You know, everything is a remix. The newest thing is remixing movies into songs. I first heard this with the Wishery remix above, made entire from sounds in Walt Disney’s Snow White. It’s kinda trippy, kinda great. I’ve also included a few other remixes below, including one which takes the concept to its logical extreme.

Ethnic/world music is too often code for boring and dull. At the Galle Music Festival, however, the music was consistently rhythmic, moving and even danceable. I didn’t catch the whole thing, but here’s video of what I did see. Twas good.

The Galle Music Festival is happening today. If you have the ability, head down to check the performances today starting at 5. I went briefly last night and it was really good. Saw some lovely stick dancers from Jaffna, a great drummery band from Bangladesh and Sri Lankans own Kaffers, singers and dancers of African descent. All very good. Tonight is similar, plus Bathiya and Santush, who are pop but still personal favs of mine.

Heading down south for the Galle Music Festival. It’s Rs. 500 bus and like Rs. 2000 for a night in Una (cheaply, communally). The Festival is free. If you’re in Colombo, Red Bull’s Chris Pfeiffer is doing some crazy motorbike stunts at Nelum Pokuna at three, WTC at five. But I think I’ll be in Galle.

MIA is a great artist, and I kinda look at her politics like performance art. It’s like her middle finger at the Superbowl. More posturing than an actual position. I dunno. When it comes to Sri Lanka she’s a hater, but I can’t hate on her music.

Electric Peacock was pretty great last night. I heard Avicii’s gig at CH was excellent as well. By the end of the night the Basement Jaxx DJ was dancing around on the beach and people were racing Go Karts around the city streets (as practice for tonight’s race). Down the Galle Face they were having an open air concert and the whole city just had a buzz I haven’t felt before. Woke up and saw that Colombo was featured in the New York Times as up and popping. Cool.

I normally avoid such things, but this weekend should be cool. There’s the Electric Peacock Festival OR Avicii on Friday and the Colombo Night Races on Saturday. The preceding links all go to ticket sales. The gigs are like Rs. 2,000 apiece but you can get race tickets for Rs. 250.

My friend Imaad is hosting a poetry jam at Green Path tomorrow. To quote: “Poetry jam(/open mic) this Wednesday, 30th november, 5 pm onward at Green Path, Colpetty. spread the word.” It’ll feature musicians, some sketch artists and poetry. The Green Path house is past the checkpoint (before Liberty roundabout), first left. There’s a map here.

Jahcoozi is playing tonight at La Voile Blanche, Mount Lavinia (8 pm). Interesting cause they’re an edgy electro, reggae, experimental funk act from (most recently) Berlin, but also because their singer is Sri Lankan born Sasha Perera. Above is their cover of a Cure song, closer to me. You can hear more track on their soundcloud.

Via Sayy’s 365, I heard this lovely Tamil song. It’s an unimposing song, sung in mixed English and Tamil, telling a simple story, nice slouchy beat, and a fun, real video. Sayy comments that’s it’s gotten over 3 million views in a week. I understand why. It’s beautiful and fun. The drum beat alone is enough to carry anything, but it’s got a haunting refrain and really sweet lyrics. And random hot girls in the studio, but not lolling around looking retarded and fake. It’s all really real. Here’s a lyric: