Cover of Afro Celt Sound System Volume 1: Sound Magic
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For fans of afro celt sound system, lovers of world and fusion music, listeners interested in cultural musical blends and trance rhythms
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THE REVIEW

On the wall enclosing the ruins, there is a laminated sheet of paper with a text in German and a few drawn kittens. There is a whole invisible class of enlightened foreigners living in Italy. From their windows, they probably watch the chaotic traffic, witness the succession of ineffective governments, cursing the Italian barbarism but hopelessly in love with something that is here and nowhere else.

In their homes, they marry spaghetti with long coffee, antique furniture with Wedgwood ceramics and patchwork bedspreads – or colored glass Tiffany lampshades – with Valentino intimates or Bulgari jewelry, while our Renaissance sun yellows their incomprehensible books. They must feel a sense of alienation, living like this between a personal past from which they have always been distancing themselves and a present that is not really theirs yet. Not here and not there, halfway between an unchangeable, deeply-rooted past and a future that might see the global village prevail over parochialisms, is also this beautiful mélange, one of the most listenable contaminations of Real World artists.

The seams of this musical Frankenstein are hidden, and each member retains their original prerogatives intact. From Ireland, the bagpipes bring lyricism, the jigs bring camaraderie, the harp brings enchantment, the fiddle brings nostalgia. From Africa, the percussion brings enthusiasm, the voices bring instinct, the talking drums bring dignity, and the winds bring mystery. The master of ceremonies is a very prominent rhythm section, which flaunts an instinctive knowledge of trance rhythms to involve everyone. The encounter soon turns into a celebration, sometimes nostalgic ("Saor"), sometimes lively ("Whirl-y-reel"), but always - and sometimes wildly ("News from Nowhere") - pop.

In this imagined planet, one of many in the galaxy of world trance, I feel foreign, displaced, but more human.

I will leave the Kitekat in the meadow, next to the wooden mask fountain. We Italians too must contribute to the well-being of our strays, signs of life from multi-ethnic friendships.

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Summary by Bot

Afro Celt Sound System's debut album is a captivating fusion of African and Celtic musical traditions. The review highlights the seamless blend of instruments and rhythms resulting in a vibrant and engaging world trance experience. Each cultural element retains its uniqueness, creating a harmonious and humanizing sound. The album balances nostalgic and lively moods, inviting listeners into a global musical celebration.

Tracklist Lyrics

01   Saor/Free / News From Nowhere (08:21)

02   Whirl-Y-Reel 1 (Beard and Sandals mix) (07:21)

03   Inion/Daughter (04:15)

Inion daoireNi mise doras dod mhuintir
Lasta an saol
Glasta gan bhaol
Da mbrisfeadh drom an tsleibhe
No fiu amhain da ndo thadh
Dearg an chre
A inion daoire
Ni mise doras dod mhuintir
Lasta an saol
Glasta gan bhaol
Lasta an saol
Glasta gan bhaol

04   Sure-As-Not / Sure-As-Knot (Jungle Segue) (09:58)

05   Nil Cead Againn Dul Abhaile/We Cannot Go Home (07:20)

06   Dark Moon, High Tide (including Farewell to Eireann) (04:12)

07   Whirl-Y-Reel 2 (Folk Police mix) (05:27)

08   House of the Ancestors (08:01)

09   Eistigh Liomsa Sealad/Listen to Me / Saor (reprise) (10:53)

Afro Celt Sound System

Afro Celt Sound System is a British music group formed in 1995 that blends African and Celtic musical traditions with electronic production. The group released its debut album Volume 1: Sound Magic on Real World Records.
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