Mixtape Monday: Radio Jakarta Arabian Vinyl Premiere, Jazzy Jeff J Dilla Tribute, Gilles Peterson + More!
Over the past years Jannis Stürtz has many times under the bright, arid skies of North Africa. Stürtz is one of the founders of Jakarta Records, and through his work with the likes of Blitz The Ambassador, Oddisee and others, he’s been lucky enough to amass an impressive personal stash of rare records sourced from shops stretching from Morocco all the way to Lebanon. With all that local “un-google-able” material on his hands, Stürtz has opted for generosity over greed, and has shared what is now his second Arabic/Africa 70s & 70s Rare Vinyl mix. Part of his label’s “Radio Jakarta” series, these mixes are evidence that so much of the best music ever recorded has yet to be heard by most Western ears, and should serve as a lesson to every listener to keep striving toward a more global state of mind.
Like last year’s first installment, this second Arabic mix is rich in spindly phrygian melodies, tabla drums and frenetic funk guitar. In its 33 minutes you’ll find arists like Elias Rahbani, Baligh Hamdy, Fadaul, Ammar al Sheriyi, El Abranis and many more. With its vintage analog character showing through at every turn, this new mix is a vibrant document of time and place, a bit of lingering proof of just how determinedly funky, psychedelic and fun places lie Algeria, Egypt and Libya were during the 60s and 70s. Enjoy Stürtz’s audio time capsule gift and for many more funky sounds of the hyper-modern variety, be sure to give the entire Jakarta artists roster an extended listen.
