down from the mountain

{sunset at highwood pass, mt. arethusa, opal range, kananaskis}

I think my blog is slowly starting to diversify, & metamorphose into something resembling a mlog; a music blog, that is. I still have no file-hosting space for my own mp3s but I can certainly use it as a place for linking to other delicious musique that is hosted elsewhere.

I had two little random epiphanies today while working. The first was linguistically related, in that my writing-in-french capabilities have come back to a point where I'm feeling (somewhat) fonctionellement bilingue! The other came whilst wandering in the fields of other mlogs, when I came across the news that Banco de Gaia has a new CD out. & so I wandered over to the website & found audio aplenty... realizing also that in fact there were two CDs of his that I had no idea existed.

& so listening to the tracks from the albums I'd missed, I remembered how much I enjoy Banco. It's beautiful, expansive & intelligent electronica that is heavily influenced by Middle Eastern, South Indian & Central Asian instrumentation, rhythms & vocal melodies.

I feel very spacious & powerful listening to it -- there is a certain topographical feeling to it, a texture that evokes travelling, moving through mountainous areas, there are sweeping valleys & slopes & very dark starry skies, sunsets over arid ridges. The build & the flow of all of his pieces can also be quite emotional -- there also is a socio-political consciousness to his music evident in his themes & titles -- read Toby Marks' (aka Banco de Gaia) writings on Tibet and his inspiration for 'Last Train to Lhasa', the album that was my introduction to his music.

And now, his new album focuses on the concept of 'Ferengistan' -- a 'place' caught up in war & materialism. (I also was amused to learn the etymology of the term 'Ferengi' especially considering there is a Star Trek species by that very name... & it is so very apt)

So, yes, enjoy! Do download the edit of Kara Kum (that's 'Black Desert' in Kazakh!) from 'Farewell Ferengistan' Kuos is an integral part of the 'Last Train to Lhasa' album, and I found that I quite like Down from the Mountain from 'You are Here' especially around 5:20., when it turns all swirly & delicious.