Rock Around The World: Part Two (Adelaide Island, Gabon, Brazil)

I'm back! Exams are over, college is over, and I have a long break ahead of me now before I head off to uni! So here it is, the long-awaited second part to the 'Rock Around The World' feature that I started before revision took over my life...

#5 - Adelaide Island, Antarctica

When I started writing this feature, I thought that there was no way that any bands came from Antarctica - home of the eskimos, polar bears and other generally snowy things. I was proved wrong by five men, who together are Nunatak - a rock band who you could say are literally the coolest on the planet! I'll be honest here, I don't really like Nunatak's music. Embedded below is their track 'how many people', so you can listen to that and make up your own mind on what you think of them, but to me their music seems poorly mixed (the vocals are way too quiet and muffled to hear the lyrics, and the drums dominate the song), and the instruments all seem slightly out-of-tune with each other. Nonetheless, I still have a lot of respect for Nunatak; they're the first band to come from Antarctica, which is pretty badass in itself, and they strike me as a few mates making music together for fun rather than a group trying to make it professionally. They're also adventurous in their choice of instruments, combining saxophones with guitars with fiddles with drums (and the list goes on), and they make music for a good cause too - the video to 'how many people', for example, was recorded for 2007's Live Earth campaign to raise awareness for environmental issues. Nunatak's music might not be great, but there's still a lot to love about them!


#6 - Gabon, Africa

Okay, so I know this feature is called 'Rock Around The World', but readers of this blog should know by now that I love all sorts of music, not just rock (although most of my favourite bands are admittedly from the heavier genres). With that in mind, my featured artist from the African continent is Jah Sagu, a new hip hop singer/rapper from Gabon. His latest song 'Black Panther Matsotse' has been whipping up a frenzy online, gaining just under 6 million hits on YouTube in only four months - not bad for a new artist who's signed to a small record label! Upon listening to the track, it's easy to understand the hype. 'Black Panther Matsotse' has everything that one could possibly want from a hip hop tune. Its beat is fresh; simple and exciting in equal measure. Jah Sagu's rapping is filled with true passion, as if he really means every word that he says in perfect timing. The chorus is incredibly catchy - even for someone like me who speaks little French and no Gabonese and therefore can't understand a word being said, it's hard not to sing along after a few listens. The mixing and general production is very professional, with the track as a whole sounding like something that could quite easily be played alongside the likes of Tinie Tempah and Labrinth on national radio. Basically, Jah Sagu has the potential to go very far indeed. His task is simple - he just needs to keep creating material on the level of 'Black Panther Matsotse', and he could easily become Gabon's first major international superstar.



#7 - Brazil, South America

And now to South America - or more specifically to Brazil, where rockers Cruz can be found. The band seems to be closely influenced by the giants of alternative rock and grunge, as is evident in tracks like 'Someday' - here, their distinctly-voiced vocalist sings in English (despite the official language of Brazil being Portuguese), their guitarists play killer riffs throughout, and the band's bassist and drummer provide a steady, constant rhythm which is generally laid back whilst sounding completely kick-ass at the same time. Despite their Western grunge-inspired sound, however, it's important to note that Cruz aren't a copycat band. 'Someday' may be a typical grunge-rock track, but tracks like 'Imunização Racional (Tim Maia)' show a completely different, more experimental side to the band's sound. Here, Cruz use a trombone - an instrument which is rarely heard in rock - in an unusual and distinctive way, and their singer sings in his native language throughout. Evidently, Cruz are a band who have their roots set firmly in classic rock and grunge, but who aren't afraid to be creative, to have fun and to try out new things. I've embedded 'Someday' below so you can hear it for yourself. Personally, I quite like their edgy, fresh take on grunge and classic rock, but at the same time I can envision their unique features being perhaps shunned by a more mainstream radio audience in the UK or America. What do you think? Comments below please!...


  So there you have it: Superunknown's trip around the world in 7 awesome artists. I hope this feature has been as much of a learning experience for you as it has been for me, and that you're inspired to spread the word about some of the artists that I've featured - they all really deserve international success, so let's make that happen!

PsyD