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The Liberty of Norton Folgate - A drama

2013-02-07T17:30:02+00:00

The Liberty of Norton Folgate is Radio 4's Saturday Drama, 2.30pm Saturday 9^th February 2013.

Suggs, of legendary ska popsters Madness, is married to a brilliant singer. She’s Bette Bright of Deaf School fame. I’m at a Deaf School reunion gig - I see Bette and seize the moment to thank her for letting me use two of her songs in a musical I had written for The Liverpool Everyman.

Flattered, she invites me to have a lager shandy with her old man, Suggs. Hunched up tight in a cosy corner of The Hope Street Hotel I pitch an idea to the cheeky chap.

"BBC Radio 4. A play created around a classic concept album. What do you reckon?"

Madness in the Radio 4 studio

"Hang about," barked the bard of Camden Town. "I bet you been to Bowie for Ziggy Stardust?"

Spooky and uncannily true.

"And he turned you down?"

"Er. Well, his management did."

"Pink Floyd for Dark Side of the Moon?"

The man has a crystal ball. Nay two.

"And now you want Madness to let you loose with your grubby maulers on our classic, critically acclaimed, mega-selling The Liberty of Norton Folgate?"

OK, make that three. One for luck.

"Absolutely, old son..."

We discussed how this might work. I would not only need his approval but that of the rest of the band too. And, as luck would have it, The Liberty of Norton Folgate was the perfect concept album to go back with to my producer Jeremy Mortimer.

The next stage was to find out what inspired the album. After conversations with Suggs and Carl Smith (aka Chas Smash) I found out.

At the heart of it are the positive elements of immigration to London’s Spitalfields. How generations of immigrants have contributed to the area to make it the vibrant, unique place that it undoubtedly is.

Norton Folgate itself is a street connecting Bishopsgate with Shoreditch High Street.

A few years ago a building - much loved by the community - on Norton Folgate was threatened to be demolished. All looked doomed until it was discovered that Norton Folgate at that time was a "liberty." An independent strip of land falling outside the jurisdiction of the local council.

This story inspired the songwriters to think about the multicultural influence that had helped to build the community over generations. Each wave of immigrants, from The Huguenots to the Bangladeshis and the Poles, all contributed to the area with their various skills.

At the start of the writing process I would sit in a Turkish café on Norton Folgate. Observing. Taking photographs. Making notes. Talking and listening. Building a story. What evolved was Passport to Pimlico via Romeo and Juliet with a subplot of bigotry. A story woven around the songs on the album.

In the play, The Union café is threatened to be demolished. The livelihood of Bangladeshi owners, Gazi and Sitara, is under threat. They fear for the identity of the community. This family make a stand for preserving British culture. The right for all their customers to a full English breakfast. The right not be blanded-out by a corporate tax-evading coffee chain.

I ran the idea by the band who approved the story. Some even wanted to be in it! Much to my and Jeremy’s delight.

I worked on the plot and the structure of the play. I wrote the script and inserted the songs - listening to how the lyrics and music fitted in with the story.

Last November, Jeremy arranged a read-through at Broadcasting House with the radio rep. The songs were played as the play was read, and it was a hoot.

My dialogue often surprises radio producers (I’ve been writing for radio since broadcasting SAFE in 1991 as part of a young writers festival on radio 4). It’s faster than it appears on the page. Great! I get to write more.

Last December, Suggs, Carl Smith and founder member of Madness, Mike Barson, bowled up at Broadcasting House. We recorded their scenes. And they were brilliant playing heightened versions of themselves.

The play took over two years to develop and write.

Last December, after the play was recorded, I went to Norton Folgate to visit my Turkish café. Or rather I didn’t. Sadly, it had closed. What’s that they say about life imitating..?

So in the words of Madness (only slightly paraphrased):

Hey you, don't watch that

LISTEN to this!

This is the heavy heavy monster sound

The nuttiest sound around

So if you've come in off the street

And you're beginning to feel the heat

Well listen buster

You better start to move your feet

To the rockinest, rock-steady beat

Of madness

in The Liberty of Norton Folgate!

The Liberty of Norton Folgate is Radio 4's Saturday Drama, 2.30pm Saturday 9^th February 2013.

Mark Davies Markham writes for TV, theatre and radio. "Taboo", the West End musical he wrote for Boy George, was nominated for an Olivier Award . "Eric", his recent play for the Liverpool Everyman was also about the music industry.

