Realword January News Update message

The start of 2007 sees some exciting new releases on Real World Records, a competition to remix a track from one of these that coud see you winning a day in the famous Big Room at Real World Studios, and an imminent evening of exciting live entertainment at Glasgow's Celtic Connections. You are subscribed to either our Real World Records, Real World Remixed, or Real World Studios mailing list, so we thought you'd be interested in the stories included here. If you want to change the way you receive mail from us, the details of how to do so are at the bottom of this page. View this newsletter in your web browswer: Web Version Real World Records: www.realworldrecords.com Real World Studios: www.realworldstudios.com Real World Remixed: www.realworldremixed.com

'Without Zero' (UK Released February 19) The latest creative offering from the mystical maestros, the Eastern experimentalists! Joi are in the area with a new album on Real World Records. Having blazed a trail in the mid Eighties with their DJ-led mix of brittle breakbeats and flowing Eastern grooves - a trail that the so-called 'Asian Underground' followed in droves - this British Asian collective released two compelling, intelligent albums, 1999's One and One Is One and 2002's We Are Three. Celebratory and devotional, progressive and respectful, laden with different emotions yet bound by a one-love aesthetic, they stole the hearts of critics, clubbers and exemplary music-lovers alike. Now comes the shamelessly upbeat 'Without Zero'. "There is dance and drama and passion throughout this record. We've highlighted Asian culture. We've extended our electronic roots. And this time there's a distinct Arabic influence," says Farook Shamsher aka Joi supremo. "Asian music and Arabic music merge beautifully. They're actually very similar, which people don't tend to realise, and Joi is about uniting different cultures." Visit the Joi Microsite: www.realworldrecords.com/joi Farook of Joi introduces tracks from Without Zero: MP3 Audio Stream

Remix Joi and win a day's free studio time in Real World's Big Room To celebrate the release of 'Without Zero' Real World is running a competition on it's highly successful website www.realworldremixed.com. Launched in 2006 this is a site where you can download multitrack recordings from Real World artists and Peter Gabriel. Use the sample packs to create your own remix, then upload the finished work back to the site for others to hear. Join the community in voting, commenting and discussion in the sites forum - you might even top our charts!. 'What You Are' by Joi is the new sample pack and will provide remixers with a fantastic new track to get working on. This is the opportunity to win a day in the legendary 'Big Room' at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios. This room is why Real World is justifiably famous. As its name suggests, it offers space and versatility on a grand scale that provides both interesting and alternative methods for live recording and tracking. It is also a unique environment for mixing in all formats. The 72 channel SSL 9000 XL K series console installed in 2006, together with a varied array of outboard equipment ( including a large selection of vintage Neve modules) offers the potential for truly state of the art recording and mixing. Visit Real World Remixed for more information: www.realworldremixed.com More information on the Big Room: www.realworldstudios.com

Join Us for a Live Real World Party in Glasgow Wednesday 31 January 2007 8.30pm - The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow - as part of Celtic Connections Festival In this unmissable one-off event Real World brings together uplifting voices, superlative musicianship, dub-heavy grooves and irresistible rhythms from West Africa to Central Asia, from London to Ohio - a truly global celebration, bursting with talent. The legendary blues-and-beyond guitarist Skip McDonald, aka Little Axe, will be joined by the renown rhythm section of Doug Wimbish and Keith LeBlanc (Sugarhill Gang, Tackhead) with Bernard Fowler (Tackhead, Rolling Stones) on vocals. They will be joined by production maestro Adrian Sherwood, of On-U Sound Records, who as well as producing their current album, Stone Cold Ohio, will also perform his own live sound-system. Other special guests include the latest incarnation of pioneering Asian fusioneers Joi and the young Mauritanian singer-songwriter Daby Toure who has been described as an African Cat Stevens or Nick Drake. Also flying in is the gorgeous, vibrant Sevara Nazarkhan - Uzbekistan's ravishing young star and winner of a BBC radio 3 World Music Award. We will not be forgetting the much loved, much missed Martyn Bennett and will be paying tribute to his special legacy to Scottish music. Celtic Connections: information and booking

Coming Soon On Real World Records Daby Toure 'Stereo Spirit' African music's young rising star has been putting the finishing touches to his new album for Real World Records. Mixing the tracks was finished in Paris with Bob Coke (Ben Harper's engineer) in November after which Daby took a month's well earned sabbatical back to his homeland of West Africa. 'Stereo Spirit' will be released first in France and Switzerland on February 19 and later in the Spring with a special version for the UK and America. Daby is proud of his African roots but values creative freedom above all else and stepped beyond his traditional roots to create this superbly-crafted global pop album. His lilting, warm-toned, wide-ranging voice lifts above the layers of sparkling acoustic guitar and detailed percussion. The heart-stopping songs are suffused with tenderness and intimacy. Daby is an outstanding, charismatic performer, his music has a simplicity and soulful nobility capable of crossing any cultural or geographical barriers. More on Daby: www.realworldrecords.com/dabytoure Sevara Nazarkhan 'Sen' The much-awaited new album from the spell-binding Uzbek diva is nearly with us. Watch out for a spring release date. Sevara is irrepressible and simply cannot be tied down. She is always ambitious to explore new areas in her music and on 'Sen' has taken a leap into contemporary writing and production. She took her songs first to Viktor Sologub - a St Petersburg based electronica/techno producer whom she sought out (he had never heard of her!) and convinced him to work with her (he is now her biggest convert - a fan for life !). The album then came back to Real World Studios and Sevara and her band of Uzbek players recorded and mixed with Bruno Ellingham (a young and up and coming West Country producer). The influences and inspiration can be heard - Goldfrapp, Air, a kind of European cinematic feel, flavoured with Central Asian exoticism - gorgeous and totally new. More on Sevara: www.realworldrecords.com/sevara In Case You Missed...This is What They Said about.... Little Axe 'Stone Cold Ohio' "Skip McDonald's time-traveling career has gone from cooking up the original rap revolution at Sugarhill to dubbed-up 21st century Delta blues. The fifth album from his Little Axe incarnation is an affirmation of his mission to make ancient visions thrive in a modern setting. There's euphoric gospel (Rockin' Shoes), whipcrack soul (Victims) and deep blues (Trouble In Mind), all relayed through Skip's inimitable voice and guitar. The glorious sound of history collapsing into itself." The Mirror (5 out of 5) More on Little Axe: www.realworldrecords.com/littleaxe Adrian Sherwood 'Becoming a Cliche' "As well as being one of the world's most influential producers, the Tackhead/On-U Sound mainman and former Clash DJ is a highly rated chef. Sherwood's second album adopts a cook's approach to music: taking a basic stew of reggae and hurling in flavours from drum'n'bass and Asian tablas to Gregorian chants. With vocal/dinner guests including Dennis Bovell and the Pop Group's Mark Stewart, political assaults, and underlines his gigantic contribution to the way music sounds today." The Guardian More on Adrian Sherwood: www.realworldrecords.com/adriansherwood Thomas Mapfumo 'Rise Up' "This is a truly masterly return to the international scene. If Mapfumo's trademark Chimurenga rhythm is taken with a stately slowness on the opener, Suffer in Silence, the overall tone is defiant and exuberant. Plaintive guitars and crashing drums sound out over a deliciously swinging and exquisitely irregular whirl of sound. If Mapfumo's wearily authoritative voice has probably never sounded young, let alone fresh, there's certainly a new spring in his step, a new energy to one of the world's most compelling sounds." The Telegraph More on Thomas Mapfumo: www.realworldrecords.com/thomasmapfumo