R.N.A. Organism – R.N.A.O Meets P.O.P.O

Formed in 1977 by Crammed Discs founder Marc Hollander and his musical partner Vincent Kenis, Aksak Maboul was a seminal project that playfully combined and deconstructed seemingly disparate genres including chamber music, jazz, electronics, African & Balkan music, minimalism, art rock, and more. The musical world the duo created on their debut album Onze Danses Pour Combattre La Migraine (Eleven Dances to Fight Migraine) can be considered the blueprint for most of the music which would be released on Crammed Discs. Much like Simon Jeffe’s Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Aksak Maboul’s music immediately transports you to some faraway place filled with eccentric characters and imaginary musical traditions that are played out through darbuka drum, mandolin, farfisa organ, Pygmy whistle, voice, and other instruments. While its clear the performers are at the height of their craft, the music never takes itself too seriously with many twists and turns along with song titles like “Three Epileptic Folk Dances” and “DBB (Double Bind Baby).”
Recommended – Full Listen
A1.1 Mercredi Matin
A1.2 (Mit 1) Saure Gurk (Aus 1 Urwald Gelockt)
A2 Animaux Velpeau
A3.1 Milano Per Caso
A3.2 Fausto Coppi Arrive!
A3.3 Chanter Est Sain
A4 Son Of L’Idiot
A5 DBB (Double Bind Baby)
A6 Cuic Steppe
A7 Tous Les Trucs Qu’Il Y A La Dehors
B1.1 Ciobane
B1.2 The Mooche
B1.3 Vapona, Not Glue
B1.4 Glympz
B2 Three Epileptic Folk Dances
B3.1 Mastoul Alakefak
B3.2 Mastoul, One Year Later (Live)
B4 Comme On A Dit
Composed By – Marc Hollander
Cover – Bernard Beauduin
Mixed By – Dan Lacksman
Producer – Marc Hollander, Marc Moulin, Vincent Kenis
Recorded By – Dan Lacksman (tracks: A1.1 to A2, A3.3, B1.2, B2), Vincent Kenis (tracks: A3.1, A3.2, A4 to A7, B1.1, B1.3, B1.4, B3.1 to B4)