Balkan Beats Vol. 3

Compilation of recent Gypsy brass/modern mashups from the Balkans. Fine illustrations all of how going through a collective rough patch can inspire a lot of mad lust-for-life joyous expression. I guess the Roma have been practicing that for centuries, so it shouldn’t be a surprise – but this stuff is just NUTS. If you’re feeling depressed, plunk down on any track. If you’re feeling happy, dance til your butt is numb. Opa!
No FCCs – little in English anyway. I like 7, 9, 10, 13 best, but even stuff with just two stars is GREAT.
1. 4:40 ** Ooom-pah Gypsy brass band music, gorgeous female vocals. I’m seeing this as a drinking song – Opa! NB: it may be ooom-pah, but these guys can PLAY…
2. 3:38 ***uptempo romp, a bit gypsy brass, a bit dance mix, smooth male vocals. Infectious and goofy.
3. 3:53 ***more manic romp with strong bass line, hip hop vocals in English. A smidge of dancehall, for good measure.
4. 3:49 **very trad sounding intro, gets a heavier bottom end, midtempo march with fine female vocals.
5. 4:40 ***remix of an ooom-pah disco track from Shantel’s album – midtempo with lots of bounce. Dueling trumpets.
6. 3:59 **sweet little (Caribbean-sounding) guitar & bongos, rather drunk sounding male vocals. Notable for odd vocalizations in the backing chorus, and kids.
7. 5:18 ****goofy spoken intro in English, then syncopated midtempo club cut with bits of accordion and happy little farts. Turns into an even mashup of gypsy brass and club mix. Cool!
8. 4:48 ***spoken intro with cheers, then uptempo gypsy brass parade music with gorgeous traditional female vocals, a bit of dub. Seems to have the same sort of feel as Carnival samba.
9. 3:24 *****completely MAD hyperspeed romp with insane vocals.
10. 4:05 ****reggae??! With gypsy brass. Gnarly! Also completely bonkers. Elements from EVERYWHERE. Yay!
11. 3:12 **hyperspeed acoustic guitar, nonsense vocals. Sort of a merengue, somehow.
12. 3:18 ***midtempo disco instrumentals with bongos and sax. This really has no right whatsoever to be this groovy.
13. 4:09 ****oooh, what is this… midtempo spaghetti western ska, I guess. Jolly male vocals. Ends with carousel music, and why not?
14. 3:42 ***high speed ooom-pah, with drunk/dramatic male and female vocals. More utter madness.
15. 4:23 **beautiful female wailing and Spanish guitar for a minute, then more uptempo madness with guitar and violin and Opa!