The Outernationalists are Simon Emmerson (a founding member of
the Afro-Celts, formerly known as
the Afro-Celt Sound System) and DJ/journalist/producer Phil Meadley. For this project, the two pulled together a grab bag of rare and obscure recordings from around the world, muscling them all up with various kinds of club beats and smearing them together into a continuous DJ mix. Musicians from Africa, India, the Middle East, Europe, the British Isles, and Latin America are all represented, and the result is a thick and spicy stew of styles and influences that coalesces nicely into a single kaleidoscopic dance experience. The Belgian folk-fusion group
Urban Trad gets a sturdy house treatment on "Berim Dance," United Eye's "Ska East of the West" gets thoroughly dubbed up and clubbed out,
Spiritual South contributes a slightly monotonous Afro-beat anthem called "Green Gold,"
Fun^Da^Mental combines Zulu chants and Asian breaks, and
the Afro-Celts round things out with some athletic Uilleann piping and double-time house beats. Exhausting, yes, but isn't that how dance music is supposed to be? ~ Rick Anderson