All posts by Rourke Healey

Global Soundscape

Serenity Gathering Recap: Conversation with Kalya Scintilla & Eve Olution

Upon returning from Serenity Gathering, we feel the utmost exuberance from the experience we had. The intimacy, openness and intention of the festival allowed for a container to fully drop in, release the body and recharge the heart and mind. The smaller production of Serenity at Woodward Reservoir was easily noticed compared to the large scale of Symbiosis we observed in the past. The close knit feel provided a nourishing energy, that was not over stimulating and fluidly comfortable throughout.

The music, spirit and community connection during the weekend created great momentum to carry forward into the vibrant summer months ahead. In celebration of the festival’s strong impression on us, we are incredibly excited to present our post-coverage interview with the closing artist and headliner Kalya Scintilla and Eve Olution.

As a leading contributor at Serenity Gathering and events like it, we invited Kalya to offer personal insights on how he makes his music and how it is received. Our conversation ranges from a discussion on the inclusion of nature and sampling techniques to appropriation and the importance of ancient culture in electronic music production today. Enjoy!

  1. Australian Inspiration

Breaking Borders: Inspiration from your Australian background has certainly helped you create a signature for your sound. You’ve mentioned that you’ve even picked up the didgeridoo after a series of dreams. How has aboriginal dreamtime and integration of nature consciousness played into your music production?

Kalya Scintilla and Eve Olution: There is an intimate link that has been there from the start. It is only now after living abroad for 5+ years that I see and feel how deep that link is. Growing up in that ancient land and spending a lot of my early years from child to adult in ‘the bush’ it was just second nature. I never really  thought about the influence that Land has on art until I started to see the patterns when creating music in other foreign lands. Nature is ever present. Infinitely inspiring. She is clear and focused, serene and calming (most of the time). When you immerse yourself in her world you have no choice but to breathe that soothing energy into your life and all that you do. She is still the number one inspiration for all my artistic endeavors.

The Dreamtime, stories and wisdom of the indigenous tribes of Australia have started to weave their way into my life in a big way in the last 6 months. I have been reading books, listening to music and chants, watching documentaries and brought a new Dreaming Diary to write down my dreams again. The new Merkaba songs intend to focus this inspiration and energy.

https://soundcloud.com/kalyascintilla/01-kalya-scintilla-manzanita?in=kalyascintilla/sets/listen-to-the-trees

  1. Inspiration From the Ancient

Your music blends technological elements from today with traditional elements from the past. What inspires you to root your music so deeply in these indigenous sounds? Do you feel that incorporating ancient culture elicits something in the listener that is relevant today?

For the most part ancient tribes and peoples had a stronger and more healthy relationship with our mother earth. Not all of them of course, there were many ancients that caused destruction. But I tend to listen for stories of those attuned to the mother and weave that into the narrative and intention of the songs. Eve weaves this energy in through the live performance.

We echo the stories and sounds of the ancients because we feel it as a necessary grounding force for our current state as a human family. There is currently so much disconnection from an awareness, relationship and responsibility to the earth. It looks as though things are very much out of balance and yet inside every human lies the connection to all that has come before. Many humans live a lot of their life looking into a screen, living entirely from their head. There is nothing wrong with technology but if we quest for it in a way where we forget our connection to the mother then its game over, which is now becoming obvious to everyone.

Through music and performance that has intentionally been created to carry a feeling of something ancient, we intend to offer a moment to reconnect to our bodies and thus reconnect to mother earth.

It’s as simple as a drum beat and bare feet dancing on the earth.

  1. Audio Alchemy

With your participation as a speaker for the Audio Alchemy Retreat last year, you had the opportunity to teach about your music production process on a deeper level. Can you sum up your connection to the Audio Alchemy process in reflection to your own workflow? How does incorporating esoteric elements into your process help define your sound?

We (Eve and I)  simply create stories and intentions based on what inspires and resonates with us. Then we jam and collage ideas and throw things back and forth. The key is to be light hearted and to have fun during the creation process. The times I have become to serious or mental the music stops writing itself and the struggle is real. There is a huge link between self work, respect, and the creative process; so when it is creation time we like to get in a flow of eating well, getting lots of sleep, taking time to rest and be in nature.

Whatever you are embodying in your life will end up in your creative mandala.

  1. Using Samples to Connect with Former Selves

Your insights from a past interview have brought forth the idea that using samples from a variety of locations and time periods can evoke a connection to past incarnations of the self. Bridging off from this, what instruments, rhythms and/or frequencies do you particularly resonate with for this purpose? What are some of the ways you work with specific samples and sound design techniques that transmit a strong effect on the listener?

