Unity Beyond Borders
As people move away from their homelands out of necessity or choice, their stories of family, traditions, sorrows and joys travel with them, beyond the borders they cross.
Transglobal Underground (one of the bands I have worked with closely in recent times) went on a mission a few years ago across Europe to find songs of migration and emigration which was first released as a 2010 project called U.N.I.T.E. (Urban Native Integrated Traditions of Europe) funded by an EU arts grant. This album is now being re-released in 2021 with re-mixes on “I Left My Sweet Homeland”, “Lisbon”, “Keranka” and “Van Diemans Land.”
Some stories deserve to be re-told. I am really proud to present “A Gathering of Strangers 2021” by Transglobal Underground and a host of wonderful guest musicians and singers.
Artist: Transglobal Underground and our European Friends
Album: A Gathering of Strangers 2021
Label: Mule 20
Release date: 19 February 2021
Genre: World, Electro-Ethnic, Folk
Languages: Bulgarian, Czech, English, Hungarian, Polish
Here’s a link to review a selection of tracks from “A Gathering of Strangers 2021”
Recommended track: “Hey you Shepherd”
“A Gathering of Strangers 2021” is a reimagining of the 2010 project released originally under the name U.N.I.T.E. A collection of 10 songs made while travelling across Europe in search of songs of migration. The album documents travels made by co-leaders Tim Whelan and Hamid Mantu through Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Denmark, Poland and England.
Special guests joined the project along the way, including folk musician Jim Moray, Irish singer & instrumentalist Martin Furey, the definitive sounds of Perunika Trio and Stuart A Staples of Tindersticks. Initially the album was released in 2010 as U.N.I.T.E. (Urban Native Integrated Traditions of Europe) funded by an EU arts grant and is being re-released with re-mixes on “I Left My Sweet Homeland”, “Lisbon”, “Keranka” and “Van Diemans Land.”
The album is a plea for unity beyond borders; an important statement from Transglobal Underground in these times of political transition and uncertainty. “A Gathering of Strangers 2021″is an inspired collection of traditional folk songs and world electronica performed with hurdy gurdy, violins, bagpipes, percussion, lap steel guitar, banjo, guitars, bouzouki, bodhran & whistles. As Tim Whelan says,
“The intention was to learn what these songs could tell us today about immigration, emigration and those shifting, never fully defined, continental frontiers in the present and future. A look at Europe’s uncertain past as it moved towards an uncertain future.”
A Gathering of Strangers 2021″ is collection of international songs and releases on February 19th through MULE 20.
Total playing time = 46:39
Click here For EPK and all Press info
You can find Transglobal Underground on Bandcamp, I highly recommend you support their work and subscribe to their page. I first watched them play in 1992 on the back of a flatbed truck at Notting Hill Carnival. It’s a true joy to be involved with their work all these years later. They are all great people and like any artists, they are struggling. They need support and good things are happening. Spread the word.
