Tradi-Mods vs Rockers

Perhaps you are already aware of the genre of "Tradi-Mods," as this compilation puts it: African groups who play traditional music on electrified instrumentation. "Congrotronics" bands like Konono No1 and the like. Konono's electrified thumb-drums played through speakers they've rigged up, powered by car batteries is a sound not really found anywhere else. It can't be. It's born out of tradition and neccessity.

The "Rockers" on this comp are....well it's hard to pin them down. It ranges from bands like Deerhoof and Andrew Bird (more "traditional" "rock"-based acts) to stuff like EYE from Boredoms and Tussle's kraut-electro vibe. These "rockers" are taking the source material of the African bands and are covering/sampling/re-interpreting them in their own style.

It is staggering how well Andrew Bird's music dovetails right into the musical stylings of Konono and Sobanza Mimanisa. Nothing else on this compilation, quality as it may be, just "clicks" so well.

In way of comparison, here's EYE's contribution to the two-disk set: