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You're kept interested in this record not by its decorations but by its heart. It doesn't wear its South Indian origins as some kind of proud flag latterly become a ball and chain, but as a simple fact of location. It comes through in the occasional bright little flicker of interesting noise, rather than by ramming its didgeridoo down your throat and whacking you over the head with a bloody great sitar.
Records in 2006 don't have to end with soaring epics, but Scale does, and in seriously impressive fashion. The warm and subtle glow of 'Stay B4 I Go' gives way to 'Pieces', which could be Dave Bowie crooning his heart out over one of the Polyphonic Spree's subtler moments. It all builds into something like an Arcade Fire frenzy, and then abruptly comes to a close. - Glasswerk
Discography
In chronological order...
Baby Bartok (You're Stupid single - out of print)
Radio Wonderlust Vol 1 (three tracks)
Scale (6th Feb 2006)
100 Fields (Nov 2006)
Elemental (summer 2006)
THE GOOD HURT: Prescription No 1 (2007)
LOUIS OAK ANDERSON: Up North In the Coalshed (2008)
DRONGOMALA: Lucky Man Alive in Cairo (2010)
12000 Miles : As the White Crane Flies (2009)
Due to be Released
(When You Go You Take The) Garden With You (Jul 2010
Almas Buenas (Spanish language) August 2010
Places to hear/buy it online :
http://www.flyingmountainrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/drongomala
Photos
Bio
RECENT :
Imminent release of preacherman pop-house single (When You Go You Take The) Garden With You from. Including remixes and guest backing vocals by Dawn Joseph.
Release of Almas Buenas (Spanish language) due for Autumn 2010 - romantic tango, flamenco and folklori infused versions of Drongomala songs recorded in Buenos Aires with top international Argentinian musicians.
BEFORE....and the STORY...
From first tape recorders, keyboard and guitar I went on to lead Baby Bartok and played hundreds of gigs all over the UK. We did Publishing deals then blew up because of a difference of opinion on 'Public Enemy'. During the 90's I was immersed in the Drum and bass scene in Edinburgh.
I then helped set up the label Wonderlust in the UK and put out 3 tracks on a compilation called Radio Wonderlust. I was called simply Drongo then. After I formed my own label Flying Mountain and went further afield to South India.
In 2003/4 I recorded and composed with top classical South Indian musicians in Kerala, India living there for two years. Two records came out of this - Scale and 100 Fields along well as two books (Deriving Tonal Harmony from North Indian Ragas and some diaries). The record features some of the best up and coming talent in South Indian carnatic/classical scene.
In Oct 2005 I worked with some rappers on the Elemental album from Oakland, California just after New Orleans had flooded. Azeem (now getting mad hype in Cali) shines through as an emerging auteur on this record.
Crash landing back in Manchester I got together an electro punk band The Good Hurt. Short, glorious, bloody and full of electricity - you can't get this in a power gym. Of an afternoon and night in Manchester I also produced a number of exciting projects with artists such as Louis Oak Anderson who I produced and performed with on the record "Up North in the Coalshed". TheWhatSupreme,Sensei C and many others from the Birmingham Hip Hop scene.
At the end of 2007 I recorded Lucky Man Alive in Cario. 1 day in Cairo - meet a percussionsit and violin player on the hop and do 7 tracks.
As the White Crane Flies an electro-jazzflute record with Boofa and Iain Dixon (lauded Jazz flautist) completed in May 09
May 2009 - finished a soundtrack record called '1200 Miles As The White Crane Flys'. It features Ian Dixon the jazz and primitive flute genius of Manchester. 4 years later and my online collaboration with a friend Boofa in NZ sees the light of day.
Aug 2009. Release of the second 'lost' EP from the The Good Hurt of Manchester originally recorded in 2007 but mothballed after the band imploded.'.
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