this post was submitted on 02 Jul 2024
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After a best mate of mine introduced me to Fela Kuti's works I've been real interested in hearing music from other cultures you don't hear much stuff from. Doesn't have to be traditional music styles (love it when genres and cultures fuse together, like Masayoshi Takanaka taking influence from Brazilian music), but I'd love to hear that as well!

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 4 months ago (5 children)

The Mongolian metal band The Hu fuse tradition instruments with metal styling and a badass attitude that Genghis would approve of

Also their name is great.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

If you like The Hu check out Uuhai and Batzorig Vaanchig.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

The Hu at this point might be more famous than the country they're from (which to be fair, isn't THAT obscure, but how often DO you think of Mongolia?)

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

And they will finally play their homeland for the first time since making it!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Ah yes the band that gave me tinnitus. Wonderful to see live just make sure you have earplugs and not get stuck by the crowd next to the speakers with two beers and a deaf sound engineer.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Loop Experience ones are good. Otherwise, tissue.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago

Brazil isn't an obscure country, but there's an indigenous band called Uakti that builds their own instruments. It's some of the most unusual music I've heard. They also have some classical albums, and one by Phillip Glass that I like to listen to when I'm coming down from a trip.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

I'm a big fan of Tinariwen who are from Mali

Also: Toe from Japan

Also also: yin yin from the Netherlands

And in a similar vein: l'eclair from Switzerland

Also tbh, if you want a great selection of eclectic artists from all over the world, look up a playlist of artists playing on the West Holts stage of Glastonbury for any given year—when I'm at the festival it's always my go to stage if I'm feeling like trying something new and it's rarely disappointed me

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Toe are lovely, I've been listening to their live album (currently in Japan too).

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I came here to suggest Bombino, who is Nigerien but part of the same Tuareg desert blues genre. That stuff is excellent

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Al-Namrood (Metal, Saudi-Arabia)

Mdou Mactar (Desert Blues)

Leliță Săftiță (Aromanian folk song)

Hrdza (Folk Rock, Slovakia)

Kamo Mphela (Amapiano, South Africa)

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

There’s an awesome Afrobeat collection called Nigeria: The Definitive Story of 1970’s Funky Lagos. I don’t know if it’s streaming but it’s a good next step.

This is a way more chill recommendation but I love Mayra Andrade from Cape Verde for music to relax to.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

I'll need to check that out, sounds good. In return, I'll recommend the Beginner's Guide to African Funk, a 3 CD set full of absolute gems.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago

They are very famous but it seems their country is rarely thought or discussed.

The Hu from Mongolia are great. A combination of traditional Mongol folk music, modern metal and famous for their Mongolian style gutteral singing.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

From the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic: Týr - Regin Smiður

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

O-Zone (of "Numa Numa" fame) is from Moldova; that's pretty obscure, right?

Ylvis ("What Does the Fox Say?") is Norwegian.

"Epic Sax Guy" is... also Moldovan, apparently. Huh.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

O-Zone

I curse you just for mentioning them. I freaking hate that song.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

That's a list of Eurovision hits right there.

Moldova had a good run for a few years. Don't think they've made the finals over the last few though.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

Alan Stivell does some incredible fusion of rock and Celtic folk. i usually avoid the term "Celtic" for music because some people find it dismissive to lump multiple musical traditions together like that, but he very deliberately draws from most (all?) of the musical traditions that would fall under that umbrella. i highly recommend the E Dulenn and Á L'Olympia live albums

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Kenya: Just a Band. Funky, rocky at times, just great music.

Iran: not a band, but a movie representation of the scene. No One Knows About Persian Cats. I have a personal connection to this movie; if you watch it, let me know and I'll fill you in (not publicly though, you'll understand why).

Cambodia: Reign in Slumber. Metal. Changed singers (new one is from the Philippines), still great.

Vietnam: Cut Lon. Metal. Used to dress in hilarious Pikachu balaclavas. Fun, loud, entertaining.

Belarus: Molchat Doma. Gloomy. Oppressive. Wonderful. Makes me think of the Soviet Union in the 70s (not that I was there or alive then).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Really digging Reign in Slumber. Thanks for the recommendation.

On the topic of Asian metal, Voice of Baceprot just played the Glastonbury festival, which is pretty awesome. All-female Indonesian band.

Also, the dude who works at the gas station down the street introduced me to Minerva, a Bangladeshi metal band.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Sweet! Also check Doch Chkae (like a dog), also Khmer metal (and all Cambodians).

Baceprot, listened to them a few months back and, while nice they're getting coverage, it didn't grab me. Hoping they mature well in the coming year!

Oh, and check After God also (Khmer). Drummer turned singer, just released an EP (YouTube I think).

