The Permanent Collection: 014 & 015

The Permanent Collection is a weekly log of my favourite tracks in the entire world. This isn’t a ranking, but a space where I can share my deepest music loves with you in a more intimate setting. Paid subscribers get access to the full archive, bonus songs and a playlist.

014 - Jeancky - Protestation (1977)

This song. This song! A Haitian beauty from quite the mysterious singer and guitarist Jeancky. So mysterious in fact, that if you search up this song on Google, my NTS show ranks on the second page, proving there is very little about him, or this song online.

Sung in French and Creole, this protest song is very much my wave. Winding, melodic, repetitive, organic, in-the-pocket-type music. Starting off with a sensitive harmonic pluck, before serving an entree of bongo flutters and a French monologue. Then our appetites are primed for the main course, a theme that will worm into your head, sung in unison with his female accompaniment.

I’d be lying if I said I knew what he was talking about, so perhaps someone here can enlighten me. But it doesn’t matter, it’s special to me all the same.

I remember when I played this on NTS, the chat were all:

“ID?”
”ID NOW”
”Pls sir, can I have?”

That’s when you know you’re onto something special.

Thanks for reading this week’s edition! 015 is below for paid subscribers.