Balagan’s Funny Accent
DJ Bagalan’s “Funny Accent” mixtape is one of those classics that will stay in whomever is lucky enough to have it in their collection (Buy Disc Here) or (download it now for free!). In the words of our friend Mordechai Shinefield, Rather than simply sample older songs for his own aggrandizement, Hopkins removes himself from the process — acting more like a museum curator than an artist. The result is one of the most fascinating documents of 2007. Funny Accent is the statement of a fan toting around a crate of LPs, and in the process of showing them off, Hopkins tells the story of a Jewish musical history.
The album’s mission statement is best articulated on the opening track, “Funny Accent Intro,” which opens by sampling instructional record Hopkins found in a thrift store. “Experts agree that everyone is born with a gift for languages. You have this gift,” a British-accented voice says, while Hopkins mixes in an Egyptian song and original beats. By the end of the track, we’ve heard a Yiddish clip from Shalom Dzigan, an Israeli comic. “Yiddish is important to me,” Hopkins explains. “The way it nurtured Jewish culture for so long but got cast to the wind after the war by so many people.”
* Don’t forget to watch the video for “Hands Together”, click here.
Track Listing Below:
Funny Accent Intro
1 Milk and Honey feat. Gali Atari – Lady Sun
2 Mara Abrantes – Boi da Cara Branca
3 Alla Pugachova – Ustalost’
4 Nanette Workman – On M’a Dit
5 Balagan – Aiwa Aiwa
6 Ahmed Fakroun – Soleil Soleil
7 Margaret Singana – Hamba Bekile (Pass the Calabash)
8 Love Bug Starski – Live at the Disco Fever
9 Souad Abdullah – Unknown
10 Balagan – Hands Together
11 Grupo Bota – Papa Low Dos
12 DJ Kenny B – Club Tape
13 Furacao 2000 – Pitbicha
14 Sam Fan Thomas – Hello Wa
15 Cool Chip & Chuck Chillout – Rhythm is the Master
16 Ashwin Batish – New Delhi Vice
17 Yellow Magic Orchestra – Computer Games
18 Whiz Kid – He’s Got the Beat
19 Els Himma – Keskoo
20 Mya and the Mirror – Hesitation
21 Los Blue Caps – Dejame Mirarte
