David Dalle
Thursday January 23rd, 2020 with David Dalle
John Luther Adam's "Become Desert", the latest project from Sahel Sounds, recent releases from Mali.

Today we listen to music inspired and from deserts, starting with John Luther Adam's "Become Desert". Central to John Luther Adams' music has always been his connection with natural places and the environment, and the changing climate is at the forefront this works. Though "Become Desert" is for even larger forces than its predecessor, the apocalyptic "Become Ocean", with the addition of a choir, it is much more fragile and really asks the listener to just pause and listen in the present. The music gives an enormous sense of space, which might initially seem empty, but as the music expands over a grand vista you become aware of how rich and full it is, building slowly and almost imperceptibly to its magnificent apotheosis. It is music to disappear in and feel like the horizon truly is infinite. I am finding I love to listen to it several times in a row. Adams says "Become Desert is both a celebration of the deserts we are given and a lamentation of the deserts we create." We will also hear the latest project from Sahel Sounds. For 2020, they are presenting "Music from Saharan Whatsapp". Every month they will be releasing an EP from a musical group in the Sahel. It will be recorded by the group on cellphones and transmitted over Whatsapp where it will be available for only one month on Sahel Sounds. The recordings will probably not the be (sometimes overly) smooth studio recordings, but with the first release, it shows a tremendous intimacy and realness to it. The first EP is from the superb Nigerien group Etran de L'air, based in Agadez, they are a very popular guitar-driven Tuareg band who are renowned on the local wedding circuit. The EP was recorded in their home. We will also hear recent releases from Tinariwen and a reissue of the first album from 1981 by Wassoullou singer Na Hawa Doumbia on Awesome Tapes From Africa.