Music in words

I think I have always liked experiencing new things, not just in music. As a kid I got interested in all sort of other-worldy things like extra-terrestial life, mysteries of life and world. Magic. Parapsychology. I liked things that were out of the ordinary.

When it comes to music, I quickly got interested in different music genres. After listening to Vaya con Dios, I discovered wordbeat, the mixture of ethnic sounds and contemporary pop music. These were late 1990s, so this music was thriving.

I think the first artist of this genre that I got to know was Khadja Nin. Her song Sambolera Mayi Son was quite popular on Polish radio, and I decided to get her album. I may go back to this artist later on, today I want to focus on this music in general and highlight some key artists, of course in the usual my humble opinion context.

While it all started with Khadja Nin, I think my first more thorough encounter with this music was the compilation album World Music (BMG Poland 1998). It offers a selection of sixteen songs from artists playing a mix of ethnic sounds with a more contemporary vibe. When I heard it, it was like a new door opening to a fascinating new world of music.

Track listing:

(https://www.discogs.com/Various-World-Music/release/4912123)

1	–Enigma	Beyond The Invisible	5:00
2	–Deep Forest	Marta’s Song	4:13
3	–Khadja Nin	Sambolera Mayi Son	4:31
4	–Pangea	Memories Of Pangea	3:49
5	–Sacred Spirit	Legends	7:03
6	–Beautiful World	In Existence	4:17
7	–Lokua Kanza	Wapi Yo	3:02
8	–Bill Whelan	Riverdane (Remix)	3:47
9	–Wes	Awa Awa	4:28
10	–Christine Lauterburg	Yokamata	3:26
11	–Adiemus	Adiemus	3:48
12	–Orpheum	The Passion	3:51
13	–Cesaria Evora	D’Nhirim Reforma	5:37
14	–Declan Masterson	The Hazel Woods	2:49
15	–Ofra Haza	Show Me	3:43
16	–Clannad	I Will Find You	5:16

This very compilation started my love for the following bands / projects: Clannad, Enigma, Deep Forest and Sacred Spirit.

I’m going to write a bit more about these artists and their music in the future posts.

I started listening to music for real in 1996 when Vaya Con Dios released their The Best of album, which was heavily advertised on TV and on the radio. Recalling a few songs (Puerto Rico, Nah Neh Nah and Don’t Break My Heart) I decided to buy the album. I bought it on tape (yes, those were the times!). I was fourteen at that time and probably not mature enought o fully appreciate their particular mix of pop, soul and folk music.

I remember we played the tape in my father’s car while going back home and I was not particularly hooked. And yet, being a very open youth, I played it over and over and it grew on me.

I started collecting their albums, with Night Owls (1990) being my very first own CD ever bought. Then came Time Flies (1992, on tape), the fourth album Roots and Wings (1995) and finally the self-titled debut (1988). That was still in late 1990s which the band finished off with another compilation album The Blue Sides (1998) and a spin-off project Purple Prose (1999), which had Dani klein singing blues-rock dirges with some other blokes.

First impressed by their poppy tunes, I slowly eased myself into the sphere of their less accessible, but no less intriguing bluesy songs (Time Flies, Forever Blue, Listen) and their earlier folky forays on the first LP. It’s no cheesee music. It’s always well-produced and delightfully executed.

Needless to say I became a fan, and Dani Klein’s soulful vocals and emotional lyrics seemed to work with me. It took however some time to fully appreciate Dani Klein’s music. It’s amazing they were not popular outside of (continental) Europe, as the music is top notch.

Discography:

Vaya Con Dios – 1988

Night Owls – 1990

Time Flies – 1992

Roots and Wings – 1995

The Best of – 1996

What’s a Woman – The Blue Sides of Vaya Con Dios – 1998

The Promise – 2004

Ultimate Collection – 2006

Comme on Est Venu… – 2009

Thank You All (live) – 2014

Dzień dobry. Nazywam się Marcin i jestem fanem muzyki i literatury. W moim domu zawsze znajdziesz mnóstwo ciekawych płyt i książek. Zamierzam pisać o muzyce, ponieważ jest mi ona najbliższa, jednak mam wiele innych zainteresowań:

• Kreatywne pisanie
• Literatura i czytanie
• Dobry film
• Język angielski
• Lotnictwo (samoloty!)

Próbkę moich recenzji muzycznych (po angielsku) znajdziesz tutaj.