2011: Year in Review

It's that time of the year once more, and this will be the only other blog post I've made during the entire year! Apparently, the year of the rabbit was supposed to be a good one for us oxen: 

"The Chinese Year of the Rabbit will be encouraging for the Ox. For those who wish to change their career or at least change the direction of it, February, March and September will bring exciting offers and progress."

The year feels like it has passed by quickly, but also has been extra long. The beginning of 2011 seems like it was 2 years ago and I could probably say that for me January-June felt like one year, and June-December, another year. The first half was slow and rather glum-it was slow, I was bored and discouraged looking for a job. In June, I got a job and everything moved quickly from then on with lots of subtle changes and some new experiences. So, while 2010 was a year of accepting changes and going with the flow, I guess I'd say 2011 was first, a year of evaluating these changes, determining what the next step is, what to let go of; and second, a year of adjusting to a new way of life. It was a transition between the student and the worker. Though, at work a bunch of us are graduate student refugees, it's still a different pace from student life.

The things I like most about work are:

1. Once you're done, that's it. You forget about work and you move onto other activities (unless there's overtime)
2. You make money that is more proportional to the amount of work you put in 
3. It's close to everything (well the place where I work now). 

Anyhow, that's my summary of the year and its general feel. Now, I'm going proceed with the usual categorization of the year. 

3 activities/events

I got a job

It is a job that is not entirely related to what I studied, but that's ok. Whatever skills I acquire there are certainly transferable to the next job I will have (whenever that will be). But, the place is centrally located, the people are great, and while there are certainly highs and lows with the job, I'd say on average it has kept my interest. 

Dance, Dance, Dance

So, in 2009-10 I was a massive percussionist. This year was the year of dance. Around mid-April I started doing coupé-décalé and dancehall at a studio that offers over 20 styles of dance. I found it to be really fun. On top of that, I guess because I memorize movements rather quickly (thank you, karate), they would ask me to help out with little performances now and then if they were lacking personnel. In the summer session, they had a full pass - so I could take as many classes as I wanted for the 5 week period. So, I continued with my 2 and did 2 more (samba and fitness/dance mishmash). Then, in the Fall session, I went absolutely bonkers and did 6 classes. The teacher told me I was crazy, and so did my friends. I managed to do all 6 for the end of session show! So, I learned a lot this year about body movement and it somewhat satisfied the performing urge. I still have a lot to learn and to perfect as I have not been dancing long. I will, however, reduce to 4 next session because 6 demanded a lot of time and energy and produced a lack of chillage with friends. 

Everyone's leaving

This is kind of a general trend this year that everyone is moving away/moving on. I've had at least 3-4 friends leave the city for work or to pursue another degree. Naturally, tis a part of life and I am happy for them. 

3 food discoveries/chill places


Sabor Latino
Sabor Latino is both a grocery store and restaurant. I have been going there for a while for Latin American food supplies, but never really went to eat there until recently. In October/November, a friend from work and I would go there every Saturday for breakfast (read 1:30 pm...slept in late). It's really comforting and tasty food...*yum* Soup and tamales...

Arepera
This is a Venezuelan arepa place on Duluth just off of St-Laurent. They have so many choices of arepa fillings and they are grilled. Tasty business!

Thé Kiosque 
This tea place just opened up this year and is contained in Concordia`s EV building on Mackay. It's small and cute and has quite a nice selection of teas. When they first opened, I was there 3 times in the span of 2 weeks just because I'd always bring a new friend. The staff is also really friendly.

General entertainment - books and TV

A Little Book of Language
This cute book is a really nice introduction to language and the study of linguistics. The author has humor and sarcasm and makes things easy to understand. Basically, it's the linguistics book I've always been looking for. A good introduction/overview, without getting bogged down in the gritty details.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl
This is a UK series that started 4 years ago I think. Anyhow, based on the blog of an actual London call girl, the show explores her life in an amusing way. I've only gotten to season 2 so far, but it's fun and only 22 minutes per episode.

