Jamming to a box of cereals

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Don’t Call It World Music is a free, independent and curated roundup of music news. Each weekly edition of our newsletter features a handpicked selection of articles related to every kind of music, offering insights into genres from every corner of the globe.

Our mission is to provide visibility to a wide array of issues, musical traditions, artists and genres that are underrepresented or overlooked in mainstream media, generate curiosity and drive traffic to original sources, particularly alternative and independent platforms.

• PAM Magazine explores the state of Taarab music in Zanzibar, highlighting its historical significance, its struggle to remain relevant amidst modern music trends and how it has been influenced by various groups over time, including Arab sultans and British colonists, and also highlights the role of women in the genre's development.

Taarab? Taarab is a musical genre that originated in Zanzibar, blending Swahili poetry with rhythmic melodies. Its lyrics often explore themes of love and relationships, employing a poetic style known as "Lugha ya majazi" (imagery language) to convey subtle emotions and avoid direct confrontation. The music features a fusion of African and Arabic melodies, creating a unique and soulful rhythm.

• Cartoon Research explores the early musical scores of Columbia Pictures' Krazy Kat cartoons, detailing the use of popular songs and classical pieces in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The article provides a detailed look at the music used in several specific cartoons and reveals the history of the the use of specific songs to enhance the visual gags in the cartoons studio's animation department, as well as the use of specific songs to enhance the visual gags in the cartoons.

• The Culture Custodian argues that the Grammy Awards have a narrow-minded view of African music, despite attempts to be more inclusive. The article critiques the "Best Global Album" category and claims that it does not adequately represent the diversity of African music, highlighting a bias towards traditional forms, and the lack of understanding of contemporary African genres, like Afrobeats.

"African music, most prominently Afrobeats, has been on the rise for the past few years, so it’s appalling that the world’s most esteemed music award keeps doing it a disservice by constantly mischaracterizing and limiting its scope."

• Upworthy showcases the creative project, Electronics Fantasticos!, where artists make electronic music using barcode scanners, and other unusual instruments from outdated appliances....

"This is like the 1990s’ prediction of what 2020s music would be."

• The Quietus celebrates the 30th anniversary of Leftfield’s album Leftism, analyzing its impact on dance music through the lens of dub reggae influence. The article argues that Leftism moved away from progressive house, and blended dub and house music, making it distinct....

• UKF profiles the jungle music artist Stekker and his unique approach to production, emphasizing his focus on authenticity and experimentation rather than reliance on existing sample packs.... The article details Stekker’s creative process, blending old hardware with modern tools to achieve the classic jungle sound,

"When it comes to music today versus the past, I think there’s a lot of truth to the idea that older music had a more creative and experimental edge. Back then, producers spent hours in their bedrooms, discovering unique sounds through trial and error. Now, tutorials and pre-made sample packs make it easier but also more formulaic."

• A podcast from The New Statesman article explores Dylan's shift away from protest songs, and how his work created an archetype for protest music, influencing other artists like Sam Cooke.. The article concludes by questioning the current state of protest songs, and how music is no longer the dominant mode of complaint.

• Frank151.com presents an article about Pen & Pixel, a legendary design firm responsible for creating over 19,000 album covers, significantly impacting the visual aspect of music, especially in hip-hop.

• Indonesia at Melbourne explores the rise of hip-dut music in Indonesia, focusing on the viral success of the single "Garam dan Madu" by Tenxi, Naykilla, and Jemsii and highlighs the lyrics' multi-language approach and its DIY music video. It explores how the group is appealing to Gen Z with their anti-establishment attitude and their embrace of a blend of musical traditions.

Hip-dut ? Dangdut? Hip-dut is an emerging music genre that blends traditional Indonesian dangdut with contemporary hip-hop elements. Dangdut combines Malay, Indian, and Arabic musical influences, characterized by rhythmic beats and melodic vocals.

• A Year In The Country discusses the contrast between "folk" and "pop" music, suggesting folk is rooted in older, rural traditions while pop originates in urban and imperial structures.

• Laughing Squid reports on a British collective, Bionica and the Wires, that creates music by attaching bionic arms to mushrooms and plants to play instruments.

• It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine features an interview with Richard Pinhas, founder of the band Heldon, where he discusses his career, musical philosophy, and influences.

• The Digital Orientalist examines the biases present in AI-generated music when prompted to create music in the style of Hellenistic Central Asia. The article highlights how the lack of ancient music recordings skews AI training datasets toward modern interpretations of ancient music. It describes how AI tools produce music that often sounds like video game soundtracks or incorporates orientalist tropes due to the data they are trained on.

• CARGO explores the interaction between Italian songs and Greek musicians, focusing on how Italian songs were adopted, adapted, and transformed in Greek-speaking communities.

• IFLScience reports on a study using network science to measure the complexity of 20,000 pieces of music over four centuries, finding that music is becoming less complex over time. The study indicates that classical music was more intricate than modern music, and even classical pieces have diminished in complexity. The article notes that while melodies may be getting simpler, other aspects of music, like layering and textures, might be becoming more complex.

• Spectrum Culture reviews Choof's album, A Very Special Blend of Psychology and Extreme Violence, highlighting its extreme nature and its place within the grind subgenre of heavy music. The article questions the mainstream acceptance of historically anti-establishment music and the risk of commodification.

"This record is a brutal entry into the grind subgenre, a niche already known for its sonic violence. Songs with names like 'Eunuch Maker' and 'Sodomized (Anally Raped)' explode like severed arteries in 30-second to two-minute bursts."

• daily.bandcamp.com profiles Ruptured Records, a Beirut-based DIY label, that showcases its commitment to supporting independent and alternative music in Lebanon.

• Philosophies examines the challenges and biases within music criticism, arguing for the importance of its role in the modern musical landscape. The article delves into the history and evolution of music criticism, from its origins in the 18th and 19th centuries to its current digital form. It addresses criticisms of music critics, including the idea they are failed musicians and that their opinions are subjective.

:)