It’s all in the feeling. A simple beat of an African drum is already taking you back to an ancient place…. Why? Because we now know that the current human came from Africa and all of our blood links back to that place. There is a library of human story in our blood and DNA and we are just starting to understand this concept and its importance. That’s why I feel a certain place, sound or smell can trigger a familiar feeling when experiencing it for the first time. It’s like time travel but the technology is not some advanced machine created on the outside, its the human body and its infinite wisdom on the inside.

The way we tap into this wisdom is not through the mind and its brilliant ability to calculate but through the heart and it’s effortless ability to navigate.

So as far as technique goes it’s all about feeling throughout the process. Playing with ideas, visions and concepts and feeling them as you create. It’s a feedback loop between your body and your art… always.

I intend to translate this process deeper into a video or course one day.

  1. Sampling and Appropriation

In recent years, there has been a debate over the act of appropriation versus appreciation within electronic music production. When incorporating samples from other cultures that are not your own, where do you see this line drawn with regards to appropriating traditions versus honoring them through music?

The fact I stated earlier sums it up. Through DNA testing we can see and know that we are ALL connected. Through awareness of the lines of wisdom from ancient Tibet, India, Indonesia, Egypt, Africa, and so many more we hear a human story of reincarnation. A story that for thousands of years has told us that the soul never dies and choses to come back into human form again and again. Through these two lines of science and spirituality we are already seeing the story of separation dissolve.

If we look at the history of most countries around the world we see a story of invasion. Tribes conquering tribes, countries invading countries. All ethnic expressions dominating each other and themselves for thousands and thousands of years. Again this awareness gives us a sense of moving from a story of us versus them and into a story of us…. All Humans.

If you understand this you can experience reverence, honoring and intention to all human cultures. These shape the expression, your authentic connection, and awareness of ancient peoples when you choose to echo their sounds or stories. I feel that if your choice is to express an ancient culture’s sound or story which is intentionally done in a way of honoring, celebrating them, as well as respecting their customs, traditions, and rituals then this is extremely positive.

The way that the term ‘cultural appropriation’ is being used nowadays is a form of racism and segregation. Imagine if someone yelled ‘cultural appropriation’ at you because you ate a pizza and you’re not Italian. You see…. It doesn’t make sense. You are a human celebrating being a human and loving your pizza when you eat it.

The ancient stories, rituals, cultures, are becoming lost and forgotten; so it’s our responsibility to assist them to echo back to the future. If an ancient culture does not want their story told, then we need to respect that too.

And the story of the drunk kid at a festival wearing a Native American War Bonnet…. Why waste your energy shaming them when you can take the time to educate and inspire them instead. Teach them something about those ancient peoples that will then show them the doorway to knowledge and reverence.

  1. Live Elements

Adding a live component can certainly bring more energy and connection to an electronic music experience, just as you introduced with the live performance art and narrative of Eve Olution. How do you feel the crowd’s interaction with your music has evolved now that there is additional live accompaniment on top of an already rich tapestry of sound?

In the same way that music can trigger an emotion and an altered state so can theatre. Through her training and background in classical theatre, Eve brings a cultivated transmission of true embodiment. She invites us into the present moment, authentically modulating her emotion body and subtle energy so that it may be felt by those open to feel it. This assists in creating another, deeper, more subtle layer to the experience on the dance floor. The human energy field extends far beyond the body and we know that humans experience cathartic and empathic connections with one another over distance. So Eve will create an archetype/character or emotion matching the music and that will ripple out through the crowd. The vibe of the entire space changes as people become energetically invited into experiencing the present moment where sensations are heightened and everyone feels more connected & alive.

That’s the magic, power, and medicine of true theatre!

https://soundcloud.com/kalyascintilla/01-evocation-master-2444-full?in=kalyascintilla/sets/ope-ancient-eyes-a-story-book-of-earth

  1. Serenity’s Size

Serenity Gathering’s relatively small size must be exciting for you to play as it allows for a more intimate connection with the crowd and a unified experience. What about Serenity Gathering and smaller festivals in general do you look forward to as opposed to larger attractions? Do you have an ideal environment to perform in?

Intimate gatherings can and do have a special vibe to them that’s not often found at larger ones. But that said there are some large festivals out there that hold a special vibe overall. This concept of a unified experience is something I feel we, as a festival culture, are still working towards. When you have so many substances available these days to change your filter and perspective, the energy can become quite the opposite of unified. Now I’m not saying that anyone should not do anything if it’s not hurting another human, but imagine what it would be like if when we shift from using festivals, substances and dancing as a way to escape to instead using them to re-connect. Green superfood smoothies for all!