Gearing up for the Folk Awards

2013-01-23T11:53:12+00:00

This week on my new BBC Radio 2 Folk Show, I’ve got some undisputed legends in session: electric folk pioneers Fairport Convention. A band who, despite their fair share of troubles, have continued to be a welcome presence on the folk scene for more than 45 years.

Folk audiences hold their elders in particularly high regard and aren’t easily distracted by fashions or fads. This was writ large at last year’s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, when the fruitful collaboration between June Tabor and Oysterband – two acts who first collaborated 20 years ago – swept the board. This was mostly considered good news by folk fans. It was a fine album, and the prizes were well deserved. But there was an element who, understandably, wondered aloud why younger acts hadn’t been better represented by the results.

June Tabor & Oysterband at the 2012 Folk Awards

The 2013 Folk Awards take place in Glasgow next week, and the landscape has subtly, but significantly, changed. Sam Lee, that remarkable young promoter, singer, dancer and song-collector from Kentish Town, released his highly original debut album in 2012 and it’s already been recognised by a Mercury Prize nomination and by winning fRoots magazine’s Critic’s Poll. Sam has two nominations. Karine Polwart, Lau, Bellowhead, Jim Moray, Sam Sweeney and Duncan Chisholm are other acts receiving multiple nominations this year. Serial nominees some of them may be, but the music they are making is, pretty much without exception, fresh, inspired, modern and challenging. The scope and quality of the five records in this year’s ‘Best Album’ category is astounding.

Of course, shiny awards are by no means the be-all and end-all, least of all in the folk world, with its assorted traditions stretching back hundreds of years. But, in the year that Bellowhead sailed up the charts and found themselves on Radio 2’s daytime playlist, the 2013 Folk Awards should offer further evidence that British folk music is enjoying another of its purple patches. Fans and critics who have yet to discover its delights are looking over and wondering once again what the fuss is about, and I sincerely hope that, after the Folk Awards open the door to the folk world, they’ll step inside and bide a while, for the music and the company is among the best they will ever find. I for one am thrilled to be getting more closely involved at this time.

- Mark Radcliffe hosts the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on Wednesday 30 January. Listen live on Radio 2 from 7.30pm, or watch all the presentations and performances on the BBC’s Red Button TV service or the Radio 2 website.

- The Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe

- Mark Radcliffe’s Music Club on BBC Radio 2

- Radcliffe and Maconie on BBC Radio 6 Music

Riots, prizes and more - This week in BBC Music

2012-09-07T14:49:48+00:00

What we've been tweeting throughout the week...

Monday we told you that Nemone had snagged a rare interview with Four Tet over on 6 Music, where he discussed his new album, Pink, among other things.

1Xtra's Stories

Tuesday we linked to the latest 1Xtra Story, entitled Did Hip Hop Predict The Riots? The answer is: not exactly, but what they're getting at is that UK hip hop has been talking rather a lot, and for some time, about the issues that newspapers seemed to suddenly become aware of all at once. Charlie Sloth, new don of the 1Xtra schedule, presents.

Wednesday we reminded you that the Mercury Prize shortlist is out next week. If you'd like to bone up on the contenders, our own Mike Diver has put together his predictions.

Thursday we let you know that Jarvis Cocker is back on 6 Music, with a typically delightful selection of songs for you. This week Jarvis visits the mighty Africa Express as it departs Euston Station.

On Friday we pointed you toward the Asian Network's Summer of Melas, available via the Red Button on your TV, hosted by Tommy Sandhu, Noreen Khan, Ray Khan & Rupal Rajani.

We also mentioned that Ben Drew - sorry, we mean Plan B - did Call My Name by Cheryl Cole - sorry, we mean Cheryl - for Fearne Cotton in the Radio 1 Live Lounge this week. We're trying, Ben and Cheryl, we're trying. There was also the perhaps less surprising choice of his new single, Deepest Shame, and a duet with Timothy McKenzie - sorry, we mean Labrinth - on Playing With Fire.

Coming Up

Patsy Cline

If you missed BBC Four's and 6 Music's Punk Britannia season earlier this summer, you can watch this hour of great punk performances on the BBC. The show airs tonight and will be available to watch for a week.

Tonight, on Radio Scotland's Another Country With Ricky Ross, there's also what promises to be a terrific tribute to Patsy Cline, who would be 80 years old on Saturday.

