From the Series
British ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey (1903 to 1977) spent over 50 years collecting sounds around Africa. This audio archive has now been put in the hands of contemporary artists and producers to sample and remix in tracks for the new Beating Heart album. Machinedrum, Rudimental, Throwing Shade, Clap! Clap!, Kidnap Kid and many other musicians are taking part in this first Beating Heart project. All the proceeds made from the record will go towards schools and communities in Malawi.
In recent years many parts of Africa have been severly afflicted by droughts and serious food shortages. In Malawi, school drop out rates have increased because malnourished children are too hungry to study. The Beating Heart project is supporting the Love Support Unite Foundation in establishing the Garden to Mouth (G2M) food initiative, where nutrition and gardening are introduced into Malawian schools through “outside classrooms”. These form links between food, nutrition and education and create a sustainable source of food for the children while they study, as well as providing them with practical knowledge to help them beyond school. Sales of extra food at local markets can also generate income to put back into the expanding of these outside classrooms.
Every 1500 copies of the Beating Heart CD will provide food for a school of 500 children in Malawi.