Being Human US and UK
The US series of Being Human just started this year and airs on Showcase. Premise: a ghost, werewolf, and vampire living in a house. Apart from True Blood (which I cannot stand anymore), I don't usually watch vampirey shows. Anyhow, I looked it up online and found out that there was a UK version that started I think 3 years before. So, I watched all of the episodes of that one, too. I like both series for different reasons...though, I like the UK Vampire a lot more :)

Music


3 albums

Zola Jesus - Conatus
I found out about Zola Jesus this year after hearing the M83 track - Intro (feat. Zola Jesus). Apparently, she falls into the category of music called Witchhouse...haunting vocals, creepy/depressing/spaced out music. I really like. Fave song: Collapse

Phantogram - Nightlife EP
I just found out about these peeps on boxing day when I was at Le Chateau. They are kinda new wavey/electro and the lady's vocals sometimes remind me of Bat For Lashes. Fave song: Don't Move

Bon Iver - Bon Iver
It's a really chill/sad sounding album. I supposed Bon Iver is a little folky at times, but it's great for those rainy and grey days. Fave song: Holocene

3 songs

Men At Work - Land down under
This is an old song, but it's damn catchy. I blame the girl at work who made music trivia. So very happy...I imagine little gnomes dancing.

Brick and Lace - Love is Wicked
The year of dancehall? I guess partially so :) I listened to this song a lot - heard it in dance class. However, it appears to be the only song of theirs that I like.

Calle 13 - La Jirafa/Atreve-te-te
So, Atreve-te-te played a bunch in my friends car on the way to a wedding. Could not get it out of my head...! Then I heard la jirafa, which also has an amusing video. Actually, all of Calle13's videos are funny/silly :)

Notable mentions:
Novalima - I saw them at the Jazz Festival this year. They were so amazing! I really enjoy it...Peruvian fusion music. Songs I like: Kuman, Tumbala, Camote, Machete
Lana del Rey - Video Games: really chill and somewhat glum song :) Heard it in September :D

Music on the grooveshark widget!

hello March, I've had enough of this sheetzy weather :D

In the words of the great Brian Molko, we are indeed having sheetzy weather. I realize as a Montrealer, this is a normal part of the year. But really...please go away snow. I've had enough. Let's get some spring time awesomeness early (ain't gonna happy, unfortunately :( ).

Apart from that, I guess I don't have much to report. Since the last post, I've essentially been tying up loose ends, trying new things and looking for employment, woohoo!

Devotchka and Godspeed are coming to town. A bunch of other concerts have passed and others are coming, but I think these are the only two I'm going to go to.

So, without further ado - the general music front - what have I been listening to?

In the words of Gina Yashere, haha " I wanted to get in touch with my roots!" (well that wasn't exactly the rationale, but close enough). In passing, Gina Yashere is a Nigerian comedian from London (learned about her from my cousin). I've put a sketch below:

So, back to music, I've been listening to some Congolese, Ivorian and Angolan music i.e. Soukous, Coupé décalé and Kuduro. Soukous has been around a lot longer and as mentioned before originates from Congo (from 30s, 40s and originates from the French word for shaking - secouer). Since then, the style has evolved and faster version of it is really popular now called Soukous Ndombolo. There are plenty of artists like Wenge Music, Werrason, Awilo Longomba, Koffi Olomide... Ndombolo is lots of booty shaking :) These songs are also almost aaaalways looooong (like 10 minutes).

Coupé décalé is more recent (2002) and originates from the Ivorian diaspora in France and then the genre spread to the Ivory Coast itself. The late Douk Saga, who was part of the group "Jet set" (in Paris) is often claimed to be the creator of this type of music. What's pretty interesting about this genre of music is that there are many dance steps, called "concepts" that go with it. So with new songs, you get new concepts and they'll usually call them out in songs or the song is named after it. For example there's there original coupé décale, but also décalé chinois, décalé python, fatigué fatigué, fouka fouka, Faro and even the Obama. The French wiki article has the whole list. 

As an example, I've heard "Fouka Fouka" being called out in a song by DJ Arsenal - Sheloubouka. This song was actually used for a choreography at my cousins engagement party by the Obaa Sima dance troupe and now, in hindsight realized that they were doing the fouka fouka when it was called out in the song (kinda like a double fist pump). Some popular artists, apart from Douk Saga are Jessy Matador (especially the song Decale Gwada), DJ Arsenal, Meiway, Magic System, etc. I guess you'd have to be really up to date with all the new music to learn all the dance moves :o
I'm currently doing an afropop dance class, which is mostly this dance style (esp since the teacher is from Cote d'Ivoire himself :P).