On Sunday, Radio 2 is in Hyde Park! Tom Jones, Jessie J, Paloma Faith, Emeli Sande and the Average White Band will be soaking up what's left of the summer sunshine (and hopefully nothing wetter).

Out Next Week

Here are our reviews of next week's tipped releases, from the likes of Alberta Cross, Animal Collective, Bob Dylan, Calexico, David Byrne and St Vincent, Gallows, Gwilym Gold, Jack Beats, Mala, Pet Shop Boys, Race Horses, The xx and TOY.

Monday Roundup

2012-09-03T10:55:33+00:00

What we've been tweeting about and more...

Last week

Notting Hill Carnival 2012

1Xtra was broadcasting all afternoon from Notting Hill Carnival on Monday, with Sarah Jane Crawford, Adele Roberts, Seani B, and Ace & Vis welcoming guests throughout the day in their "secret location" (it was... a pub). When the sound systems shut down, we played Norman Jay's set from the Good Times bus, which you can still hear for the next few hours.

Tuesday we let you know about The xx's new album, Coexist, reviewed by our own Mike Diver. It is hotly tipped! By the way, have you noticed the similarity in the cover art between this record and Alt-J's? What does this trend for oily iridescence portend?

On Wednesday we linked to the Country Music Association Music Festival (there's a mouthful) on Radio 2 but sadly the audio's expired. If you're still in the festival mood, there's 1 1/2 hours of Reading + Leeds 2012 coverage available to watch as a full-length programme, or you can watch individual sets online.

DJ Q in the 1Xtra studio

We also told you about Huddersfield native DJ Q's last show for 1Xtra, featuring a ridiculous array of guests in studio and on the phone, paying tribute to arguably the most open-minded and surprising UK garage DJ going.

Amy Macdonald was in Fulham on Thursday for a live gig on Radio 2. She talked with Jo Whiley about her new record afterwards.

On the other side of town, Sir Simon Rattle was conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in performances of Wagner, Sibelius, Debussy and Ravel, as Proms 2012 continues.

On Friday our album reviews editor Mike Diver interviewed Rita Ora for this very blog (scroll down), asking her about her album, her vocal range, and what it's like to take studio songs to festival stages.

He also highlighted his favourite albums of August, so if you've been away somewhere, lounging at a cafe on the beach listening to a 2002 Buddha Bar compilation on repeat, this is a good way to catch up.

Coming up

The Shadows

Richard Hawley presents a Radio 2 documentary on The Shadows tonight at 10pm BST, from their Tyneside skiffle days to the years of London rock and roll.

Wretch 32 is in the studio with Toddla T on Friday, picking out some of his favourite tracks.

And finally, Last Night of the Proms is bearing down on us in all its pomp and glory. If you can't be there in person, there are plenty of other ways to see it - at your local cinema, on a big screen in the park, or at home - in 3D!

Out this week

We review brand-new albums by Alberta Cross, Animal Collective, Booker T. & the MG's, Cat Power, Euros Childs, iamamiwhoami, Ronan Keating, Sam Carter, Scouting for Girls, Staff Benda Bilili, Sucioperro, The Orb feat. Lee "Scratch" Perry, The Vaccines and Two Door Cinema Club

The Best Albums of 2012... So Far

2012-06-26T12:50:04+00:00

Six months down, six to go. BBC Music asked a selection of its own DJs and reviewers, plus a handful of friends from across the industry, to name their favourite albums of the year so far. And below are the results. Enjoy!

Please note that these lists are not ranked - they're just five albums that the DJ or writer in question has really enjoyed. That said, the amount of love evident for the Alt-J, Death Grips, Poliça and Grimes albums marks them as true standouts of 2012 so far.

- - -

Sean Adams - founder/editor, Drowned in Sound (external link)

Chromatics - Kill for Love (BBC review)
Blondes - Blondes
Poliça - Give You the Ghost (BBC review)
Blood Red Shoes - In Time to Voices (BBC review)
School of Seven Bells - Ghostory (BBC review)

On YouTube: Poliça - Lay Your Cards Out (external link)

- - -

Matthew Bennett - deputy editor, Clash (external link); BBC reviewer

Death Grips - The Money Store (BBC review)
Gang Colours - The Keychain Collection (BBC review)
Alt-J - An Awesome Wave (BBC review)
Grimes - Visions (BBC review)
Lazer Sword - Memory

On YouTube: Gang Colours - Fancy Restaurant (external link)

