various artists - Excavated Shellac: An Alternate History of the World's Music / 4CD set

Every audio medium has its champions from CD oldies to tape hipsters and lossless purists, but those who like to play big discs with a needle instead of a laser should not be lumped into such a vulgar category as vinyl revivalists. It's both a question of material and size, and true afficionados prefer the fragile format of 78s made of shellac.

One of them is Jonathan Ward, who runs the sound blog Excavated Shellac, posting rare global music originally released on shellac. The list of countries included is breathtaking. Clearly, Ward's musical aim isn't just American or European but includes every corner of the world. Another admirable aspect about the project is that it's not just about posting sound. The music comes with notes, some of them quite lengthy and very well-written, combining the enthusiasm of the collector with the nerdy knowledge of the scholar. In short, Excavated Shellac is a universe, a huge library of sound to get lost in. There is music from six continents and 89 different countries, spanning a period from 1907 to 1967. Even with the very old recordings, the sound is surprisingly nuanced and clear, and the 186 page book is a designer's dream and a little work of art, richly illustrated with detailed notes and translations of lyrics.

The most important thing is the music. With so much diversity, there should be something for everyone's taste, but that is not to say that everything will be palatable to every listener. A raw recording of multiphonic Tibetan Buddhist throat singing is certainly a long way from easy listening pop, but that is also the strength of the compilation. It finds beauty in sounds that span everything from Portuguese fado to Cuban son, unaccompanied Irish folk singing and Jamaican mento.

The greatest thrill of the compilation is to hear genres and styles that are unfamiliar, like the dreamy "Z Ukrainskyce Stepiw" (On the Ukranian Steppe) by Vassyl Yemetz, played on the 62-stringed bandura, or "Erraad, Pt. 2" by Zohra El Fassia. Interestingly, this beautiful song is an example of how Jewish and Muslim musical influences merged in Morocco. It's a keen reminder that music transgresses cultural and geographical boundaries and if we can't travel to meet each other, at least we can listen.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/excavated-shellac-an-alternate-history-of-the-worlds-music-various-artists-dust-to-digital