Global Soundscape, Interview

A Call to Action with Rising Appalachia

Rising Appalachia Interview and Special Feature

We are incredibly excited to offer this very special Thanksgiving artist interview and Breaking Borders feature with the highly acclaimed deeply soulful, southern world-folk duo Rising Appalachia!

The incredible collective voice of sisters Leah Song And Chloe Smith have resonated with us deeply over the last years and continue to inspire us through their passion and spirit for world culture both old and new. By bridging folk tradition with contemporary relevance, their songs speak with intention to reconnect to cultural roots, social justice and harmony as a people. They show a strong commitment to working creatively at a grass roots level keeping them accessible to all. Through the power of sound, story and song Rising Appalachia raises the bar in music today, empowering woman world wide and representing joy, simplicity and meaning in all they have to offer.

We were honored to have the opportunity to connect with the sisters a month ago as they embarked on their current “Resilience Tour” up and down the Western USA. The tour reaches many small towns and every major city on the West Coast including a very a special show in our hometown of San Francisco at The Great American Music Hall on November 26th.  Here is the FB Event and tickets.

They will be joined by their beloved bandmates Biko Casini (percussion) and David Brown (bassist/guitarist) with whom they have been performing, since their last album tour in 2015. The current “Resilience” movement for the band is a powerful response to the current state of the world, acknowledging the challenging times we face today and encouraging personal empowerment for ourselves and local communities to take action from the ground up.

“We are a resilient people in challenging times! And now more than ever we need to be making music.”

For the last five years, the music and ethos put forth by Rising Appalachia has greatly influenced our pursuits for the cross-cultural work we do here at Breaking Borders and has given us meaningful intent to keep our spirits high. In our interview, we ask the two songstresses Leah and Chloe to speak in depth about certain characteristics that make Rising Appalachia unique and truly stand out today as international musicians for change.img_0894

Breaking Borders: How did Rising Appalachia come into being? What was your intention behind the project? What were some of the driving forces that helped form your identity?? 

Leah: Rising Appalachia was born out of our long term immersion into southern roots music. We were raised in a family that kept Duke Ellington vinyl playing, and both our mother and father got very involved in Southern folk music traditions … so our whole childhood was steeped in music. When we decided to record an album we were mostly wanting to document the peculiar and rich soundtrack of our lives. There were so many different influences that created the bedrock of our musical tastes. From Old Appalachian mountain tunes, to the early days of Outkast, the South was our soundtrack. We wanted to create a platform to showcase all those influences, and at that time those genres didn’t historically mix. We wanted to make music that referenced all those sounds as much as they had influenced us. And there was born Rising Appalachia.

Can you describe the connection you both have to the American South? How does your love and admiration of the Southern soul translate into your music and message? What kind of story are you telling about the South that you want to express to the rest of the world?

Chloe: Well, we are sisters so we of course have the birth connection to the south and to our blood family there.  But beyond that, we have the same fluctuating emotions for the south that most people do that are from there.  Its love, its hate, its sort of a moving body of opinions depending on the times and the seasons and your neighbors.  However, the love comes from the cultural heritage of the place… the songs we were brought up singing, our foods and crazy salty rich recipes, the feeling of front porch talks and hot summer breezes, fireflies on the mountain, and the hospitality and sweetness of many southern folk.  Its sweaty and sticky and complicated sort of region.  But we want to express in our music the importance of having a sense of place, of belonging to somewhere or something, and of singing the songs of ones ancestors and family members which we all have access to with a little bit of digging.a4037627462_10

Rising Appalachia’s unique incorporation of international folk tradition seems to reflect an intention of bringing people back to the roots in contemporary time. In your words, what is the significance of folk tradition today? It what ways do indigenous worldviews impact your own lifestyles, music and visions?

Chloe: Folk music and folk practices ( Im thinking specifically of craft work, medicine, cooking and preparing, storytelling, dance, and other forms of expression and gathering) are simple, and that is why we hold on so dearly to them in contemporary times.  That simplicity is peaceful and historic and full of information to pass down.  I was raised in folk music and so I saw first hand the community it sprouted and the relationships it formed and in many ways a lot of young people I know now don’t have those sorts of things to grasp on to.  Nothing passed down from the family necessarily.  Its a great malnourishment of our country and I think people are awakening to that and doing the work to recreate it in their own lives.

What inspired you to start following this path of studying traditional cultures and world wide travel? Do you have a favorite moment(s) of encountering indigenous traditions or culture during your travels?

Chloe: Our father traveled around the world before Leah and I were born, and that gave him a lot of very interesting fodder for our dinner table conversations.  We learned about different cultures and communities through his stories at an early age, and thus the seed was planted.  Additionally, our mother was an international flight attendant for 30 years… so that travel bug was strong in the Smiths.

