AM Foreign World Cup: Round of 32 - Asia

[Stephan]

Bracket 4.3.1
Tokyo Jihen - Kurumaya-san ("Someone playing bass to the original")
Shigeru Umebayashi - Yumeji's Theme

Bracket 4.3.2
Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta
Ananda Shankar - Dancing Drums

Bracket 4.3.3
Various Artists - Hudjan Mas (Golden Rain)
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na

Bracket 4.3.4
Alfred Aholo Apaka - Na Moku Eha
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu- Wiyathul

[Stephan]

Dan's votes:

Tokyo Jihen - Kurumaya-san
Shigeru Umebayashi - Yumeji's Theme

Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta
Ananda Shankar - Dancing Drums

Various Artists - Hudjan Mas (Golden Rain)
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na

Alfred Aholo Apaka - Na Moku Eha
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu- Wiyathul

[Honorio]

Bracket 4.3.1
Tokyo Jihen - Kurumaya-san (Japan, 2004)
Shigeru Umebayashi - Yumeji's Theme (Japan, 2000)
I admit that "Kurumaya-san" didn't impress me too much on a first listen but every time I listen to it I like it more, especially the chord sequence and more especially this third chord (a B flat). Anyway "Yumeji's Theme" is better, an elegant and suggestive piece of music that represents well the Japanese serenity.


Bracket 4.3.2
Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta (India, 1975)
Ananda Shankar - Dancing Drums (India, 1975)
East meets West (as Ananda's uncle would have said). Maybe some of us were too harsh with Ananda on last round because he eliminated two genius (Ravi Shankar and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) but I acknowledge that those sitar psychedelic grooves are truly amazing. Difficult decision between these two songs from the same album, maybe I prefer the sitar melody lines on "Streets of Calcutta."


Bracket 4.3.3
Gamelan Gong Kebjar Unknown Ensemble - Hudjan Mas (Golden Rain) (Indonesia, 1969)
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na (Cambodia, 1970s)
Difficult decision too, probably "Mou Pei Na" is more representative of the sounds that we had on the East Asian part, with many songs from the Cambodian pop scene of the 60-70s. But my vote goes to the mesmerizing and intrincate sounds of Gamelan music that goes to show that some music can be simultaneously avantgarde and traditional.


Bracket 4.3.4
Alfred Apaka & His Hawaiians - Nā Moku 'Ehā (USA, 1949)
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Wiyathul (Australia, 2008)
I like the beautiful song from Gurrumul but in my opinion Hawaiian music got a uniqueness that could justify a victory on the Australia-Pacific part. And the Alfred Apaka song is an splendid sample of Hawaiian vintage music with an amazing pedal steel work.

[nicolas]

Bracket 4.3.1
Tokyo Jihen - Kurumaya-san ("Someone playing bass to the original") 4.25
Shigeru Umebayashi - Yumeji's Theme 5

Bracket 4.3.2
Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta 4.25
Ananda Shankar - Dancing Drums 4

Bracket 4.3.3
Various Artists - Hudjan Mas (Golden Rain) 4.25
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na 4

Bracket 4.3.4
Alfred Aholo Apaka - Na Moku Eha 4.25
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu- Wiyathul 4

Same vote as my friend Honorio... but we won't be on the same side tonight... (Champions League)

[Honorio]

Yes! May the best team win. Only joking, may Valencia CF win!!!

[Miguel]

Bracket 4.3.1
Tokyo Jihen - Kurumaya-san

Bracket 4.3.2
Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta

Bracket 4.3.3
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na

Bracket 4.3.4
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Wiyathul

[DaveC]

Bracket 4.3.1
Shigeru Umebayashi - Yumeji's Theme
Really enjoyed that film when it came out.

Bracket 4.3.2
Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta

Bracket 4.3.3
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na

Bracket 4.3.4
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Wiyathul
Strongest bracket for me. Still it wasn't that close. Great song, beautifully sung.

[jamieW]

Bracket 4.3.1
Winner: Tokyo Jihen - Kurumaya-san
Shigeru Umebayashi - Yumeji's Theme
“Yumeji’s Theme” is beautiful, but “Kurumaya-san” is one of my favorites of the Cup. I bought about 10 songs from the World Cup this week on I-Tunes, and was most depressed that I couldn’t find “Kurumaya-san” and “Gervele” by Atalyja. It may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, though, since now I’ll have to find the albums, which I'm sure contain other great songs, too.

Bracket 4.3.2
Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta
Winner: Ananda Shankar - Dancing Drums
Love the wild psychedelic sound of both, but I prefer “Dancing Drums” by a larger margin than I would’ve originally thought.

Bracket 4.3.3
Winner: Various Artists - Hudjan Mas (Golden Rain)
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na
These two may be the biggest growers on me throughout the entire cup, and it’s amazing to me after how wonderful they each sounded now that I’ve never voted for either before. I’m voting for “Hudjan Mas” ever so slightly over the joyful “Moi Pei Na,” although I certainly wouldn’t mind getting an opportunity to vote for “Moi Pei Na” in the next round.

Bracket 4.3.4
Alfred Aholo Apaka - Na Moku Eha
Winner: Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu- Wiyathul
What a contrast: the happy, upbeat Hawaiian sound of “Na Moku Eha” against the melancholic “Wiyathul.” I must really enjoy feeling somber, because I’m voting for “Wiyathul,” despite my huge admiration for “Na Moku Eha.”

[Poliuks]

Bracket 4.3.1
Tokyo Jihen - Kurumaya-san
Shigeru Umebayashi - Yumeji's Theme
Closer than I thought before re-listening... but this piano hook is irresistible.

Bracket 4.3.2
Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta
Ananda Shankar - Dancing Drums

Bracket 4.3.3
Various Artists - Hudjan Mas (Golden Rain)
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na
Definitely one od the most unique songs of the entire World Cup, not necessarily the best, but regardless deserving to make it to the next round.

Bracket 4.3.4
Alfred Aholo Apaka - Na Moku Eha
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu- Wiyathul
I must admit that, after many listenings, Wiyathul starts getting a little bit funny (those "mmm")... Anyway, I can get rid of this feeling pretty easily, so I can fully appreciate his soulful, melancholic vocals.

[Henrik]

Bracket 4.3.1
Tokyo Jihen - Kurumaya-san
Shigeru Umebayashi - Yumeji's Theme

Bracket 4.3.2
Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta
Ananda Shankar - Dancing Drums

Bracket 4.3.3
Various Artists - Hudjan Mas (Golden Rain)
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na

Bracket 4.3.4
Alfred Aholo Apaka - Na Moku Eha
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu- Wiyathul

[Stephan]

My votes are for Shigeru, Streets, Golden Rain, and Geoffrey.

The results:

Bracket 4.3.1
Tokyo Jihen - Kurumaya-san - 3
Shigeru Umebayashi - Yumeji's Theme - 6

Bracket 4.3.2
Ananda Shankar - Streets of Calcutta - 6
Ananda Shankar - Dancing Drums - 3

Bracket 4.3.3
Various Artists - Hudjan Mas (Golden Rain) - 6
Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, Pan Ron and Dara Dam Chan - Mou Pei Na - 3

Bracket 4.3.4
Alfred Aholo Apaka - Na Moku Eha - 4
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu- Wiyathul - 5

[Honorio]

None of my "candidates" for winning every part of Asia finally won. Ryuichi Sakamoto and his "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" was eliminated on Round 2, Ravi Shankar and his "Rāga Simhendra-Madhyamam" on Round 3, Dengue Fever and their "Genjer Genjer" on Round 2 and finally Alfred Apaka and his "Nā Moku 'Ehā" on this last round.