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

How could I forget Cesaria Evora?!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

If you're into metal, here are a few bands renowned for mixing cultural music with heavy metal off the top of my head:

Norway - Ulver (They have possibly the most varied discography in all of music, but their first album is a mix of black metal and Norwegian folk music, and their second is entirely Norwegian folk music)

Brazil - Sepultura (From Arise to Roots they started incorporating a lot of Brazilian musical ideas)

Romania - Negura Bunget (They're the only reason I know what a nai is)

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

May I have the honor of introducing you to African Rhumba: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O3BexfHBTIg

That is a favorite one. The album is by two of the greatest in African music: Franco Luambo (of TPOK Jazz) and Tabu Ley (of Afrisa International). They did this album to cool down rumours that they were fighting and don’t see eye to eye. They called it Lisanga ya Banganga (Congress of the Wizards).

This specific song I share is solemn, as they are mourning the death of their mentor, Kabaselle.

Check their respective Wikipedia entries. It is a whole new world you are peeking into.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Very, very nice. Thanks.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

May be Maximum the Hormone. They're probably pretty big in Japan though.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

A group called Otyken. They are a Siberian/Russian folk music group

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Traditional Argentinian music: Soledad or Los Chalchaleros

Traditional Brazilian music: Chico Buarque or Caetano Veloso

Traditional Brazilian music from the northeast: Luiz Gonzaga

Argentinian Rock from the 60/70: Sui Generis or Pedro y Pablo

Brazilian Rock from the 60/70: Cazuza or Raul Seixas

Argentinian contemporary music: Bersuit Vergarabat

Contemporary Brazilian Rock (there are tons of metal bands from Brazil, like Angra, Sepultura, Shaman, etc, but I want to point out one in specific): Matanza (although I would describe them more as a hardcore us country style than rock, they sing mostly in Portuguese so it has a very unique style)

Comedy music is a great view into a society, so as a bonus:

Argentinian homemade instrument band: Les Luthiers (this one is a YouTube link because realistically you want to see these guys, not just hear them)

Brazilian Metal joke band: Massacration

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Spotify suggested a bedtime playlist with Elin and the Lullaby Orchestra. They are from Norway. Their albums will put your kids to sleep, but It Came from the Universe to my Landing Pad slaps. That song legitimately deserves a hair metal/glam rock cover.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Altyn Tuu. Technically they're located in Russia, but belong to the Altai ethnic group, so I'm counting them.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I'm a fan of Bomba Estereo, from Colombia. They are sort of in the Electro Cumbia genre. Systema Solar is another of that type. I like their more up-tempo songs, they do have slower, pop-ballad type songs too.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

They're really fun, I heard a mix of Fuego in a club in Bogota when I moved there and loved them from thereon.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

NZ - Supergroove, Che Fu, DD Smash, Dragon, Darcy Clay, Trinity Roots, Salmonella Dub, Katchafire - the NZ dub and roots scene should be checked out by anyone who likes roots. Ignore six sixty.

Germany - Colour Haze

Nick Drake - more people should listen to this guy.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Tudi-Voice, Taiwan - Taiwanese modern folk stuff.

Florent Vollant, Canada - interesting indigenous culture based music.

Mulatu Astatke, Ethiopia - Jazz from the 60s and 70s.

Altın Gün, Türkiye/The Netherlands - modern Anatolian psych sounds.

Gwenno, Wales - Gaelic folktronica.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Some latam-based ones

  • Uruguay - El cuarteto de nos. Rock/indie rock but sometimes they mix in Latin American sounds as well (check out the song Mario Neta).
  • Paraguay - Kchiporros, Bohemia Urbana. Ska and Paraguayan rock.
  • Mexico's Yucatan - Pat Boy. Rap in Mayan and sometimes Spanish. Does collabs with other singers of indigenous languages.
[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Soda Stereo from Argentina, and Monsieur Periné from Colombia

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadril
Belgian folk group

Specifically: https://www.discogs.com/release/6421340-Kadril-La-Paloma-Negra
made with the band Alumea.

Review: https://www.rootsworld.com/reviews/kadril-alumea.shtml

This two-disc set is a studio version of a concert program produced jointly by Galician family combo Alumea and Flemish folk-rock band Kadril, inspired by Flemish pilgrims in Galicia. The results are peculiar but satisfying.

I wish I could find the KCRW episode about this album. That’s (I think) how I heard about it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Serbia - Destiny Potato. Prog metal, and their album "Lun" is among my favorites of all time. They changed name to Sordid Pink and released another pretty cool album.

David Maxim Micic is the guitarist, and he has a pretty great solo discography on his own.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Highasakite - Norway

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Bragolin - Into those woods

(Netherlands)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

There is a kora player from Mali called Ballaké Sissoko who makes really cool and chill music. I only heard about him because of a news article about the TSA destroying his instrument. I googled him after I had read his article and really liked his music, even though I didn't even know what a kora was before.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Great thread this, loads to check out.

I'll recommend Songhoy Blues from Mali, and Gaspar Nali of Malawi, both excellent.

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