We knew that music was a glue in our lives, and we both wanted to explore other countries folk traditions pretty soon out of high school so as to broaden that scope.  One of our favorite memories was visiting Bulgaria on a cultural tour that a good friend of ours set up for us years back.  He was Bulgarian and loved our Appalachian styled music and wanted us to experience the rich mountain singing traditions of his country.  We went to the Pirin Mountains together to a small village of mostly women farmers ripe with songs and laughter and shared songs and music and cherry liquor for a few days with very little language exchange, only the music to hold on to.  There were no young people in the village and all the singers we met were 65 and older, so they were thrilled and tickled to have young somewhat weird looking ( tattooed/pierced) foreigners visiting and swooning over their intricate and haunting harmonies.  Its still one of most visceral moments of song catching.

img_0540

Rising Appalachia performs at both small local and large festival venues, always spreading messages of unity and creating positive social change through music and action. What inspired you to begin walking this path towards social and environmental justice?

Leah: We walked that path before we began the band, so it has always felt like a natural fusion of interests.

screen-shot-2016-11-24-at-12-42-25-pm

“We have always wanted to use music literally as a vehicle to connect to people- to place and to culture.”

 

What is your perspective on using music as a tool of activism for creating change in the world? Can you explain this parallel of activism and art in reflection to Rising Appalachia? Do you believe this has driving force for your success? If so, how?

Leah: It is a concept and an intention for us to be touring sustainably, and to be creating music with a purpose. We have always wanted to use music literally as a vehicle to connect to people- to place and to culture. And the music industry itself is such a FAST paced machine. We began to feel really disconnected from the pulse of our work. We started a project this year called the Slow music is a way to remind us to take the time to tour in a way that is sustainable- both physically and environmentally as well as emotionally (which might actually be the most important part). So it means challenging the status quo of touring: physically slowing down and staying in regions for longer amounts of time, staying locally and eating local food from the places where we are making music, taking days off in between shows to get into wild places and learn about the nature of each place, connecting each show to local non-profits that are doing direct action work in their communities so that our impact can create longer relationships than just a few hours at a show, exploring alternative travel options (like train, recycled fuel, sail boat, horse back, eat).
We also bring in local non-profits to each show to allow our audience to have more of a relationship with the place that THEY live and create those connections that last long beyond the show. Each night we hope that there are components of celebration, components of local activism, a dance party, and a place for us to encourage more direct action. Everyones path into activism is different and everyones voice is important. We try and create a place where all walks of life are welcome to come be a part of our experience.

risingappalbumcoversquare-1400x14001-1024x1024

A more recent conceptual movement of Rising Appalachia is the idea of “Wider Circles” and expanding yourselves to work with more people and musicians as well as reach wider audiences and cultural backgrounds. What was your intention behind this movement and album? Why do you believe it is an important concept today? How has this movement of “Wider Circles” manifested within your recent projects and performances?

Chloe: We have grown so much the past few years and there were so many people on board helping us to do so that we wanted to write a song capturing the value of those  expanding circles.  Rising Appalachia has always been a sort of “all hands on deck” type project with countless supporters behind the scenes and we feel very much that a large amount of our success is due to some of those people.  The song is a sort of thank you to them, as well as a anthem to encourage people to widen their own circles and invite more people in.  We see so much shutting down, separating off, and divisive language in our main stream media these days that can really isolate the human heart into feeling pretty alone and conflicted with “different” people.  Wider Circles is a song about going to the center of those hard conversations and committing to the work that will unify.  Its about showing up at the table.  Its about marching.  Its about walking the path of kindness in that work and being humble in knowing whom has come before you.

“I think that in order to enact change we have to keep showing up at the table over and over again.”

 

A big platform for Rising Appalachia to reach people is through the the global festival culture. What is your stance on festivals being a catalyst for change? Do you see festival culture functioning in a way that “breaks down” social norms? And if so, in what way?

Leah: To be honest we have a lot of critique of the festival culture. We are invited to be a part of a lot of events that boast change-making principles, but they often feel like they are disconnected from some of the action that is needed to create a shift. I think its ok to throw a party, but call a spade a spade. Transformation is a bigger task than just a party. It takes some discomfort, and some hard work, ad reaching people who don’t look, think talk or act like you. Some of the most profound events that we have been a part of are some of the smaller gatherings that are directly working to impact change (and not just a big party with a few workshops and classes on the side) like : Alternate Roots, The South Eastern Women’s Herbalist Conference, Jungle Camp, the Permaculture Action Network events, The Lake Eden Arts Festival, Honor the Earth events, Benefit shows, ect. I think that in order to enact change we have to keep showing up at the table over and over again. I am thankful that the festival culture exists and creates spaces for young people to show up and question the social norms, but i hope that it is only the first step and many people learn how to go much deeper to challenge the status quo.

