad, inaccurate locutions such as “world music,” “Anglo music,” and other unfortunate “us vs. them” terminology.) Musicians like Beirut create entire styles out of Balkan Gypsy music; singers such as Devendra Banhart sing Spanish lyrics in homage to Tropicália; Radiohead nods to Jorge Ben; Vampire Weekend borrows from reggaeton beats; and producers such as Bill Laswell and Timbaland merge dub and bhangra into otherwise apple-pie rock-pop genres.
Tracklisting
1. Tartit, “Ansari”
2. Animal Collective, “Winters Love”
3. Sholi, “Hejrat”
4. Googoosh, “Makhloogh”
5. Gang Gang Dance, “Nicoman”
6. Beat Konducta, “Dancing Girls Theme”
7. Think Of One, “Antwaarpse Shaâbi”
8. Aceyalone, “Sound Gun”
9. Busy Signal, “Knocking At Your Door”
10. Dirty Projectors, “Finches’ Song At Oceanic Parking Lot”
11. Ensemble Pirin, “Di-Li-Do”
12. Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities, “What They Said (Barnburner Mix)”
13. Mahmoud Ahmed, “Abbay Mado”
14. High Places, “Golden”
15. Ya Bounma, “Jing Riang Me Lun”
16. Lucky Dragons, “Complement Song"
