The Balkan Hotstep Sound System | DJ Typsy Gypsy

I've been playing a lot of The Balkan Hotstep Soundsystem and DJ Typsy Gypsy over the Christmas break. I've been amazed by the feed back. These lovable mashups are pretty catchy and I've had lots of people call in asking who they are and where they are from. What's great about this music is it samples some of the best Balkan musicians, mostly Roma, and mashes them up with hip-hop that we are all comfortable with. For the most part, everyone loves the Balkan sound but a lot of people either don't know how to dance to it or aren't used to the sound. The Hip-Hop takes away for foreignness and lets people just enjoy the wonderful Balkan music. Definitely fun and clever, be sure to download some of the mixes (bottom of page).

BIO:

Balkan Hotstep Soundsystem, or sometimes referred to as the Balkan Hotsteppers are based out of Leuven, Belgium that formed in 2006. They gained a lot of buzz from their online mixtapes put together in 2007 and released online to masses via Myspace. Balkan Hotsteppers is comprised of DJ Sam Raban and DJ Typsy Gypsy. DJ Sam Raban can be found at the girafe Cafe Leuven, Belgium on Thursdays.

Extended PDF Press Release

Myspace Links:

Typsy Gypsy
Great Hip-Hop Mashups, check it out on Myspace!

Balkan HotSteppers

Bookings and Gigs:

B-Side Bookings does there booking.








Downloadable Mashups (Straight from Myspace):

download demomix
download BalkanBangers
download Let The Vodka Roll (Shantelmix)
download Balkan Club Night @ Rio Loco Toulouse

Guest Hosting World Beats at WRFL 88.1; Cambodian Rock Music from the 60s - 70s

UPDATE:

Here are the links to the WRFL show from last Sunday. Please feel free to download and share.

FREE and Downloadable (But Please Support the Artists):

Sunday, December 21st, 4pm - 5pm

Sunday, December 21st, 5pm - 6pm

Check'em out.

________________________________

On Sunday, I will be filling in at WRFL 88.1 for Marc Heft who currently shares a World Beats show with William Cheeves. Since I'm going to be filling in for an already existing World music show, I originally was going to just play some more Balkan Music. However, I happened upon some old Cambodian Rock from a friend and after about 6 non-stop hours (honestly) of research on the internet, I'm addicted.

So, since I'm filling a slot for another fellow DJ of world music, I figured I would just get my Khmer Rock and Roll fix out of the way in one sitting. I thought I would just pepper my usual accompiment of Balkan music with some Khmer stuff, but I've found hours of fascinating music online.

Why?

The Khmer or Cambodian music is fascinating to me because of a combination of two unlikely but equally poignant aspects; great music and contextual sadness. First, if you listen the the Khmer music of the 1960s and 1970s, you can defintely hear the Western and American influences in the form of Garage Rock, Psychedelic Pop and other popular genres of the time. Combine this with the amazingly innovative talent of the musicians and the beauty of the Khmer language and it just rocks; plain and simple. Additionally, there is a more serious historical background to what was an explosion of musical innovation in the 1960s and 1970s--The overbearing knowledge of the Khmer Rouge that started in earnest in the mid 1970s. Almost all of these musicians were targeted and killed during the Reign of Pol Pot. This is another sad and less fortunate example of how music shapes and affects culture insomuch as political leaders see the musicians as threats and actually exterminate them.

While the music is great, its a shame that there isn't a lot of master tracks for fellow listeners to work with. Most of the copies of the music (both masteres and commerical copies) were destroyed during the Khmer Rouge because of its percieved threat. Aside for the cassette and vinyl recordings that were found in Cambodia by westerners searching for more Cambodian Rock, there really isn't a lot of source material in the western world. The online community, however, is changing that. Myspace is filled with "profiles" of long since passed away Cambodian musicians almost as if to create awareness the almost forgotten greats of their time. And currently there are two documentaries working to create a historical imprint of the time for years to come as well.

Cambodian Rock Documentaries:

Don't Think I've Forgotten - http://cambodianrock.com/

The Golden Voice - http://www.thegoldenvoicemovie.com

In 1996, Parallel World released one of the first western market CDs of this Khmer Rock music. Paul Wheeler made the CD based off of material he had found on vacation in Cambodia. After interest gained, another companies started releasing compliations of the Cambodian music. Probably one of the bigger breakouts for the Cambodian Rock'n'Roll pre-Khmer Rouge was on the City of Ghosts soundtrack where many (I unknowingly) heard this music for the first time. The City of Ghosts soundtrack is selling for about $100 on Amazon.com if that's any indication of popular demand of an out of print album.

Album List of Cambodian Rock Music:

Cambodian Cassette Archive Not Recommend Alternative

Cambodian Rocks (MUST DOWNLOAD, free .mp3s):

http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/12/cambodian-rocks.html (Full CD)

Khmer Rock Music from the Cole Ranch (Free Downloads):

http://khmermusic.thecoleranch.com/

Cambodian Swing Machine ( Compilation )

Cambodian Rocks Volume 1 On Amazon

Cambodian Rocks Volume 2 On Amazon

You Tube Video Archives:

Old Songs with Stills: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=872D9A48223F5F9A

Old Movie Songs: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=D7494F417654C522

There more floating around but that just a start. Of course, you could always travel to Cambodia and buy up old rock records.