- - -

Mike Diver - BBC album reviews editor

John Talabot - ƒin (BBC review)
El-P - Cancer4Cure (BBC review)
Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music (BBC review)
The Invisible - Rispah (BBC review)
Death Grips - The Money Store

On YouTube: El-P - The Full Retard (external link; contains strong language and scenes of violence, nudity and drug use which may offend... not to mention puppet abuse)

- - -

John Doran - founder/editor, The Quietus; BBC reviewer

Carter Tutti Void - Transverse (BBC review)
Can - The Lost Tapes (BBC review)
The Thing and Neneh Cherry - The Cherry Thing (BBC review)
VCMG - SSSS (BBC review)
Dope Body - Natural History

On YouTube: The Thing and Neneh Cherry - Accordion (external link; contains language which may offend)

- - -

JJ Dunning - editor, The Fly (external link)

A Place to Bury Strangers - Worship
Guided By Voices - Class Clown Spots a UFO
Grimes - Visions
Graham Coxon - A+E (BBC review)
Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship (BBC review)

On YouTube: Here We Go Magic - How Do I Know (external link)

- - -

Chris Hawkins - DJ, BBC 6 Music

Pepe DeluxÃ© - Queen of the Wave (BBC review)
Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls (BBC review)
Ren Harvieu - Through The Night (BBC review)
Yeti Lane - The Echo Show (BBC review)
Cornershop - Urban Turban (BBC review)

On YouTube: Ren Harvieu - Open Up Your Arms (external link)

- - -

Tom Howard - reviews editor, NME (external link)

Hodgy Beats - Untitled EP
Actress - RIP (BBC review)
Jack White - Blunderbuss (BBC review)
Death Grips - The Money Store
Pond - Beard, Wives, Denim

On YouTube: Death Grips - The Fever (Aye Aye) (external link; contains strong language)

- - -

Paul Lester - Guardian (external link); BBC reviewer

Death Grips - The Money Store
SpaceGhostPurrp - Mysterious Phonk (BBC review)
Nite Jewel - One Second of Love (BBC review)
Hodgy Beats - Untitled EP
Saint Etienne - Words and Music by Saint Etienne (BBC review)

On YouTube: Saint Etienne, Tonight (external link)

- - -

Janice Long - DJ, BBC Radio 2

The Maccabees - Given to the Wild (BBC review)
Richard Hawley - Standing at the Sky's Edge (BBC review)
Django Django - Django Django (BBC review)
Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
Jack Savoretti - Before the Storm (BBC review)

On YouTube: Alt-J - Breezeblocks (external link)

- - -

Jen Long - DJ, BBC Radio 1; BBC reviewer

2:54 - 2:54 (BBC review)
Poliça - Give You the Ghost
Bright Light Bright Light - Make Me Believe in Hope
Cadence Weapon - Hope in Dirt City (BBC review)
TOPS - Tender Opposites

On YouTube: Cadence Weapon - Conditioning (external link)

- - -

Zane Lowe - DJ, BBC Radio 1

The Invisible - Rispah
Poliça - Give You the Ghost
Jack White - Blunderbuss
Odd Future - The OF Tape Vol 2 (BBC review)
Alt-J - An Awesome Wave

On YouTube: The Invisible - Wings (external link)

- - -

Chris Martin - DJ, Amazing Radio (external link)

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
Django Django - Django Django
Team Me - To the Treetops
The Maccabees - Given to the Wild
Band of Skulls - Sweet Sour (BBC review)

On YouTube: Band of Skulls - Bruises (external link)

- - -

Ralph McLean - DJ, BBC Radio Ulster

Dexys - One Day I'm Going to Soar (BBC review)
Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls
Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Americana (BBC review)
Dr John - Locked Down (BBC review)
Willie Nelson - Heroes (BBC review)

On YouTube: Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Jesus' Chariot (She'll be Coming Round the Mountain) (external link)

- - -

Jez Nelson - DJ, Jazz on 3, BBC Radio 3

Troyka - Moxxy (BBC review)
The Thing and Neneh Cherry - The Cherry Thing
E.S.T. - 301 (BBC review)
Asunder Trio - The Lamp
Steve Lehman - Dialect Fluorescent

On YouTube: Troyka - Moxxy (introduction) (external link)

- - -

Nemone - DJ, BBC 6 Music

Poliça - Give You the Ghost
Blockhead - Interludes After Midnight
Richard Hawley - Standing at the Sky's Edge
Hot Chip - In Our Heads (BBC review)
Alt-J - An Awesome Wave

