More music from Okinawa

First up is "Shima Uta", another folk song turned modern pop song. It's name means "Island Song" and it has to be the unofficial anthem of Okinawa so often will you hear it if you spend time there. I think it's quite impossible to listen to this song and not have it linked to Okinawa in some way. Also it has been covered by Okinawans and non-Okinawans many times over. The Ukulele like plucking you can hear is an Okinawan sanshin (called a shamisen in mainland Japan), it is a 3 string instrument traditionally made from Habu (a native snake) skin.

This is Rimi Natsukawa's version which I like best.

Next up is Talvin Singh's "OK" which uses a lot of Okinawan sanshin and singing samples mixed in with groovy break beats, distorted guitars, synths and an Indian Sitar. A very unique track that I still love since I first heard it in 1999.



Lastly there is Ryukyu Underground's Seragaki. The Junkie XL remix was what first got me interested in these guys. No Youtube link this time but You can still listen to a sample of it at AudioJelly.

Well, that wraps up my introduction to Okinawan music. I hope you've enjoyed it and maybe be inspired to visit Okinawa one day. The weather is mostly calm, the atmosphere friendly and laid back, Okinawan people themselves are beautiful and the music, well, you probably have in idea after listening to all these clips but there's nothing like being there, sitting in the shade and chilling to a live performance or even the radio where a lot of Okinawan music is still played.

If you're interested in learning more about Okinawan music from the past until present day, try this great site set up by the Ryukyu Cultural Archive.