After performing throughout the summer at many festivals and gatherings across the U.S and Internationally, you have now embarked on a new journey dubbed the Resilience Tour throughout the Western States. The tour is also coinciding with a documentary release shot in New Orleans during Jazz Fest early this year. What is the significance of both the tour and documentary being done at the same time? In your opinion, what is the concept of ‘resilience” responding to in this time period? What is your intention behind this movement?

Chloe: We felt like the word Resiliency is perfect for this season because in its essence it evokes a sense of toughness, levity, and positivity that we all NEED right now.  It has also been a great spark in dialogue about how people are being resilient in their own communities, how people will be resilient after the elections, and how art and community can help in those processes.  We hope to create a container at our concerts for both action as well as release/relief from the constant batter of the daily grind, providing local nonprofit and outreach information that encourages direct involvement as well as singing songs that soothe.

19iiin0_dheac0ytshtnr4a-2

What does the future look like for Rising Appalachia? What is the next step for you as a band as well as an active force for change in the community? Any new tours, music, collaborations on the horizon?

Chloe: We can only ever guess about the future, as planning it too tightly can constrict the spontaneity of growth.  However, we are of course writing, learning new songs with teachers, planning action days and furthering our ideas of “The Slow Music Movement”, refining our voices and meditating what we want to be saying out there, collaborating with mentors, and generally keeping one foot at home and one eye out on the horizon… hoping to strike that perfect balance of pushing ourselves while remaining rooted.  2017 will put us abroad much more, which we are very very excited about after touring all over the States for the past few years.  We hope to do some horse-tours as well as a Seed to Sail tour raising awareness about Permaculture.  All sorts of good things coming… 😉

screen-shot-2016-11-24-at-12-39-56-pm

In conjunction with their show in SF on 11/26, the band will be hosting a very special Bay Area Permaculture Action Day on Sunday 11/27 with City of Dreams, a local non-profit dedicated to youth leadership for low-income residence. The Action Day will be held at the non-profit’s youth-run community garden at the Oakdale Community Center in San Francisco. The one-day festival will be an active family-friendly outing which will include a variety of hands-on permaculture projects, live-music and artistic activities as well as a garden fresh community pot-luck!

FB Event – San Francisco Concert on 11/26  and Tickets

FB Event – Bay Area Action Day on 11/27

Soundcloud

Global Soundscape, Interview

Globalizing Soundscapes Through Live-tronic Experiences

As part of our preview coverage for Symbiosis Gathering 2016, we are delighted to offer our international artist interview series. Our aim is to bring a personalized addition to our visual coverage by asking questions that align with Breaking Borders’ focus on uncovering untold stories and examining cross cultural exploration in music.

The first interview in our series is with UK world-electronica producer Kaya Project! Seb Taylor, the master behind Kaya Project, has been active for over a decade with 8 released albums. He is known for his collaboration with a wide range of musicians and vocalists from various ethnic backgrounds. He has created an iconic “Live” experience where many of his collaborators play with him on stage fusing live acoustic soundscapes with his beautiful electronic production. This year at Symbiosis, Seb Taylor will be playing a electronic DJ set on Friday night and then join Kaya Project for a very special “Live” set on Saturday morning.
seb_taylor_dj_fractal_gate_shakta_2-cropped

Breaking Borders: Symbiosis is a unique global gathering, what makes it special to you and how does it stand out among other similar events?

Kaya Project: Well, I guess the most special thing for me is that this is actually my first ever Symbiosis! Having heard so many good things from my musician friends I’m finally going to be able to experience it first hand. Pretty excited I have to say. I’ve also been told it is affectionately known as ‘Swimbiosis’ due to the current location, So I’m glad to have an opportunity to splash around this year (I love swimming) before it moves to a different location next time around. Perhaps you will need to ask me this question after I’ve actually been there, ha ha… then I’ll have a better personal perspective on the true nature of the festival. But suffice to say, I’m expecting some special moments for sure.

sebtaylor2

We are very excited for your “live” performance of Kaya Project, do you have anything special in store us?

Coming fresh from a European leg of the tour, I’ve had the great pleasure of Performing alongside some of my favorite musicians, & this California show will be the first time Kaya Project has performed within the home territory of the lead vocalist, Irina Mikhailova (as most of you know) is the Kazakhstani Singer who has been part of the project since it’s inception. She has spent many years living in San Francisco, with frequent annual trips over to Europe, but this will be the debut Kaya Project gig in her own backyard so to speak. So from that point of view I consider it a pretty special show. We shall also be joined by Montreal based Guitarist Israel Galipeau who most recently played with us at BOOM festival (Portugal) & Whirl-Y-Fayre (U.K.) Also, in keeping with the California Vibe, We have prepared a couple of exclusive reworkings of Remixes that I did for David Starfire, looking forward to playing those ones out.

