Gladag-Badung vol 3 -- a cassette of gamelan music recorded and released in Bali

Here we have a cassette I purchased in the mid-1980s. I had very little luck finding out any information about it on the internet. It is nonetheless delightful.

Balinese gamelan is an intricate musical tradition which holds a central place in the island’s rich cultural tapestry. Rooted in the island's Hindu and Buddhist traditions, Balinese gamelan is a complex ensemble of percussion instruments, producing a harmonious and rhythmic symphony that captivates both the ears and the soul.

The origins of gamelan can be traced back over a thousand years, with influences from Java and the Majapahit Empire. The music is deeply intertwined with religious ceremonies, traditional rituals, and artistic performances.

Central to gamelan is its distinctive ensemble of percussive instruments. These include metallophones, gongs, drums, and other metallic instruments, collectively creating a shimmering and resonant sound. The instruments are organized into sets, or "gamel," each with a specific role and pitch range.

Transfer: Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck, extensively refurbished and rebuilt.
Pre-amplification: Vintage refurbished Pioneer SX-780.
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 24bit/48kHz resolution
Software: Audacity and xAct.
Monitoring: Digital line out from a MacBook, Focal Spirit One headphones with Schitt Audio Asgard headphone preamp with 4490 DAC

downloads:

24bit, 48kHz FLAC files (733 MB)

very high resolution lossless FLAC files

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (385 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (136 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Oum Kalthoum: Rabiaa El Adawia (Sono Cairo SC 22-117) an LP issued in France in 1968

We begin again here at the World Music Village blog. The goal as always is to make some sort of effort to help preserve our precious human musical culture against the forces of neglect. In my opinion this process is most successful when the highest audio and graphic standards are maintained and files are allowed to be downloaded rather than just streamed.

Here is a really lovely LP released in 1968 in France featuring the great Oum Kalthoum. 

Files were downloaded from the Internet Archive. Painstaking manual reduction of surface noise and clicks/pops as well as balancing of the channels (left was 2dB quieter than right) was undertaken in Audacity. Graphic files were optimized in the free Mac software known as "Photos." 

I thank you for listening to this album. 

24bit, 96kHz FLAC file (921 MB)

Very high resolution lossless files

16bit, 44.1kHz FLAC file (277 MB)

Standard resolution lossless files 

320kbps mp3 file (167 MB)

The highest quality lossy mp3 possible