Musicwhore.org Great. Another music blog. (2005-2013)

Every few years, there’s some big world music hit that manages to make a blip with non-world music listeners. Usually, Ry Cooder is involved, and invetiably, it gets released on Nonesuch.

In the late ’90s, it was the Buena Vista Social Club. In the late ’80s, it was Le Mystère de Voix Bulgares.

The Bulgarian State Radio and Television Women’s Choir sung a highly stylized form of folk music. The lyrics didn’t really amount to more than songs about waking up to bake bread in the morning, but the choral arrangements employed techniques inspired by modern classical composers.

The result was a dynamic singing style, evocative, poignant and haunting.

You couldn’t be a hipster in the ’80s without owning Le Mystère de Voix Bulgares. Oddly enough, Ry Cooder had nothing to do with this release, but it did get an international release on Nonesuch.

"Erghen Diado" is available on the first volume of Le Mystère de Voix Bulgares.

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