11402842_10153438984308536_3868180102237112397_n

You are a artist who travels the world and creates a “world soundscape” through music production. What drew you to this work, and what inspires you to keep going?

From a musical perspective I could say that hearing the album “Songs From The Victorious City’ by Jaz Coleman & Anne Dudley was a huge inspirational moment for me. Back in 1991 & I hadn’t really started to produce music properly. I remember experiencing major goosebumps & thinking how amazing it was, this fusion of Moroccan music with Western Electronic production. Who can really say what inspires an artist to keep going, I just know that as long as I feel the music inside of me I hope I’ll always have an opportunity to be making it!

a3691692419_10

https://sebtaylor.bandcamp.com/album/walking-through

4. We’ve seen you collaborate both on records and on stage with talented musicians from around the world like Randolph Matthews and Irina Mikhailova. What’s your favourite part about working with such diverse talent, representing different cultural and music backgrounds?

Its an honour to work with Irina & Randolph, & I still vividly recall the exact moment I heard both of their voices for the first time. Strangely enough both times were during Soundchecks for events I was also booked to perform at. Irina was singing for Medicine Drum in Mexico (close to the pyramids of Teotihuacan) & Randolph in the slightly less mystical setting of the legendary Turnmills Bar in east London., ha ha! But the effect on me in both instances was identical, I was transported. One of the Joys of working on Kaya Project material is the ability to fuse as many different cultures as sonically reasonable. As long as they sound harmonious & part of a coherent greater sonic picture to me then that is the sole requirement. Besides the amazing Randolph & Irina, I have to mention Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Shahin Badar, Natasha Chamberlain, Flo Comment, Deepak Pandit & numerous other incredible international players I’ve had the great fortune to collaborate with.

a1068993125_10

https://sebtaylor.bandcamp.com/album/sema-yaka

Your album …& So It Goes is primarily a world acoustic album, where as most of your projects contain an electronic element, hence the recent remix album of …&  So it Goes. Tell us about your experience with both sonic hemispheres and why you like to fuze global acoustic sounds with electronic music?

Yes indeed, “..& So It Goes” was the first entirely acoustic album from Kaya Project. It was a conscious decision for me to remove all electronic sounds from the project, & focus primarily on Live instrumentation. In a way this has made Kaya Project stand out from many other acts in the scene I guess, (the lack of electronic sounds I mean). It has also been a very useful in making the music more ‘timeless’ so to speak. The latest album “So It Was” is indeed fully electronic, I enlisted all my favorite producers to rework & remix the original tracks, people like Desert Dwellers, Gaudi, Bwoy De Bhajan, Kukan Dub Lagan, David Starfire & many others, all contributed to making a great & wide ranging electronic remix album. In fact I do love to have the two opposite sonic hemispheres of Kaya Project represented and in a way compartmentalized away from each other, The Organic original albums (& associated Live show), compared to the electronic remixes (& associated DJ sets).
a1223951287_10

https://sebtaylor.bandcamp.com/album/so-it-was-so-it-goes-remixed

What’s your opinion on music production today, specifically the global festival culture becoming a strong global community and a means to “break down borders”? (cultural difference, societal norms, creative expression, etc.) What is the best part about being a key player in this artistic revolution?

Well, more than anything you could say the Internet has been the greatest means of breaking down cultural & geographic borders over the last ten years, although I do like to think music has had a strong part to play as well! I see my friends playing in places like Beirut & i think back to how I first heard of all those middle eastern places on the news throughout my childhood. Now music is truly bridging east & west in a way that was only dreamt about before. The Internet has made such connections & cultural pathways possible. It’s important to understand that you should be respectful of other people’s beliefs (whether or not you agree with them), & while I tend to steer clear of any direct religious connotations in Kaya Project, there are certain times where it can be a significant indicator of just how similar we all are. The track ‘One God Dub’ on our 2005 Album ‘Elixir’ for example has musicians from many different faiths all performing as one harmonious entity. Muslim, Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Atheist & Shinto musicians all perform on that one track. That is another reason I’ve always been drawn to instrumental music, free from any lyrical dogma or doctrine, just a direct undeniable musical connection.

a2008382346_10

https://sebtaylor.bandcamp.com/album/elixir

Many of your projects are compilations of field recordings you’ve recorded around the world. How much does the natural environment influence you and your music?

