Terrakota - World Massala (2010)

Tracklist

01. World Massala
02. Kay Kay
03. Ilegal
04. I am
05. Slow Food
06. Né Djarabi
07. Pé na Tchon
08. Chelo Habibi
09. Gripe Económica
10. Ualelepo
11. Raíz


With this 4th studio album, the Afro-Portuguese septet Terrakota keeps on mashing up frontiers to expand their musical horizons - from Rajasthan to Angola, classical India to urban Cuba, and beyond. On World Massala, they fluidly mix mbalax, funana, samba, reggae, Afro-Cuban, gnawa, Afrobeat, desert blues, batuque, flamenco, maracatu, rap and chimurenga - using a wide array of instruments : sitar, oud, keyboards, shekere, bass, guitar, n goni, kissange, balafon, cavaquinho, drums, percussion & more. Ten years ago, their trips to Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal were a huge influence on their music, but the starting point of this album was a visit to India. The band introduced the sitar on their 2007 album Oba Train but hadn t really dared to create an Indian song until this trip - staying true to their fundamental approach of soaking up new musical traditions with local musicians - some of the album was recorded in an improvised hotel room studio in Leh. The single World Massala is itself a highly inventive musical fusion that might never have been done before: they call it Punjabi Afro-reggae . The gypsy musicians of Rajasthan Roots take care of the rhythm, while the carnatic singers Mahesh Vinyakram and Bollywood-star Vasundhara Das take the song to new mystical heights. Terrakota begin a 5-date UK tour, beginning with a concert at Momo s in London on 23rd November, 2010, and moving on to Brighton, Bristol, Guildford and Hull.

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