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AFRICA IN YOUR EARBUDS #22: tUnE-yArDs

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.tune-yards-africa-in-your-earbuds-okayafrica

For Africa In Your Earbuds #22Merrill Garbus BKA tUnE-yArDs put together a mix composed primarily of vintage finds from East Africa — ranging from Ethiopia's Lema Gebrehiwot, Somali group Dur Dur and Tanzania's Mlimani Park Orchestra — with a touch of modern Naija pop and DRC ndombolo from 9ice and Koffi Olomide. We asked Merrill to explain her mix:

... My knowledge of African music has been jump started by DJ Fitz, our tour manager in Europe and one of the creators of DOODcast (subscribe for freeon iTunes and you'll hear what all the hubbub is about.) Fitz introduced me to Dur Dur, a grooving '80's band from Somalia. We play this jam before most of our tUnE-yArDs shows and the ending really gets me jazzed.

Music from Tanzania, whether the traditional Wagogo music of The Zawose Family or the Muziki wa dansi (dance music) tunes of the 80s, has really been an inspiration to me. As has Johnny Clegg and Savuka, one of the first mixed-race bands out of South Africa. I grew up on this "Moliva" track. And then a couple dance tunes that I can't stop listening to, one from a few years ago out of Nigeria by 9Ice. NICE! And then an ndombolo track from Koffi Olomide, which was what everybody was listening to when I was in Kenya in 2000.

Download AIYE #22: tUnE-yArDs over at Okayafrica. Shout out Underdog for the cover artwork.

>>>Stream/DL Africa In Your Earbuds #22: tUnE-yArDs(via Okayafrica)

TRACKLIST

Lema GebreHiwot "Wondemiye (Wedding Song)" ft. Selamawit Gebre Selassie, and Zenebech Tesfaye (Ethiopia)

Dur Dur "Goromphmca: (Somalia)

Hukwe Zawose "Safiri na Muziki" (Tanzania)

Mlimani Park Orchestra "Tangazia Mataifa Yote" (Tanzania)

Johnny Clegg and Savuka "Vezandlebe" (South Africa)

9Ice "Gongo Aso" (Nigeria)

Koffi Olomide "Loi" (DR Congo)

Previously on Africa In Your Earbuds: MATHIEU SCHREYERBLK JKSALEC LOMAMIDJ MOMA, AWESOME TAPES FROM AFRICAPETITE NOIROLUGBENGA, RICH MEDINA, VOICES OF BLACK,LAMIN FOFANA,CHICO MANNDJ UNDERDOGDJ OBAHSABINEBROTHA ONACIDJ AQBTJUST A BANDSTIMULUSQOOL DJ MARVSINKANECHIEF BOIMA.