My brother Matt just turned my on to Extra Golden's Ok-Oyot System, an amazing hybrid of Kenyan benga music and Washington D.C. alt-post-whatever-rock. Alex Minoff and Ian Eagleson of Golden hooked up with Kenyans Otieno Jagwasi and Onyango Wuod Omari as a result of Ian's doctoral research into Kenyan music, and they recorded this album shortly before Otieno passed away last year. It's really beautiful, sort of spacey and funky at the same time. You can listen to all the tracks on Thrill Jockey's site, where you can also download them for $10, saving $3 off the price of a CD.
tags: extra golden golden ok-oyot system thrill jockey kenyan music
Hey,
I'm listening to Ok-Oyot System right now and then I checked your site and there it was! I'm really getting into the songs, even the distinctly non-African sounding ones by Alex and Ian. I think those songs are a bit more of a challenge to the listener as it's harder to just say "Oh, that sounds like world music or African music or whatever." I really love the sounds of the guitars on this record and how much these two guys from the states have absorbed (and appreciated) lots of African music. At one point the guitar sounds like steel drums (it's not) and it's really beautiful. I hope these guys can get some positive attention for this. Check out the NPR segement from All Things Considered.
Posted by: Matt | May 24, 2006 at 04:47 PM
ok-oyot is an awesome record. i had the great fortune of being hooked up by Ian and Alex with some of the Benga scenesters in Nairobi this past March--listening to this CD brings me back to the clubs that simultaneously seem to be at the end of the earth and at the center of a fascinating universe. I'm sad that I didn't get to meet Otieno but I'm happy at least that his voice still sounds for us all to hear. If you'd like to check out some photos of the Nairobi Benga scene: www.j-carrier.com
Posted by: J Carrier | May 30, 2006 at 07:21 PM
Between Extra Golden's music and J's photos, I feel like a window's been opened for me into an amazing corner of the world. Beautiful stuff.
Posted by: ed | May 30, 2006 at 07:28 PM
hello!
glad to see the love is spreading for Extra Golden!!! One of my fave records of this year. Such an honest piece of music - really beautiful stuff.
cheers
Posted by: kennys | Jun 03, 2006 at 12:16 PM