One of the greatest beauties of music is that no one can say they have heard it all. The infinite number of songs created make it impossible for music taste to not be an ever-growing landscape. And yet, whether it is on the way to class, at a party or playing in the background of a roommate debrief, the songs played around Grounds are mainly in English.
It is natural for individuals to want to only listen to lyrics they can understand. However, this mindset can cause students to miss out on some of their potential favorite songs. Here are five iconic records in five different languages in five different genres to open the door to new tracks.
French Pop — “D’eux” by Céline Dion (1995)
As the best selling French-language album of all time with 10 million copies sold worldwide, Dion has the numbers to show that this is a high quality album. A voice that is mainly familiar to most via “The Titanic” (1997) soundtrack featuring her English hit “My Heart Will Go On,” Dion maintains her groundbreaking vocals in her native tongue in this album. It is definitely a top recommendation for students looking to expand their 90s loving horizon.
Although it maintains an umbrella genre of French Pop, the album dips its toes into many genres through Dion’s appetite for edgy sounds. The opening track, “Pour que tu m’aimes encore” captures the 90s era with a slow and steady tempo underneath Dion’s gentle, yet captivating singing. To preserve this laid back persona, Dion goes ahead and incorporates blues rhythms on track two “Le ballet.” With soulful vocals and a punchy bass, she channels a Stevie Wonder-esque sound. Including whip lashes of soulful jazz keys and upbeat acoustic strums throughout the rest of the tracks, it's an album hard to find boredom in.
Japanese City Pop and Jazz Fusion— “Seychelles” by Masayoshi Takanaka (1976)
As a legendary and world-renowned guitarist, it would be impossible to not add Takanaka to this list. “Seychelles” was his debut record that began a career of over 20 albums and is still often considered one of his best. It is a true essential for jam band lovers, with mind-boggling guitar jams that really just makes listeners lost in the flow.
“トーキョー レギー(Tokyo Reggie)” is a stunning piece which utilizes high pitch glistening keys with a deep and structured guitar and bass jam. “憧れのセーシェル諸島(Dreaming of the Seychelles Islands)” is a more mellow track but an equally enchanting demonstration of Takanaka’s guitar talent. With more jangly work with the electric guitar on “バードアイランド急行 (Bird Island Express)”, Takanaka takes a step into more Western sounding guitar sounds similar to that of Aerosmith yet maintains true to his natural sound with chime-like tones. In short, students should not let the shift in characters in the song tracks confuse them.
Brazilian Bossa Nova — “Chega da Saudade” by João Gilberto (1959)
Bossa Nova is a genre from Brazil with an emphasis on melody and jazz attributes. It is certainly not a top genre within the University, but that does not mean it does not deserve a dedicated listen. “Chega da Saudade” is a prime launch into the genre's entanglement of samba and jazz through the Portuguese language, and Gilberto is often considered the founder of the genre itself.
With its warmness and serenity, the album evokes the peacefulness of a Sunday morning listen. “Desafinado” sways back and forth with brushes of a snare drum and a lightly pulsed guitar. “Bim Bom” incorporates jazz with a foundation of scat, also layering soft acoustics and triangles to add an upbeat samba appeal. Regardless if one is a samba fan, jazz fan or neither, Gilberto is a pioneering musician with glorifying vocals who is definitely worth a listen.
German House — “Oderbruch” by Shed (2019)
Although this album lacks lyrics, it is an essential queue add for house loving University students. After nearly 20 years of creating house music, René Pawlowitz — or his stage alter-ego “Shed” — knows the ins and outs of techno. The genre took off in Germany in the 1990s after gaining inspiration from the house pioneers of Chicago around the same time. Today, Berlin, Germany stands as one of the global centers of house and this album upholds this distinction.
The first track on the album, “B1 (Anfang Und Ende)” lures listeners in with a tranquil nature sound. The intensity is slowly constructed through hints and layers of faster tempos before the song turns into a whiplash of techno. This intersectionality of tranquility and urgency is thorough amongst the record. Track “Sterbende Alleen” begins with a white noise sound which sends listeners' brainwaves into a sleepy trance and slowly awakened by a foggy pulse of futuristic rhythms. For DJ-loving students, it is 100 percent worth the venture.
Ghanian Akan Highlife — “Huhuhuhu Enye Me Hu” by Nana Acheampong (2024)
Originating from Ghana, Highlife is a genre which fuses traditional Akan music with western jazz and calypso. It creates a reggae appeal with ancestral energy and accented sonic textures. . “Huhuhuhu Enye Me Hu” carries a vibrant texture and an upbeat incorporation of techno sounds. It’s a perfect album for students looking for a fusion of reggae and electronic soundscapes.
The first track “Obi Awaame” does not shy away from an electronic appeal with technokeys and a reggae infused chorus. This is continued later in the album with “Asem De Nasem Ko,” which mirrors a slow Caribbean groove tempo with futuristic work in a structured loop. However, after harnessing classic reggae harmonies and a steelpan in “Meko Odo Enkyen,” Acheampong circles back to the traditional sounds of Highlife. In doing so, he creates an album that is both experimental and true to his roots — a perfect choice for students looking to explore this genre.
Whether students are pop or Reggae fans, it is inspiring to recognize the limitlessness of their music taste. The more open a mind is to music, the faster one is to hearing their next favorite tune — or even better, hearing it all.
Read More
Michael Che performs a blend of predictable raunch and surprising vulnerability
By Zachary Geller | YesterdayThe second current SNL cast member to visit Charlottesville this week, Che performed to a crowd of 1,100 people just days after a rare midseason weekend off for the SNL crew.
Hoo’s Watching: Unmasking identity in horror films
By Isabelle Halliday | 2 days agoHere are three horror movies that include thought-provoking takes on the loss and complexity of identity.
Comedian Andrew Dismukes brings laughs and dirty jokes to Grounds
By Calla Mischen | 4 days agoStudents came to Old Cabell Hall Sunday to watch Andrew Dismukes perform, hosted by University Programs Council.
