HOMELESS (BW2140)

THIS ALBUM IS FOR THE YEAR 2000 AND WAY BEYOND. IT'S TRUE TRIBAL DANCE AND ALTHOUGH PARTLY INFLUENCED BY MY HOME COUNTRY, BRAZIL, THE MUSIC HAS NO BORDERS OR FRONTIERS - IT'S TRULY HOMELESS !"

Airto MoreiraThe Brazilian master of percussion enters the 21st century with HOMELESS, a new album on MELT 2000 after 8 years of absence as a solo artist - a long time, but certainly worth waiting for! HOMELESS is co-produced and co-composed by daughter Diana and her husband Krishna Booker of Eyedentity who recently released their own album "SEE" on Electric Melt. Homeless is influenced by a strong mutual desire by the artist and myself to go beyond the boundaries of today's commercial music and to present generations of dedicated dance fans with a truly organic and tribal dance album drawing from centuries of global rhythms.

Drums For Tomorrow (BW096)

A better appreciation of music requires an understanding of social and cultural contexts, which are the pillars of interaction between spirits and people. It is a great shame, in commercial terms, that in order to see and enjoy what the artists are displaying these days, you have to pay.

Modernism has taken us by surprise and we went as far as embracing that in our hearts, forgetting that no music equals the original. When a composer sits down to write music s/he is applying a medium for transmitting feelings while at the same time calling upon people to share the experience. Music or musicians are the living archives since in Africa we do not store or keep information on modern retrievable systems. Rather, we record events in human souls and minds and share the impressions with those that didn't have a chance to hear or witness these events at first hand.
In Africa, music had the more humble function of commemorating past actions rather than glorifying individuals, whish is what we mostly see today. What we hear from the group, Amampondo, can have sustenance and inspiration from the past, but the notion that history is doomed to repeat itself.

ELECTRIC PONDOLAND (MZA 013)

Amampondo means people of mpondo from the Transkei of South Africa.

This is one of 3 albums released at the same time celebrating the 25th Anniversary of South Africa's most highly regarded percussion and marimba band who have toured the globe for a quarter of a century. Electric Pondoland features Amampondo's many collaboration with international dance and Electronica groups mainly Juno Reactor who are well known for their Hollywood film music for blockbuster films like MATRIX, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO and MORTAL COMBAT.

Raw And Undiluted (MZA 014)

Celebrating amampondo's 25th Anniversary MELT is simultaneously introducing a series of 3 cd's and a dvd to follow for the christmas season. This album introduces a number of unique and unreleased live tracks recorded during the groups many international tours.

This is the most comprehensive collection of mainly unreleased live tracks of a group that has delighted an international and local audience for a quarter of a century.

Vuyani (Celebrate) (BW2143)

This album from Amampondo is to celebrate their 20 years of music making. It looks forward with some exciting new tracks, whilst drawing from some of their great tunes from the past performed in new ways.
Featuring guests from the amazingly talented musicians that live in the townships, often struggling to survive in a country that does not always appreciate its own talent, this is a showcase for the music of Cape Town. Through the 20 years Amampondo have had many struggles, fighting to perform their music and keep traditions alive, whilst being seen as a threat by the Apartheid regime who harassed them and tried to make their lives as difficult as possible.