Impossible Broadcasting by Tranglobal Underground

Tracks:

1. 7.5
2. The Khaleegi Stomp
3. The Sikhman and the Rasta
4. Drinking In Gomorrah
5. Isis K
6. Yellow and Black Taxi Cab
7. Cikan - Le Message
8. Take The A Tram
9. Radio Unfree Europe
10. Sentinel
11. Stoyane / Male-Le
12. Vanilka

More about this Artist

Review:

'Impossible Broadcasting' is the title of the new album by Transglobal Underground (TGU) and truly it is full of tunes which you'd normally not hear in a common radio show: Heavy head Dub, Sitar Drum&Bass, Bulgarian choirs on top of Trance-Funk, malian HipHop, greek-russian (?) Ska-Funk and more sound travels of a rather uncommon kind.

London based TGU's main producers Hamid Mantu and Tim Whelan have been upfront of these traces since the early 90s (and who reading these pages could say that about themselves) thus making them a little bit of the granddaddies of the scene, they are also responsible for the careers of Natacha Atlas and Temple of Sound .

So here we've got 12 new tracks, recorded in Sofia, Budapest, Paris, Prague, Cairo & London together with guest artists like Trio Bulgarka or the Mali hiphoppers of Tata Pound, and longtime members like the super relaxed jamaican MC TUUP. I honestly, don't miss the presence of Natacha Atlas on the new TGU album (released on the band's own fresh Mule Satellite label), as the gap is filled neatly with excellent sitar player Sheema Mukherjee and the backing voice of Doreen Thobekile from South Africa (with whom they are working on a complete solo album at the time, to be released later this year). The rhythms are always tasty, never a dull 4/4 House groove reaches your ears. As soon as things start to drift into static, dhol-player Gurjit Sihra takes it elsewhere.

The inventors of Club-World Music don't have an easy job here; but it does take some longlivity to stay on top of a movement for more than 10 years . 'Impossible Broadcasting' is pure fun and you can also hear the joy these musicians had while recording it. In spring time '05 they will come to tour in Germany, so anybody staying out here in Old Europe should try & grab the chance to see a TGU live Show. Stateside? One can only hope for something to happen...

Picks:
Khaleegi Stomp - jump up Sitar- breakbeat hymn
The Sikhman and the Rasta - polyrhythmic Dhols on top of heavy Reaggae
Vanilka - Sitarfunk at it´s finest