Via the past, the beat of tomorrow, today
It's kind of an embarrassing way to start, but it's the truth. I was watching Bend it Like Beckham about a year ago in my lavish home theater (components: TV, DVD player, couch). It was an okay movie, but the thing that stuck with me the most was the wedding scene, and the song that the band was playing had an intoxicating beat. I'd heard a decent amount of South Asian music, but none of it, including the remixes I'd heard, had a beat that was so hard, so close to being off-kilter, but still with plenty of drive and groove.
A more obsessed (and, frankly, more motivated) person would have embarked on a search to find music with that beat, something that summed it up perfectly, but the task of taking on an entire genre of music to search for, at best, a handful of great songs seemed too daunting. I imagined all the dollars spent purchasing CDs that I would end up trading back, and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. So I just approximated the beat on my drumset and listened out. Songs like Missy Elliot's "Pass That Dutch" and Sean Paul's "Get Busy" seemed similar, and some of the salsa-influenced bands came very close, but I could never quite find...it.
M.I.A. "Galang"
It seems strange to take a late pass on a song that was just officially released on Tuesday, but this is the mp3 world we live in now. People have been talking (as people do) about M.I.A. for a long while now, and I was intrigued, but didn't search it out. But on Christian's suggestion (once again, he's dead right about what I'd like), I picked up the album yesterday, loaded it onto the computer, and according to iTunes, have listened to it 22 times before getting to work today. I'm obsessed. It really is an itch. I woke up this morning desperately wanting to hear it again.
The vocal rhythm is fantastic, the chant at the end is Goosebump City, but it's that beat...exactly what I was looking for. As much as I love listening to and playing the rock beat, I often get itches for something different. Not necessarily something more complex, but just a different approach to finding exciting rhythms and getting rid of the idea that something has to be either rock or funk-based to be get the blood pumping. And good God, does this beat ever get my blood pumping.
4 comments:
You should try playing the Bossa Nova sometime. Or something involving brushwork. Not enough drummers use brushes these days.
I'd loooove to play some Bossa Nova. Not a huge fan of brushes, though. I like them in a jazz setting and I think they sound nice for a certain mood, but ultimately, the sticks and the big beat sound better.
the dood from American Analog Set uses brushes about half of the time, and I think it works out perfectly for them. Other than that, I agree that it's more suited for a jazz setting.
There was this one band, though. I can't remember who it was, but I'm guessing that it was one of my post-rock bands. Anyway, I saw this band play music that was decidedly NOT jazz. The drummer was absolutely punishing his kit, but he was using brushes, which I remember thinking was really odd. It sounded great, though.
I wish I could remember who it was.
You should really go to a wealthy Indian family's wedding if you have the chance: hours and hours of ceremony which no one pays much attention to while waiters hustle snacks to and fro (including a person carrying nothing but dips!) and the guests shuttle back and forth to the open bar. Then, after consuming mounds and mounds of food the bhangra starts blasting and the young'ns (and a few olders) start dancing.
Since then I've searched and searched to find the music that recaptures that feel. So, about six bhangra compilations later, I haven't yet, I think it's the need for giant speakers and skilled dancers, but have found some good songs: "Lok Boliyan" by Anakhi and "Dake Dake" by Don Shiva.
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