Bleep

This record is credited to the sound artist Felix Blume, but the real creators are the musicians of Haitian capital Port Au Prince. Blume travelled to Haiti in December 2016 to observe and record a series of funerals on the island. Each Haitian funeral features a procession, band and ‘joker’ who cracks wise about the deceased. The tradition exerts a strong influence on the American musical lineage - the brass bands of New Orleans are descended from the ensembles who play at Haitian funerals. Blume’s sensitive chronicle condenses over fifteen hours of recordings into this vivid, evocative release. Out via Discrepant (Meridian Brothers, Pierre Bastien).