9. VariousMusic From Saharan Cell Phones Vol. 2
This is another album I found rummaging around online. I just Google "my top 20 albums of the year" or something like that and see what strange stuff comes up. This is literally an album of people from the Sahara recording music in a very basic, simple way – and it’s very different, very raw, and very exciting. It blends together musical ideas I’ve never heard in a way that sounds very new to me. I enjoy lots of African music, but I’m no expert – and I’m no musical colonialist. But I get very inspired when I hear a record and think, wow, where did that rhythm come from? How did that riff come out that way? The fact I have no idea is very exciting. I love it when music takes me by surprise after all these years.
