A taxi for my uncle - Wasta Radio broadcasts 1–4
Billed as a noise sound system, A Taxi For My Uncle is a side project of Dubai-based artist Simon Coates that patrols the borders between sound art and music, and the Wasta radio broadcast series explores traditional sound system tropes applied to sound in its broadest terms.
Each broadcast is a curated selection of international sound that narrates trade routes and cultural exchanges – a continuous, speech-free mix punctuated by sound system meters: dub echoes, dancehall sirens, spin-backs and DJ interruptions but with pure noise/sound art intentions.
Working as a sonic travelogue, the Wasta broadcasts soundtrack notions of migration and global displacement. Scrolling through radio dials and eavesdropping on taxi cab conversations, the mixes document accumulated and acquired memories.
In terms of scope, the Wasta broadcasts embrace kwela, Sowetan jive bop, doo wop, mento, Ethiopian folk, one hit wonders, dream pop, Cali punk, back packer rap, music hall, dancehall, Monghul drinking songs, Welsh male voices, vintage Bollywood soundtracks, Kurdish wedding tunes, sound effects, Iraqi boating songs, Haitian voodoo drumming, Nyabinghi beats, dancehall sirens, dub workouts, back spins, poetry, 1960 US radio ads, found sounds, field recordings, sound art, calypso, Delta blues, New Orleans jazz, yodelling and more.
A Taxi For My Uncle has remixed the likes of UK noiseniks Terminal Cheesecake and Lebanese rockers Scrambled Eggs as well as contributing to experimental sound events worldwide.
Wasta Radio Broadcast #1
Jesse Mae Hemphill – Jesus Will Fix It For You
Shabazz Palaces – Swerve the Reeping of All That Is Worthwhile (Noir Notwithstanding)
Reverend Cleatus – The Slip
Coachwhips – Letter 2 London
Vince Guaraldi Trio – Skating
Alto Bung’o Horn
Oktjabrina Vladimirovna & Svetlana Naumova – Untitled
Peanut Butter Wolf feat. Planet Asia – In Your Area
A Taxi For My Uncle – Wide Range of Features
Fisk University Jubilee Singers – Blow, Gabriel, Blow
Ananda Shankar – Dancing Drums
Nico Gomez and his African Percussion Inc – El Condor Pasa
Merle Travis – I Am A Pilgrim
The Ventures – Scrooge
Stanley Holloway – With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
Andre Brasseur – Pow Pow
Dan Satch & His Atomic 8 Dance Band Of Aba – Alabeke
Ti-Roro – Drum Solo II
Cutty Ranks – Limb By Limb (Desert Storm remix)
DJ Shadow – Let’s Get It (Bass, Bass, Bass)
Wasta Radio Broadcast #2
The Pipkins – Gimme Dat Ding
Amedee Breaux – Ma Blonde Est Partie
Link Wray – Switchblade
Cannons Jug Stompers – Walk Right In
Mostafa Yeganeh – Vabastat Shodam
Hun Tere – Sapno Ki
Koi Kaise Bachaye – Son of Sindbaad
Kaazim Zareb – al Akheera
Royal Guardsmen – Snoopy vs The Red Baron
The Instrumentals – Are You Nervous?
Who’s On First? (robot version)
Brise Napolitaine
Slim Whitman – When I’m Calling You
Harlan – Untitled
Cure Riddim (produced by Tommy Topp)
Ce’Cile – Rude Bwoy
Count Lasher – Talking Parrot
K.L. Saigal – Jack and Jill
Wasta Radio Broadcast #3
Ivor Cutler – The Wren
Leroy Anderson – The Typewriter (ATFMU version)
Pastor McPurvis – Little Monkey
Ernie Smith – Duppy Or A Gunman
Yedenou Adjahoui – Face A
N Knegnitsky – Forestalling the Morning
French Pronunciation (ATFMU Francois Truffaut Funk version)
Ink Spots – I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire
Harry Champion – I’m Henery The Eighth
Bezunesh Bekele – Unknown
Ali Shabo feat. Halo Dawe – Almaz Teferra
Pali Seth Pirith Part 1
Wasta Radio Broadcast #4
Tony March & Bill David’s Roomates – Show Down
Mescaline Sessions – Cifri
Qaidi – Kuch To Aisi Baat Kar Jalim
Kim and Buran – Birthday Party
Unknown – Incy Wincy Spider
Syrian Folk Song (trad.)
Stereo Akt – Before You Die
Joe Meek – Magnetic Field
Kazoo Funk Orchestra – The Jagables
The Kentucky Blowers – Rambling Blues
Wilmoth Houdin Bamboo Orchestra – Mama Call The Fire Brigade
Jalikebba Kuyateh and the Toubabs – Signolu
Kazim- Naseet (Yatzakkar dub)
Unknown – Keep Cool Babylon
Sound Dimension – Real Rock
Sizzla – Nu Touch Mi Sound
Unknown – Ba Ba Black Sheep
Christina Kubisch – Security
The Crystal Mansion – Boogie Man
Unknown – Meringue With Flute