The Week That's Been in Music II

The first signs of the approaching spring are slowly and determinedly pushing the ice and cold of the dying winter into submission. The sun is shining with a vehement glint that's carving all manner of interesting shapes and figures on the cracking blueish-grey ice blocks that remain scattered across many a water body.

The ten tracks of my week... Enjoy

1) Bomba Estereo : "La Boquilla." The "Electro Vacilón" (Tropical Electro) Colombian band of the moment Bomba Estereo doing what they do best. Tropical, catchy beats laced with powerful, sensual lyrics; a welcome chant for the arrival of the summer sun.

2) Kumi: "Stargazer." One of the most exciting names in the development of Kenyan electronic music, Kumi, with a rather different track to the driven trance he usually produces. Stargazer is a rather contemplative, laid-back rendition riddled with dreamy, enchanting vocals that crisscross very well with simple, structured beat sequences.

Paul Bay-Star Gazer by paulbay

3) Tapis Rouge : "Africa" (Cottonbelly remix.) : The vocals are what stand out most in this tune, punctuated by crooked, catchy string istruments that give it a rather unique identity.

4) Le Cirque de soleil : "Le Reveur" (Thievery Corporation remix. )Powerful Middle Eastern chants that create an endearing, eathereal endlessness that captivates, enchants and seduces.

5) Jerome Isma- Ae: "Underwater Love." A tune that one might easily expect to hear in the background of a spell-binding movie scene. Great stuff from the Munich-based progressive house head honcho, Jerome Isma-Ae

6) Mix n Blend feat Bosko Popovac : "Narona" (The second track in the list below) : Drum n bass laced with a stinging dose of guitar strings straight from the slopes of Table Mountain, South Africa. A stand-alone take on a genre that still remains unheeded and uncredited globally.

Mix n Blend - Joy / Lost EP by africandope

7) Figura : "Ze Bula" Perfect losers remix

Raw, rude Kuduro that borrows from Kizomba and electro influences fused with in-your face Portuguese lyrics from Angola. This may well be one of the most seismic Kuduro tunes of the day.

Ze Bula (Perfect Loosers Remix) - Figura (Angola) by Akwaaba Music

8) Da Weasel feat Buraka Som Sistema "Dialectos De Ternura" : Speaking of Kuduro, here's an esrtwhile stormer that never gets old. The Kings of Kuduro themselves, Buraka Som Sistema team up with the notorious grand old men of Portuguese rap, Da Weasel. The result ? Boundary breaking genius.

9) Locomondo : "Τ'αγοράκια ξενυχτάνε με" I wouldn't for the life of me be able to tell you the English name for this wild tune from the Athens-based ska / reggae septet. This revives memories of summer festivals and the never ending scorching southern sun

10) Camo & Krooked "Climax" The perfect climax to end this version of the series. Stinging drum n bass simplicity from the Viennese duo Camo & Crooked. It's little wonder that these lads have achieved as much recognition as they have within the drum n bass world !