Afro Celt Sound System
The Afro Celt Sound System deftly illustrate how to mix African and European music without destroying their essence. Its instruments may belong to history but its music sits proudly at the forefront of club culture. Its beats and rhythms have resonance today: jungle nestles next to jigs and reels; African jazz flows into Gaelic eulogies. Producer Simon Emmerson, aided by visualiser and co-conspirator Jamie Reid, maintains it was always thus.
from the Real World Records web site.
Album: Volume 1 Sound Magic
[CDRW61] | Track Listing:
|
Released 1996 on Real World Records.
Single: Whirl-Y-Reel
 | Track Listing:
|
Whirl-Y-Reel is one of those wonderful bouncy folk tunes, inspired by the Afro Celts live appearance in the Whirl-Y-Gig tent at WOMAD - this one is full of summer festival vibes. BUT, why only the three minute radio edit??? Where's the full length version? Sure-As-Not is a little dubby for my liking and doesn't really go anywhere, even in the Full Whack remix. Non the less, it makes pleasant chill-out music.
Album: Volume 2 Release
[CDRW76] | Track Listing:
|
Released 1999 on Real World Records. The limited edition version of this album includes a unique interactive musical game enabling you to create your own Afro Celt remixes.
12": Inion / Riding the Waves
[PEN-003] | Track Listing:
|
Released 4/00 on Pendragon People Records. Two rather manic hard trance cuts from Pendragons Mark Sinclair. Both tracks feature familiar chants/samples from the originals, the result being a hard-trance/world music fusion. Excellent!
CD Single: Afro Celt Sound System Remixes
[PENCD001] | Track Listing:
|
Released 7/00 on Pendragon People Records. The same two tracks that featured on the above 12" have now been released as a CD single, accompanied by a track by Hyperborea.
CD Album: Volume 3 - Further in Time
[CDRW96] | Track Listing:
|
Released 6/01 on Real World Records. Produced by Simon Emmerson, James McNally and Martin Russell. Guest vocals by Peter Gabriel, Robert Plant and Pina. The biggest news of the month is that Simon Emmerson and his merry cohort have released the third volume in their African Celtic series. It's a welcome return to form after the slightly sombre mood of Volume 2, and there is no denying that this is their most accessible album to date. Emmerson admits "For this record the only rules were - we're going to break all the rules". This much is obvious, with the decision to include English lyrics for the first time and hence the guest vocals from Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and Real World label owner Peter Gabriel. Are the Afro Celts dangerously close to being labelled "world pop music" (Emmersons own words)? Probably not, since Further in Time offers plenty of jig and reel backed by a generous helping of African drum and, more importantly, original thought. Essential.
CD Single: When You're Falling feat. Peter Gabriel
[RWSCD14] | Track Listing:
|
Released 9/01 on Real World Records. The first single from the Afro Celts latest album (Volume 3: Further in time) explores new teritory, with English vocals from Peter Gabriel and jingly jangly strings sounding a little bit too much like Dario G's 'The Beach'. Its a nice tune that you can sing along too, but unfortunately this single doesn't offer anything new if you already own the album, with only one remix from Wren & Morley that doesn't differ a great deal from the album version.
For further information on Afro Celt Sound System, see their Official Web Site web site or write to:
Head On Management
1st floor
16 Chalk Farm Road
London, UK
NW1 8AG
