Viking's Choice 2022: Outer Sounds Around the World
From top left, clockwise: Linda Ayupuka, No Home, Romperayo, Cheba Wahida. Courtesy of the artists hide caption
From top left, clockwise: Linda Ayupuka, No Home, Romperayo, Cheba Wahida.
Courtesy of the artistsVietnamese ambient, Chilean speed metal, auto-tune'd Ghanaian gospel music — there's a whole world of music out there; it seems like such a shame to stick to what's happening inside your own backyard. On this Viking's Choice episode, I take host Bob Boilen around the globe for some of my favorite albums released in 2022.
Listen above, read below. For more, follow the Viking's Choice playlist and subscribe to the newsletter. —Lars Gotrich
BKO: "Sadiona" from Djine Bora
The Scene: Bamako, Mali
The Sound: Malian rock quintet featuring amplified guitars — a donso n'goni and a djeli n'goni — polyrhythmic percussion and the soulful shrieks of Fassara Sacko.
Cheba Wahida: "Jrouli Jrouli" from Jrouli
The Scene: Oran, Algiers
The Sound: In-the-red trance music blitzed on polyphonic trills of flute and auto-tune'd vocal fire. Björk would absolutely lose her mind to this music on the dance floor.
Sơn FM: "Go Into the Mountains" from Points of Light (ST๐๐๗)
The Scene: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The Sound: Ambient music in tune with the ripples, flickers and stillness of nature.
Switchblade: "夜に踊る" from Blue Matter
The Scene: Yokohama, Japan
The Sound: Edge-of-your-seat emo that recalls The Velvet Teen's melodic melodrama and the furious riffs of early ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead.
Romperayo: "El Borracho" from Así No Se Puede Muchaches
The Scene: Bogotá, Colombia
The Sound: Tropical traditions tweaked on synths, samplers and imaginary worlds.
La Colonie de Vacances: "L'amour universel" from ECHT
The Scene: France
The Sound: Quadraphonic battle mode activated! A collaboration of four noise-, prog- and math-rock bands operating on a level of controlled chaos that's a little bit scary.
No Home: "Emerald Green Mirror" from Young Professional
The Scene: London, England
The Sound: Haunting, soulful bedroom industrial-punk that blisters the brain.
Vórtize: "Mundo Bipolar" from ¡Tienes Que Luchar!
The Scene: Limache, Chile
The Sound: Speedy heavy metal ... with whistling?! From dueling guitar solos and a gruff-but-grinning vocal performance, every inspired choice that Javier Ortiz makes on this album is guaranteed to make you headbang with a smile.
Linda Ayupuka: "Yine Faamam" from God Created Everything
The Scene: Bongo, Ghana
The Sound: Jumpy, synth-driven gospel music with auto-tune and drum machine beats. Linda Ayupuka's voice could pierce the heavens.