On YouTube: Hot Chip - Night & Day (external link)

- - -

Rob da Bank - DJ, BBC Radio 1

Grimes - Visions
Hot Chip - In Our Heads
Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls
Holy Other - Held (bit of a cheat here, Rob - this isn't out until August)
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Trouble (BBC review)

On YouTube: Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Household Good (external link; contains strong language)

- - -

Laura Snapes - associate editor, Pitchfork (external link)

Sharon Van Etten - Tramp (BBC review)
Field Music - Plumb (BBC review)
Ramona Falls - Prophet
Niki and the Dove - Instinct (BBC review)
Sophia Knapp - Into the Waves

On YouTube: Sharon Van Etten - Leonard (external link)

- - -

Huw Stephens - DJ, BBC Radio 1

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar (BBC review)
The 2 Bears - Be Strong (BBC review)
Niki and the Dove - Instinct
Tom Williams and The Boat - Teenage Blood (BBC review)

On YouTube: First Aid Kit - Blue (external link)

- - -

Jo Whiley - DJ, BBC Radio 2

Emeli SandÃ© - Our Version of Events (BBC review)
Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls
The Maccabees - Given to the Wild
Richard Hawley - Standing at the Sky's Edge
Jack White - Blunderbuss

On YouTube: Jack White, Love Interruption (external link)

The Best Albums of January 2012

2012-02-03T11:10:18+00:00

BBC Album Reviews Editor Mike Diver casts an ear over the best of the bunch from January's raft of new record releases.

Album of the Month

Django Django - Django Django
(Because Music; released 30 January)
Recommended by: 6 Music Album of the Day, Vic Galloway, Tom Robinson, Lauren Laverne

"Smart but not showy, clever but never at the expense of a catchy hook, this is 'indie' par excellence: guitars that ring through the mix like a clarion call from the inspired to take up arms against the dunderheaded legions of lad-rockers; buzzing synths that swirl around like a cloud of friendly wasps; lyrics delivered in mantras, summoning forth similar sermons to those once purveyed by the mighty Beta Band."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for Waveforms on YouTube (external link)

- - -

The best of the rest...

Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
(Polydor; released 30 January)
Recommended by: Jo Whiley, Janice Long, 6 Music Album of the Day

"Born to Die isn't perfect: it slumps slightly towards the end, and the glossy trip-hop production grows wearying on lesser gothic melodramas like Dark Paradise. But it's the most distinctive and assured debut since Glasvegas' eponymous disc in 2008, and makes you desperate to see where she goes from here. Del Rey's defenders can take a break: Born to Die does their job better than they could hope to."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for Blue Jeans on YouTube (external link)

The 2 Bears - Be Strong
(Southern Fired; released 30 January)
Recommended by: Kissy Sell Out, 6 Music Album of the Day, Rob da Bank, Nick Grimshaw

"Be Strong, in short, is superb: a joyous amalgam of disco textures and dancefloor stylings which never fail to bring a big grin to your face. A love letter to the last 20-plus years of dance nation sensations which references the finest moments with a cheery and cheeky approach, this is far from a pastiche. In a just world, this set would sell by the bucket-load. So yeah, follow the bears. You know it makes sense."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for Work on YouTube (external link)

The Maccabees - Given to the Wild
(Fiction; released 9 January)
Recommended by: 6 Music Album of the Day, Zane Lowe, Jo Whiley, Radio 1 Review Show, Victoria Derbyshire

"Whether Given to the Wild provides the hoped-for kick up the festival billings this summer remains to be seen - at times the obsessive shading masks a lack of melodic punch - but its makers are right to be proud of it. If only all bands had the guts and honesty of The Maccabees, maybe they'd get round to making third records as good as this."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for Pelican on YouTube (external link)

Chairlift - Something
(Young Turks; released 23 January)
Recommended by: Rob da Bank, Nick Grimshaw

"Far from being the expected hook-shy mope, Something does what so many of us fail to do when romantic endeavours go arse-over-tit. It offers a confident, head-held-high reappraisal of the band's MO, with the newly-promoted Wimberly a more than capable foil for Polachek's songwriting smarts. In producing a focussed follow-up that completely transcends its litigious backstory, Chairlift have summoned a watertight case for the defence with their second LP."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for Amanaemonesia on YouTube (external link)

Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
(Columbia; released 30 January)
Recommended by: Jarvis Cocker, 6 Music Album of the Day, Bethan Elfyn

"As with any album to which Leonard Cohen puts his name, Old Ideas is a work which displays great finesse. The music presented is gentle, even fragile, with backing vocals and instrumentation similar to that heard during his brace of UK concerts four years ago. But as ever, it is the author's sense of poetic balance that renders this release as being a work of art."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for Show Me the Place on YouTube (external link)

Portico Quartet - Portico Quartet
(Real World Records; released 30 January)
Recommended by: Jamie Cullum, Gilles Peterson, Late Junction

"Everything still sounds familiarly Portico Quartet, only fresh, forward-thinking and a little bit tougher. Their arrangements and wide-open ambience remain sparse, but, on InterRailing-inspired Window Seat, are paired with drifting synths; elsewhere, Ruins and Steepless carry the Radiohead gene always present in their improbably tuneful experiments. As journeys go, this one's endlessly absorbing."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for Ruins on YouTube (external link)

First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
(Wichita; released 23 January)
Recommended by: Another Country with Ricky Ross, Tom Robinson, 6 Music Album of the Day, Rob da Bank, Loose Ends

"Johanna and Klara Sodenberg's close harmonies charm unaffectedly, pitched in the mix like the faint voices of songbirds echoing through a woodland scene, and it's difficult to imagine anyone topping this collection in 2012. Sat neatly between Laura Marling's trauma, Alessi's Ark's florid scenes and Joni Mitchell's spot-lit thoughts, First Aid Kit's second album lines them up as the band most likely to cross over into the big time."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for The Lion's Roar on YouTube (external link)

Laura Gibson - La Grande
(City Slang; released 9 January)
Recommended by: 6 Music Album of the Day, Another Country with Ricky Ross, Bethan Elfyn

"Her voice, which has always been pretty, in a vintage, timeless kind of way, reaches new levels here. On songs like The Rushing Dark, call-to-arms Time Is Not and measured, graceful closer Feather Lungs, they add to the record a wonderful old scratched-vinyl quality. This gem of a long-player - both sleepy and steely, mystical yet rooted in very real and universal themes - deserves all the plaudits that will hopefully meet its release."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for La Grande on YouTube (external link)

Errors - Have Some Faith in Magic
(Rock Action; released 30 January)
Recommended by: Marc Riley, Huw Stephens, Vic Galloway, Tom Robinson

"Have Some Faith in Magic is impressively characterised by its very organic design. It sounds as if it's the work of human trial and error, rather than a series of computer-coded phrases and melodies, and it's this fragility that really has it standing out as the work of a band hitting its peak. This is, easily, the Scottish 'post-electro' band's most composed, defined album to date."

Read the full BBC review
Watch the official video for Pleasure Places on YouTube (external link)

Nitin Sawhney Spins the Globe

2012-01-09T16:55:31+00:00

Words cannot really express the excitement I feel in being given a platform to express and play some of my favourite music on BBC Radio 2. This is a "no-holds-barred" perspective on music from around the globe, looking at music for exactly what it is - a universal language. All my work over the last 25 years as a producer and composer, whether through my albums, with orchestras, through film, television, dance, as a club dj, through soundtracks for theatre or even videogames, has been focussed towards breaking down boundaries in musical exploration. I felt this strongly with my score for BBC's Human Planet series last year. I took that opportunity to create music inspired by emotional aspects of human resilience around the world rather than the location of respective cultures or groups.

When I was a kid I remember listening, by lamplight, to the pirate station - Radio Caroline - for the weekly "Personal Top 30" spots, which resonated like sonic chocolate boxes of sumptuous melody. I loved the freedom of how those playlists, selected by random listeners, would follow no particular pattern or rules other than the nuances of subjective taste. "Nitin Sawhney Spins the Globe" is my take on that philosophy based on 25 years of experience and travels as a fulltime musician and Dj. I grew up with a wistful admiration for audacious explorers keen to share their intrepid tales of global adventure.

In 2001 I was lucky enough to travel around the world myself, meeting singers, street musicians and tribal elders from many different countries. This 4 part radio 2 series feels like another step on that same wonderful journey and brings together many of the elements and influences that have fuelled my obsession with global sounds. I hope listeners get the same buzz from this series that I did in presenting it.

Listen to Nitin Sawhney Spins the Globe, Thursdays, 23.00 on Radio 2 or listen online.