The Dolomites – “Wakannai” (video) (premiere)

It’s fair to say that a band that combines Japanese, Balkan, cumbia, gypsy, dub, tribal, roots, and 8-bit music will probably sound just a little bit eclectic. Such are the Dolomites, who for years have been combining different forms of world music to create one crazy, eclectic, and hugely enjoyable whole. Take “Wakannai”, for instance, whose video we’re premiering here today. Featuring accordion, tuba, darabuka, and wadaioko, the song inexplicably marries Balkan polka, Japanese/English lyrics, and tribal scatting, yet manages to wriggle into your head in seconds.

We asked Japanese-Romanian band leader Stevhen Koji Baianu to offer some thoughts on the track, to which he replied enigmatically, “All I know is that there is no need to really know…”

There you go. Enjoy. How can you not?

The Dolomites will be releasing their EP compilation The Japan Years, Volumes I-III 11 September.