Mango Pickle Down River

I was listening to MIA (daughter of a terrorist/freedomfighter... with questionable politics... watch this video for something heavy... it's a can of worms that I'm not going to get into. It's pretty graphic... definately MA15+...).

I thought her first album (Arular) was overrated... but I'm only just getting into Kala (the second one), I think it's brilliant... It's been out for, like, 2 years now, I'm hip.

Its got some mad tracks... party bangers galore, tasty beatz etc.
But among the hits is this understated, low fi sample of a disgeridoo and rhythm sticks

Mango Pickle Down River is an almost completely untreated version of the song Down River, which originally released by a 4 Aboriginal kids (aged 8 to 12) from Wilcannia. They were called The Walcannia Mob.
It came in at number 16 in Triple J's hottest 100 in 2002... I don't remember it (but my housemate Pineboy does).

The treatment of the music is so subtle that it could be a field recording. I've never heard the didgeridoo sound so right in a popular music style. Normally the Didge in rock, or sampled in dance or hip hop just SHITS me.

Here's a list of didge players that shit me...

1. Xavier Rudd. Australia's answer to Jack Johnson... music to fall asleep at the wheel to. And he plays 5 different didgeridoos... and a guitar... and some drums... and a djembe... jack of all trades, master of__________?
   
2. Cockatoo Pete - Have you ever been to Byron Bay? Have you ever stayed at the arts factory? Ever done the bushtucker tour with Cockatoo Pete? Need I say more?
3. The raver trance didge player on Bourke Street Mall that drones away with a hard progressive beatz in the background... very loud... not cool.
   

Sorry, I don't mean to get all Robert Doyle on you (idiot mayor of Melbourne).

Anyway, now for the music

Kudos to MIA. She found this slice of wonderfully innocent Aboriginal life (we don't always get to see that side of it) and gave it a worldwide audience. I think MIA's treatment of the music and lyrics is sensitive and clever. Sounds like she had fun doing her verses.

I get the same feeling from a series photos taken by an Australian artist Belinda Mason. This is one that one a human rights and equal opportunities commission award for best photo in 2008.

It's got the same vibe of valuing the simple life... although in this case, it's simple comparison between aboriginal life in the northern territory and white life in the city.

I think its a beautiful photo. (click to enlarge)