In 2006, Quentin Stoltzfus was forced to retire Mazarin, the dreamy, strummy Philadelphia-based project he debuted in 1999, due to threats from a litigious Long Island classic-rock band of the same name. If not for that, the new Light Heat album would be a Mazarin album, and could have come out years ago. The catalyst for Light Heat’s debut came from Stoltzfus’ friends and former tourmates the Walkmen. That band, minus singer Hamilton Leithauser, backs Stoltzfus on the LP, although Light Heat itself, like Mazarin, is essentially Stoltzfus and whomever he plays with. Stoltzfus will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on Light Heat.
Stoltzfus: When I came across this blog a few years back, I spent days combing through its extensive archives that go back through April 2006. There is an enormous amount of insanely good music on this site. I was brought to the site while checking out Ata Kak, who is the man behind the most intense deep-party-vibe afro jams. Guaranteed to shake all booties at any dance party. Beyond that the selections range from the more traditional Abdou-Salam, Ebanezer Obey and Ibrahim to the far-out African-kraut-new-wave jams of Souley Kante. The cassettes were collected by an NYC student of ethnomusicology, Brian Shimkovitz, in his travels throughout Africa researching highlife music. The backstory of some of these musicians is one of political subversion. Despotic regimes that targeted traditional folk musicians by taxing their instruments beyond their means, forcing them to adapt to more modern electronic keyboards and drum machines, resulting in the creation of an entirely new form of music.
Video after the jump.