Radio Set Up:

Pronounciation Guide:

Sinn Sis-sa-mott - Sinn Sisamouth

Ros Sereysothea

Guest Hosting of The World Beat Hour:

Clash the Casbah DJ Ari Judah

Street Noise Dub - DJ Ari Judah

Birds Are Singing But My Lover Won't Return - Unknown


Track 4 - Meas Samon - Cambodian Cassette Archives

Track 8 - Srey No (Lady Named No) - Unknown Cambodian Cassette Archives

skhe-diev Smithsonian

Sinn Sisamouth - Porps Samnang - Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/sinsamuth

Tonsai Sdai Jun- Sin Sisamouth - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSp6IE8ruho

Nee keu karm kyom - by Ros Sereysothea - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEkrbVKiNBY

Rous Sareysothea - #4 - Bomplech oun tov - http://www.myspace.com/roussareysothea

Rous Sareysothea - #5 - Ngam Srah - http://www.myspace.com/roussareysothea

Raurm Men Cha'eat - Pen Ron - http://www.myspace.com/penronx

Mou Pei Na - Sinn Sisamouth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa2fVsqQ0mg

Khnyom Jah Karake - Meas Samon & Tet Somnang http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXJoN49vw3o

Rom Ago Ago - Pan Ron - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCotIDR3k3E

Soriya Psong Snae - Sinn Sisamouth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M_H_vCwrfY

Closer:

Last Christmas Preap Sovath: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8R9qmOiCiU

Beam Preash Mok Sbot | Preap Sovath | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU6xVx4cmhI

11/26 Radio Playlist and Cheat Sheet!

Typsy Gypsy

Typsy Gypsy is a member of the Balkan Hotsteppers from Belgium. They have been experimenting with Balkan music for club music. Seriously check out his Myspace. He's got a lot of great mashups that really allow people to start understanding the Balkan sound.

Track: Mashup with Intergalatic (Beastie Boys) Download the Podcast!





J.U.F stands for Jewish Urkranian Freundschaft or Friendship

Track: Muskat (Slishal, No e Zapisal)

5:33 min.

J.U.F. i s a creation of Eugene Hutz (Gogol Bordello) and Tamir Muskat.

Boban Markovic Orkestar 

Boban Markovic is a famous Roma or Gypsy from Serbia. He and his Orkestar are generally recognized as the most accomplished Brass Band from the Balkans. His is also the winner of of the Golden Trumpet from the world famous Gucha Festival in Serbia

Track: Mundo Cocek (pronounced Cho -chek) is from the Boban and Marko album

3:13

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Gypsy Sound System

Based out of Switzerland, the Gypsy Sound System has been mixing music for clubs over the past two years throughout the world.

Track: Gypsy Sound System


4:35


Balkan Beat Box - Bulgarian Chicks

The Balkan Beat Box are probably the more well known DJs working with Balkan music. The Bulgarian Chicks song is a combination of Bulgarian folk singers with Serbian or Balkan brass music.

Max PASHM

Max Pashm is a collective of U.K based Jewish, Greek & Balkan musicians that make dance music. They are based out of England.

Track: Queen of Sikim

3:09 Min.

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Desislava

Desislava is a Chalga singer from Bulgaria and its fun to see Latina music and Balkan music mergred.

Track: Regeton and a Little Chalga

3:30

Ionut Cercel

Ionut is an young Roma singer from Romania. He is in his early teens and is taking the Romanian club scene by storm.

Track: Made in Romania

4:00

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Giorgos Tsalikis

Greek Musician with Laiko music.

Track: Ekana Ti Nexta Mera

4:00

Djordan

Track: Ne boli (No hurt or It doesn't hurt)

3:49

Orkestar Kristali

This Orkestar is probably the best Roma Wedding Orkestar in Bulgaria. They play Roma music with Bulgarian influences. To those familiar with Balkan music, it may sound Turkish in origin. 

Track: Purjina (kokaina), "Fried Cocaine" 

Aliosha 

Aliosha and his band play that live instrumental at a wedding in Bulgaria. Known for his saxophone skills, Aliosha alway is an excellent singer. He style would also be considered Roma Wedding music or sometimes referred to as Bulgarian Wedding music.

The track is unlabeled because its live.

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Boril Iliev

Boril is another Roma musican with the Red Bull orkestar from Bulgaria that play Roma Wedding music.

Track: Akana (meaning now)

5:00

Ramzi Kuchek

Just a simple for dancing Kuchek or Belly dancing

Track: Ramzi Kuchek

3:30

Verka Serduchka

Ukrainian Drag Queen 

Track: Gop,  Gop! Jump, Jump!

4:00

Georgi Chi - lin - gi -rov

Track: Roufinka Bolna Legnala

7:00

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Valia Balkanska

Track: Izlel e Delio haidutin

4:00

Trio Bulgarka

Famous folk ensemble from Bulgaria, known for its vocal haromonization. It would be considered traditional folk music.

Track: Sluntseto Trepti Zauda (The sun is setting)