Regarding the environment, It’s not something I would say is intentional, however I have spent a lot of time recording in deserts and other strange exotic locations. But for me I have to say the focus is more on the music and musicians than the environment in which they are recorded. Having said that, there’s nothing I find more inspirational than rainfall! You could call me a Pluviophile for sure and I guess that is pretty useful when you live in England. It rains quite a lot of the time there, plenty of inspiration to be had for a rain freak like myself.

a2767717149_10

https://sebtaylor.bandcamp.com/album/desert-phase

Any future projects, tours, collabs to look forward to?

Well, collabs are on the back burner as I’ve been on the road so much this year. Happy to say that USA is now on the agenda (having only played over here a handful of times before), So I hope to be performing on these shores quite a few times over the next two or three years. But on the immediate horizon are gigs in Canada (Vancouver & Toronto), Seattle, Israel, Australia, Spain, Guatemala, Mexico…. and a few more far flung places:) With any luck there will be some studio time to get creating some fresh Kaya Project and Hibernation music at some point, (I still have plenty of Inspiration for those particular projects)…. Just a lack of time to actually create the music due to all the traveling. But hey, patience is a virtue. I’m looking forward to seeing where my muse takes me next when the opportunity presents itself 🙂

screen-shot-2016-09-17-at-5-52-09-pm

SYMBIOSIS SET TIMES:

  1. Seb Taylor (DJ Set) –  6:45-8pm (FRI) @ Family Circus
  2. Kaya Project (Live Set) – 6:30-8am (SAT) @ Silk Road

 

 

 

Articles, South Asia, Sri Lanka

Paolo’s Beach

By Rourke Healey

TANGALLE, SRI LANKA

In Sri Lanka, January marks the high season for tourism. Running from the winters of the north or capitalizing on summer breaks in the south, visitors flock to Sri Lanka for the holidays. For the better part of December, January and Febuary most hotels on the south shore of the island are fully booked. Paolo knows this.

Paulo's BeachAs the owner of Eva Lanka hotel on the Tangalle coast, he relies on the winter months to make up for the empty rooms of summer. Each year guests return and new ones flood in for Christmas and New Years celebrations. Yet, each year Paolo’s personal beach for surfing has remained untouched by the influx of tourists.

In the offseason Paolo’s duties of managing client services decrease and he has more time to perfect his art.  Each morning at 7 AM Paolo straps his board to his scooter and rides fifteen minutes to a neighboring beach. After an hour and a few good waves he’ll return for breakfast and begin the day.

IMG_1130

For years his small bay was occupied by a lone fisherman and occasionally graced by the local high school track team practicing their sprints. Even in the high season the beach was immune to tourism due to its remoteness.  Little changed when an Australian and several other surfers joined Paolo for morning sessions. After years of teaching himself the sport in the hidden bay, Paolo had become a seasoned surfer and a familiar face with the locals who frequented the beach.

All of this changed in 2014 when the Australian saw an opportunity to capitalize on what they found. During the low season summer months he began building a small hotel and beach bar. With no more than four rooms it posed little threat to the serenity of the bay.

IMG_1103Observing the Australian investing in the beach inspired the regular fisherman to do the same. Overnight the fisherman summed his savings and began building a ‘bed & beach bar’ next door. Though he started after the Australian, they both finished in late October – just in time for the high season. Each location had ‘tourist’ prices and an impressive amount of beach furniture.

In the two months between opening and New Years Day the number beach visitors ballooned in size. Now the sound of waves can barely be heard over the deafening dance music booming from the fisherman’s concert grade speakers. Trees lean over over to shade young guests in bathing suits while white foreigners littere the beach reading, swimming and surfing.

10962116_10153070740763139_290108180_n

Teams of Sri Lankan youths can be found lurking nearby, ready to sell trinkets to unweary tourists. Cars, bikes and bajaji’s are crammed into the car park just a few meters from the sand. In the shallows children with inflatable tubes play and novice surfers use the hotel’s foam boards. Deeper out a surf school has claimed a patch of water. Next to them several bikini clad paddle boarders hog the bigger breakers. Interspersed in the mess are dozens of surfers all waiting, trying to catch the same wave.

Paolo sits on the beach sharing his overpriced Lion beer with me. He sees his hotel guests that he referred to his personal beach. As he eyes the family enjoying themselves he notes that they will probably stay here instead of his place next time. As more people hear about Paolo’s beach he loses guests and surfing real estate.

IMG_1090

As we sit there the older Aussie walks past us, board in hand, still wet from surfing. “Remember the old days?” he jokes. Paolo laughs, remembering the days when he didn’t have to be mindful of who was in front of him on the wave. Though he never lets on, Paolo thinks to himself that the Australian is the main culprit.

