solipsistic NATION No. 203: Crammed Discs

Each month I showcase a music label that puts out amazing releases you absolutely need to know about. Today on solipsistic NATION I’ll play select tracks from Crammed Discs.

Usually this would be pretty straight forward but in the case of Crammed Discs it’s a challenge. Crammed Discs has been around for 30 years now and in that time they’ve released over 265 albums and 250 singles. Furthermore, Crammed Discs features artists from all over the world, from the Balkans to Africa, from South America to the Middle East and beyond. How do encompass all of that in a one hour program.

The simple answer is that it can’t be done. Fortunately I had Marc Hollander, the label’s founder, join me on today’s show and guide the way!

Crammed Discs was founded in 1980 by Marc and the first release was Marc and Vincent Kenis‘ band, Aksak Maboul. Since then Crammed Discs and its sub-labels Ziriguiboom, SSR Records, Made To Measure and Language have put out wonderful releases from the likes of Minimal Compact, Zap Mama, Tuxedomoon and more.

As I said, it’s impossible to convey the scope of Crammed Discs in a one hour show, even with the framework of electronic music. In the end I tried to express the diversity of the label as well as play tracks from some of my favorite artists such as Colin Newman, Balkan Beat Box and Bebel Gilberto. I even played a track by Konono Nº1 who technically aren’t even an electronic music band. But it’s my show and I can bend the rules when I want.

I hope you enjoy today’s show featuring music from Crammed Discs and my conversation with Marc Hollander. Join us again next week and we’ll do it all over again. But completely different.

  1. Bebel Gilberto “Samba da Bênção”
  2. Bossacucanova “Samba Da Minha Terra”
  3. Suba “Tantos Desejos”
  4. Interview with Marc Hollander, founder of Crammed Discs
  5. Balkan Beat Box “Pachima”
  6. U-Cef “Ouddamak”
  7. Interview with Marc Hollander, founder of Crammed Discs
  8. Niko Marks & City Boy Players featuring Eddie Fowlkes “Way Back When”
  9. Carl Craig “Televised Green Smoke”
  10. Interview with Marc Hollander, founder of Crammed Discs
  11. 4hero “Universal Love (feat. Carol Crosby)”
  12. Konono Nº1 “Lufuala Ndonga”
  13. Interview with Marc Hollander, founder of Crammed Discs
  14. Buckfunk 3000 “Planet Shock Future Rock”
  15. Colin Newman “I Can Hear Your”