Kuduro dates from the 1980s in Luanda, Angola from mixing African drum samples with calypso and soca, as well as some electronic stuff. I haven't heard a lot of it yet, but so far I can say it's a lot more electronic then the two previous styles. The dance style is also more like break dancing, I'd say, with very abrupt movements.

Below are some samples of the above mentioned music styles.
Soukous:

Some older Soukous, but absolute classic. I remember hearing it when I was a kid - Pepe Kalle and Nyboma:

Some Nordic ladies dancing to Werrason - Dance Mania Fever (from Techno Malewa) and later Fally Ipupa's Sexy Dance. I really enjoy both songs :D The dancers do a pretty good job, mostly from 2:55 onward :) they've got the detachable butt thing down pretty well :

Coupé décalé:

I'll be cliché and put Jessy Matador's Décalé Gwada (we keep using this song in my dance class):

and an interesting mix of this music with Rai (northern African type of music) - Magic System + 113 - Un gaou a oran ( I believe a gaou means a fool):

Kuduro:

I'm gonna put two songs I really like by Buraka Som Sistema. They're a group of Angolans based in Portugal. This first song, "Sound of Kuduro" features M.I.A and some wacky dancing (just to illustrate my point above). The second song is "Kalemba (Wegue wegue)":

So, escaping from the "roots", there's a few other things I've been listening to such as Colombiafrica, some new Baile funk, the new Radiohead, some PJ harvey, El Guincho, Calle 13 and Chico Science & Nacao Zumbi.

Colombiafrica is essentially a mix of Colombian and African music like Soukous and also some Nigerian (one track in particular samples an older song I know). My favorite song off of the CD is Mama Africa.

I heard about the Baile Funk "Pyaar Baile" song linked above from the music blog Masalacism. It's a collaboration between Indian DJ Rehka and Brazilian DJ Zuzusa Ponderosa, mixing elements of Bhangra/Bollywood and Funk Carioca (which itself is derived from Miami bass/electro funk). I really like it, but then again, I love all the genres it's composed of, so what's not to like? :P

Radiohead came out with their new album "King of the Limbs" a couple weeks ago - the first single being "Lotus Flower" where Thom Yorke sings and dances around by himself in a black and white video. 
If you don't like Radiohead post-OK Computer, I doubt you will like King of the Limbs. So far I like the album, though I haven't listened to it super in-depth. It's pleasant to listen to. So far I really like the single and "Little by little".

PJ harvey released "Let England Shake" recently. So far it's nice. I'm not too familiar with her previous work, but I've heard great things, so I figured I'd start investigating her stuff. From this album, I like "The last living Rose".

El Guincho is a Spanish kind of electronic-experimental artist who describes his music as "space-age-exotica". The first track I heard by him was the very catchy song "Bombay" which is off the most recent album "Pop Negro". The video is random and kinda NSFW. It starts off funny in an educational space show kind of way. Another song I like "Polca Mazurca" which is off the album "Alegranza".

Calle13 is a reggaetonish band from Puerto Rico. It's the fault of one of my friend's for infecting me with their music, particularly the song "Atrevete-te", which is super popular. A new single was released recently "Baile de los Pobre", which mixes latin with some middle eastern/indian music and has this amusing video.

Chico Science was (died in a car accident) a Brazilian artist and one of the founders of the style Maingue beat. It's a style which originated in Recife and is kinda like funk rock/punk mixed with Maracatu, Frevo and Coco. I learned about them recently and sooo have been listening to some things here and there. My fave songs so far are A cidade and A praieira.

In passing, Masalacism records released an album "MaSuper Star - Airtime", which is pretty good. It's a band from Botswana and you can sample the music here.

And last but not least, there's always time for some Quantic. I saw him do a DJ set recently at Club Lambi with Andy Williams and it was super super enjoyable. Danced for over 3 hours straight. This dude has a lot of albums and a lot of DJ tracks too which you can peruse on his site. So, I end my mega music post and bid you all farewell with this song:

So, until next time (which may or may not be in less than 3 months, haha). Let's hope the next time it's at least spring and we're all dancing happily under the sun.