Your Guide World Wise

This article originally appeared in Tearaway Magazine (1990s)

Explore what diverse sounds the world has on offer!

Most record stores now have an ‘Ethnic’ or ‘World Music’ section and will usually be happy to let you have a preview listen.

To help you avoid the junk here’s a rough guide to hunting-out the top world music labels:

REALWORLD

Recordings from this popular label (owned by mega-star Peter Gabriel) feature music from just about everywhere, and showcases nearly every musical style in existence! Realworld release a hot new album nearly every month.

Hot Tips: Sheila Chandra (India/UK. Extraordinary mesmerizing voice), Toto La Momposina y sus Tambores (Colombia. Wild Latin percussion and singing).

GREEN LINNET

The top label for all your Celtic music from Europe, Quebec and beyond. A huge selection is available in quality record shops throughout NZ, or you can order from them direct.

Hot Tips: The Celts Rise Again (Celtic compilation), Matt Molloy (Ireland. Energetic flute music), La Bottine Souriante (Quebec/Canada. Fun folk).

XENOPHILE

A recent offshoot of Green Linnet, set-up to meet the growing demand for ethnic music.

Hot Tips: Francisco Ulloa (Dominican Republic. The fastest accordian player in the world), Abana Ba Nasery (Kenya. Guitar and Fanta bottle music – yes really!)

ROUNDER

Just recently available in NZ, this label is full of surprises and variety. There’s folk, blues, reggae, and some of the best in global music.

Hot Tips: Bonga (Angola. Awesome Afro-Latin grooves), Conjunto! (Texas-Mexican border music – crazy, tacky, untold fun!).

COOKING VINYL

If you’re new to world music then this is a good place to start. Especially check out the Cooking Vinyl ‘PLANETE’ series of albums featuring ragga (Europe/Africa/Caribbean), reggae (Africa/Caribbean), rai music (Algeria), and zouk (Caribbean/Africa).

Hot tip: Oysterband ( Foot-stomping Irish melodies! Voted the UK’s top folk group).

MANGO

Division of Island Records. World-beat for the masses.

Hot Tips: Dub Clash (Jamaica/UK. Wicked dub compilation). Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart (UK / WORLD. Prolific funky grooves).

RYKODISC/HANNABAL

A quality label for those with a broad taste in music (jazz, reggae, blues, ambient) – there’s something for you!

Hot Tips: 3 Mustaphas 3 (Hungary/Balkana. Wild – awesome – and my favourite!), Gyuto Monks (Tibet. Relax to the funky monks doing the chant thang).

LUAKA BOP

These albums are compiled by ex-Talking Head David Byrne. Specialises in music mainly from South America, but other places as well. It’ll soon become obvious where Byrne got his influences from!

EARTHWORKS

Features the best of African music, plus a couple from the Carribean.

Hot Tips: The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (South Africa. Jive music which will make you move!), Rai Rebels (Algeria. Trance-like vocals, and that addictive rai rhythm).

NATION

Usually found in the ‘Imports’ section. This label is at the forefront of what is termed ‘Tribal’ music, a mind-bending combination of European trance dance beats, with ethnic rhythms and vocals.

FRONTLINE

West-Indie reggae classics from the ’70s.

Hot Tips: The Gladiators, U Roy, Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru.