I remember swaying and dancing to the "jungle" beats of this album that my dad had bought for me when I was still not adolescent. I still groove to all the songs of this magical world music creation.
When it comes to making heart rendering soul shaking popular world music, leave it to the passionate and crazy french
Deep Forest is essentially the brain child of the french duo Eric Mouquet and Michel Sanchez. They have travelled wide and deep into the jungles of africa before coming out with this mix of electronic, synth and even folk! They went on recording the folk songs in the original voices and original swahili of many tribal traditions. They went on mixing them with modern synths and drum beats back in their labs in france.
They have donated some proceeds from their sales to charity. They have also got a grammy for their efforts, though not for this album(they were nominated for this 1992 release though).
Enough Gyan about the artists, now tell me what the songs are about
>Deep Forest, Title song
Most of our bollywood crazy citizens will instantly recognise this song thanks to Mr. Viju Shah’s effort in his title track for the movie Gupt.
The opening lyrics for this song set the mood:
"Somewhere,
Deep in the jungle,
Are living some little men and women,
They are our past,
And maybe,
Maybe they are our future"
The track picks up from opening chants into a groovy peppy thumping number. Occasional voice over of a child can be heard.
The video is wild! They have shown a camera constantly moving in a straight line through an ultra modern society. Urchins playing, people running around(probably the french european setting) and loads of modern buildings and vehicles around. Everyone is running towards some thing. They are talking to each other in an excited tone, they have discovered something huge. In the climax it turns out to be a TREE. Such a noble spirit. That the modern man is discovering his roots back to the nature, and recognising the importance of nature.
>Sweet Lullaby
This song sounds like a beautiful and melodious lullaby that a mother is supposedly singing for her child. Very relaxing. This song and this album is to be heard in total peace, when u r alone.
But the meaning of the lyrics is very deep:
Young brother, young brother you be quiet
Although you are crying to me
Your father has left us
He has gone to the place of the dead
Protect the head of the living, Protect the orphan child
Young brother, young brother hey? although you are crying to me
Your father has left us
He has gone to the place of the dead
Protect the head of the living, protect the orphan child
I have heard that this song is sung by the elder sister of a child who is crying because he does not see his father. She consoles him and tells him the truth. She also appeals to the dead father to protect the child(local beliefs).
The album moves on with the peppy and mysterious "Hunting" which gives the feeling of "chase", often associated when we think of tribals and their ways of living and hunting.
Then comes another melodious "Night Bird". This is a soothing number, and has the sounds of a lot of bird twitter. The first side ends with the really sleep-inducing "The First Twilight" This cannot be technically classified as a song, but perhaps a series of chants. Very soothing, though not so melodious in my opinion.
The second side begins with the dance-trance "Savana Dance" This was probably recorded at the time when the people of a group come together for a particular occassion and dance to celebrate something. This is the most peppy and uplifting song of the album.
Then comes a song "Desert Walk" that I have heard has french played backwards. This is kind of a funny song. Some laughter can also be heard in this song.
"White Whisper" is another song with a classical touch to it. Following this is "The Second Twilight" which is another soothing song. This song deviates from the others in a unique way. This song doesn’t have many instruments playing, instead there is just a brass sounding instrument that takes the listener to deep meditative trance .
The artists put in a mix of "Sweet Lullaby" next. No wonder this song got so popular, and was even performed live at some miss universe/world sometime(I don’t remember exactly when)
The Album ends with **"Forest Hymn"
Yeah well you got me interested in this "World Music" thing. What other albums will you recommend*
Go for Enigma buddy! I think there are 4 Enigma albums listed on Mouthshut itself. Find the reviews by searching "Enigma" in entertainment category. Michael Cretu is another crazy french who dropped out of school and produced this anthem!
*Oh Yea, I heard that these two have made few songs together
You heard right! They have come together in the name of world music and made some mind blowing tracks like **"New Dawn" and "Into Morocco" and one Rain song. I once got really scared when I was reading a short story about cannibalism and hearing to the the second one at the same time. That’s the kind of effect that good music can produce on one! It can calm you, sooth you, shake you to the core and take you into deep introspection.