Various Artists
New German Ethnic Music - Immigrant's songs from Germany
Karaoke Kalk

Karaoke Kalk: 'In the 1970s the American composer Henry Flynt started a series of pieces under the title New American Ethnic Music. In so doing he worked together native styles of music such as blues, Country or Hillbilly with electronic production methods to make something altogether new. So far, in Germany it has never been attempted to rework folklore Electronically for a compilation. However, this picture changes if one redefines the idea of who the population is. Incomers have brought new "national anthems" to Germany, which means: even the Portuguese Fado, the African Gnawa, the Croatian Klapa or the Vietnamese Quan ho are these days at home in Germany."

This sounds like an exciting idea for a project to cross borders: mashing various styles of traditional, ethnical folk music/songs with the remixing as edit tools by contemporary electronic artists. As a result, 'imaginary national anthems' have been born, criss-crossing with 'Heimatlieder aus Deutschland' ('National anthems of Germany'). The electronic 'team' features Matias Aguayo, Natalie Beridze, Eric D. Clark, Margaret Dygas, Mark Ernestus, Gudrun Gut, Khan, Thomas Mahmoud, Guido Möbius, Niobe, Ulrich Schnauss, Symbiz Sound, and Murat Tepeli.

The opening track BTMK Ensemble und Chor's "Adalardan Bir Yar Gelir Bizlere" (Murat Tepeli - Nafile gitmiyor hasreti Remix) sets the mood, bringing us to Turkey. Exotic and different, being exposed to Anglo-American music during a lifetime, this is like entering a private ritual party. It's followed by an African Gnawa; "Saadi Belouali Jani" by La Caravane du Maghreb (Thomas Mahmoud - Arab Disco Dub Remix). It is like a camel ride, floating on a sea of sand, I guess. An instant favourite is Margaret Dygas's - Impulse Remix of "Czemuzes mnie matulenko" by Spotkanie. It is just an ongoing, repetitive pulse. Afave is also next track, Polyphonia's "Karavai, Karavaki", remix von Can "Khan" Oral. It is quite minimalist and spellbinding. Koreanischer Chor Berlin's "Go Hyang yui Bom" remixed by Symbiz Sound, is another playful track. Ulrich Schnauss' remix of Donni Sò's "La Pagliarella" is quite delicate, and I think it's easy to find favourites from music going in all directions. You will find many songs for a mainly relaxed tour around the world.

The label sums up the album and its intentions by describing Ulrich Schnauss' work to have '...turned the song of the Italian Chorus of Donni So into a hymn for the horizon-expanding power of migration.' They continue and close the project saying: 'Hopefully this compilation will also expand some horizons'. This collection of international electronic folklore for sure spans wide and broad. It's chilling.

Copyright © 2013 Håvard Oppøyen