This year's Clandestino festival finished up three weeks ago already, and of course it was brilliant, but I just haven't been in blogging mode since. So here is my traditional roundup of highlights, belatedly:
Ghosted - I
This was the finale of the festival, the last concert of the more laid back Sunday, and it was hypnotic and great. Clear Dawn of Midi-vibes here, and since their Dysnomia was such a favourite of mine, I am very much welcoming more in this vein!
BCUC - Ntuthwane
My third time seeing the best live band in the world. The circumstances weren't quite as idal as the two earlier times, so they had to work a little harder. But if there's one band that knows how to work up a frenzy from nothing, it's BCUC. Their new album is great too.
Ukandanz - Lebèsh kabashen
Best gig of the first festival night came courtesy of a short, stout Ethiopian superstar of a singer - Asnake Guebreyes - and his brass-heavy French backing band. Phenomenal headbanging grind with insanely good vocals.Derya Yildirim & Grup Şimşek - Bal
Big surprise of the festival for me, and my favourite gig of the year. Went in expecting some interesting psychedelic folk rock, came out shook to my emotional core. At some point during the concert, the voice of Derya Yildirim just pierced through all my defenses and I found myself weeping helplessly to songs in a language I couldn't understand. Their recorded output does not make her phenomenal voice and presence justice, but I'm still gonna listen to this music a lot from now on.
Mulatu Astatke - Yèkèrmo Sèw
Even though I felt emotionally drained after the previous gig, seeing the old master of Ethio-jazz perform with a big band was a powerful experience. Classic melodies like this were performed with amazing arrangements and stunning musicianship.
And since they're not on Spotify, I'm adding the fantastic Congolese street mavericks Kin'gongolo Kiniata as a YouTube-bonus. Definitely the most I danced during the festival:
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