ILE AIYE

Hey, it took me awhile to get it up, but check out this heavily African-influenced hotness from Brazil that Aa's Mike Colin brought back from his recent drum-journey to Bahia -

Ilê Aiyê - Maliê! Um Canto De Fe Por Um Mundo Melhor
Ilê Aiyê - Que Bloco É Esse

- both from the amazing Canto Negro album. Mike says:

Ile Aiye's music rellies on basic rhythms from Candomble rituals. Candomble is a religion that is most common in Bahia wherein every diety (there are seven main ones) has its own rhythms and songs, and ritual "parties" to a particular diety involve playing its rhythms and singing its songs in order to call it down from the sky and have it possess individuals in the room (altreligion.about.com/cs/candomble/). Ile Aiye use these rhythms as backbone, but add their own drum patterns and singing to create a sound that is completely distinct, but still true to the traditional form.

Their live show is mesmerizing. When I saw them play, they played four sets of 45 minutes each. They employ around twenty percussionists, two singers, and dancers that accompany the music with traditional Angolan dances. The sound is so rich and the rhythm is so pulsing, that it basically impossible to stand still, and literally everyone dances at their shows (including all the drummers, who have their huge drums tied to their bodies). This album was produced by Brazil's minister of culture/ Bahian icon Gilberto Gil.

Thanks Mike! I miss you already. This shit is awesome.