AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM ‘RELEASE’
CONTEXT:
Afro celt sound system was originally founded by guitarist Simon Emmerson in 1995.
Released in 1999
ACSS music is a combination (fusion) of African (afro), Celtic (Celt) and electronic dance music
(sound system)
Release is a tribute to Jonas Bruce (one of the original founding members of the band)
Sinead O’Connor (guest artist) wrote the lyrics for release.
The lyrics imagine Bruce telling the band that he is still with them and that they should be
happy for him.
Mournful melody with driving rhythm
INTRODUCTION (0-1.38)
Free time
Drone on C – (with 2 different synth tones with filter sweeps.)
Aoelian mode of C
Panning
Talking drum, synth strings and drone added to provide effect
Bodhran (1), Shaker (2) and drum machine (3) added to establish tempo (100BPM)
Spoken male vocal samples (griot storytelling style) (Maninka language)
Bodhran is backbone of piece. Syncopated sometimes with elaboration
Female voice enter using heavy reverb and panned centrally
Acciaccatura, vocalisations, improvisation sense
Synth (4) and drum loop (5&6) added
VERSE 1 (1.38-2.55):
Loop 6-13 played on top of current loops.
Main female voice comes in singing V1
Accompaniment is simple chords giving homophonic texture
Tambourine (7) takes over from shaker playing steady semiquavers
Talking drum(8)
Kora (9) and low synth string (10) added
Melody limited range of a 6th
Syllabic
Repetitive
Chromatic synth strings
Short bodhran solo before breath samples (13) and bass (12) and soft synth (11)
Bass line uses C and B flat gives a modal quality
Syncopation
Short flute effect uses delay fx
Texture thins so bass guitar entrance more dramatic
VERSE 2 (2.55-3.51):
Male voice sings variation of V1 in gaelic
More complex drum pattern (14)
Melody range of a 10th
Bass drops out
Fiddle plays (15) accompaniment using double stopping accents and triplets and sextuplets
low chromatic synth strings enter (16)
short drum and bass leads onto solos
SOLOS (3.51-4.55):
uillean pipes start and are joined by whistle playing octave higher
Mainly semiquavers and occasional glissando
Accompanied by accordion (17) accented chords and bodhran (18)
C dorian mode (no a flat)
Low whistle takes over and plays more complicated version of pipe solo. More varied in rhythm
as contains sextuplets and triplets and acciaccaturas
Bass drops out accomp. By synth strings (10) and accordion and Bodhran
CONTEXT:
Afro celt sound system was originally founded by guitarist Simon Emmerson in 1995.
Released in 1999
ACSS music is a combination (fusion) of African (afro), Celtic (Celt) and electronic dance music
(sound system)
Release is a tribute to Jonas Bruce (one of the original founding members of the band)
Sinead O’Connor (guest artist) wrote the lyrics for release.
The lyrics imagine Bruce telling the band that he is still with them and that they should be
happy for him.
Mournful melody with driving rhythm
INTRODUCTION (0-1.38)
Free time
Drone on C – (with 2 different synth tones with filter sweeps.)
Aoelian mode of C
Panning
Talking drum, synth strings and drone added to provide effect
Bodhran (1), Shaker (2) and drum machine (3) added to establish tempo (100BPM)
Spoken male vocal samples (griot storytelling style) (Maninka language)
Bodhran is backbone of piece. Syncopated sometimes with elaboration
Female voice enter using heavy reverb and panned centrally
Acciaccatura, vocalisations, improvisation sense
Synth (4) and drum loop (5&6) added
VERSE 1 (1.38-2.55):
Loop 6-13 played on top of current loops.
Main female voice comes in singing V1
Accompaniment is simple chords giving homophonic texture
Tambourine (7) takes over from shaker playing steady semiquavers
Talking drum(8)
Kora (9) and low synth string (10) added
Melody limited range of a 6th
Syllabic
Repetitive
Chromatic synth strings
Short bodhran solo before breath samples (13) and bass (12) and soft synth (11)
Bass line uses C and B flat gives a modal quality
Syncopation
Short flute effect uses delay fx
Texture thins so bass guitar entrance more dramatic
VERSE 2 (2.55-3.51):
Male voice sings variation of V1 in gaelic
More complex drum pattern (14)
Melody range of a 10th
Bass drops out
Fiddle plays (15) accompaniment using double stopping accents and triplets and sextuplets
low chromatic synth strings enter (16)
short drum and bass leads onto solos
SOLOS (3.51-4.55):
uillean pipes start and are joined by whistle playing octave higher
Mainly semiquavers and occasional glissando
Accompanied by accordion (17) accented chords and bodhran (18)
C dorian mode (no a flat)
Low whistle takes over and plays more complicated version of pipe solo. More varied in rhythm
as contains sextuplets and triplets and acciaccaturas
Bass drops out accomp. By synth strings (10) and accordion and Bodhran