Less than a decade ago Sri Lanka was in a civil war and its tourism industry suffered heavy losses because of it. The island was also devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and is still recovering.  But today the current revival has provided the hotels in the Tangalle area with more visitors than they can handle. As a first time visitor it is hard to believe that there was a time when the beach was not overflowing with tourists.

It is a blessing and curse. With each additional guest that visits his hotel, his beach floats farther from its pristine state. But the summer will attract fewer visitors, and with it a glimpse of Paolo’s old beach.

Rourke ProfileRourke Healey is a senior Diplomacy and World Affairs major at Occidental College. He recently returned from conducting research on middle class consumerism in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He has also recently completed work with a microfinance group in Kathmandu, Nepal and visited Tangalle, Sri Lanka to cover presidential election.
Articles, Nepal, South Asia

Kathmandu’s 90% Off Sale

By Rourke Healey

KATHMANDU, NEPAL

Most people who visit Nepal will tell stories of the snow capped Himilayas or the preserved old cities of Kathmandu. They may even detail the chaotic traffic or the alarming number of face masks found on pedestrians. But most will forget to mention the 90% off sale found year round in Nepal.

Travelers in developing countries often enjoy a discounted cost of living and lowered prices, but rarely do the deals get better than Nepal. The most impressive prices are on outdoor trekking gear. Patagonia jackets sell for as low as $15, while North Face backpacks sell for a mere $20. And this gear can be seen everywhere in the city. Not just on the backs of tourists. Every taxi driver, shop owner and fruit vendor has a personal winter jacket from a brand name company.

But how?

The secret of the constant sale in Kathmandu comes from the source and quality of products. Nepal is sandwiched between the worlds two most populous countries on earth, India and China. These also happen to be two of the largest consumers and producers of goods.

From conversations with shop vendors, I learned most get their products from China. Some mumbled that they have sources in Nepal, but could not back this up with more specifics. The vendors who had a hook up in China were not much more clear; many said they receive bulk shipments from ‘factories’ in southern China.

Assuming this, the cost of transportation to Nepal is likely lower than to the US. The low cost is aided by transportation on trucks and passing Nepali customs, which are notoriously more relaxed than other inter nation checkpoints.

Nepali backpack salesmen also said they buy in bulk. Some vendors were kind enough to show us their store house of the backpacks and jackets. In one instance, a two vendors shared a dimly lit room full of backpacks piled from floor to ceiling. A sea of backpacks filled the center of the room up to my waist with a small pathway cut through it for access. We spent over thirty minutes searching for the right size and style of backpack, wading through the unwanted ones.

IMG_5937

Buying a large quantity at low prices helps explain the low sales price. But, as our tour of the backpack inventory was ending we asked the vendor if he paid for sea of backpacks up front. There were over 1000 backpacks in that store room, all from North Face, Mamut and the other big name outdoor producers. He mumbled something in Nepali. Basically he said he neither paid for all the backpacks up front, but also did not buy them on credit.

DSC4032

This got us thinking that maybe there was a larger supplier between China and the Nepali store fronts. Our imagination conjured up images of a big time backpack dealer; a kingpin with different store fronts. For a moment we thought this was the answer because every store front had the same asking price of 2,500 rupees ($25) and could consistently be bargained down to 1,700-1,800 rupees ($17-18).

The best explanation came from our program coordinator Santosh, who described it as a collective. A number of backpack stores will work with a single importer. That middle man will take the goods from China across the Himilayas to Kathmandu, where he might distribute the truck of goods between many different stores. Those that cannot pay for all the backpacks buy some on credit.

IMG_5955

Toward the end of our stay in Kathmandu we wandered into the official North Face store and checked the prices. $200+ for the bigger backpacks. $150 for the smaller ones. The fabric and quality of the zippers differentiated them from the local products.

Returning to some of the local backpack shops, small defects were noticeable- A label was peeling off of one, a zipper was sticky on another. On some jackets the down was synthetic and the ‘Patagonia’ logos on some were clearly not from Patagonia. It became apparent that a portion of the local goods were knock offs.

Not all vendors were cheating their customers however, many of the local goods were simply cheaper because the cost to obtain them was cheaper. Some of the cheap backpacks were labelled as overstocked items from the company factories or just cost less to transport.

For those scammed by the eye-popping prices of Kathmandu consolation comes in the form of functionality. If a jacket keeps you warm and a backpack holds your gear, does it matter if its off brand? Whatever the secret, the deals in Kathmandu are hard to beat.

Cover photo by Jonah M. Kessel

Rourke ProfileRourke Healey is a senior Diplomacy and World Affairs major at Occidental College. He recently returned from conducting research on middle class consumerism in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He has also recently completed work with a microfinance group in Kathmandu, Nepal and visited Tangalle, Sri Lanka to cover presidential election.