Thelonious Monk – Mønk
Thelonious Monk will need no introduction from my readers. He is the quintessential jazz pianist, and this unreleased album comes from a 1963 Danish recording session. It is Monk playing at his peak. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “Hot on…
Brion Gysin – Junk
Never, ever did I expect this artifact of Beat weirdness, cut-ups and free improv to get reissued, but then again, how many record labels are as brave in their choices as Wewantsounds is? From the label’s Bandcamp site: “Wewantsounds is…
Shūko No Omit – 秘密の回顧録 (Secret Memoir)
Ramble Records out of Australia have published a unique album here – one that should be seen as a modern psychedelic rock masterpiece. From their Bandcamp site: “Shūko No Omit, the name of the band, featuring Yonju Miyaoka on guitar…
Jewel Ackah – Electric Hi-Life
Barely Breaking Even (BBE) Records continue showcasing some crucial releases which came out in the 1970s and 1980s in West Africa. This one, by singer Jewel Ackah, combines Ghana’s highlife sound with disco and funk with a wildly danceable groove. …
Fabiano Do Nascimento – Mundo Solo
The indubitable Far Out Records have produced what might be my favorite record of 2023, a guitar album by Brazilian guitarist and fellow Los Angeleno Fabiano do Nascimiento. I’ll let the label’s crack promo team describe this absolute beauty of…
Pyroclastic – Life is an Illusion
Pyroclastic is the brainchild of former member of the Los Angeles Das Bunker Collective Ryant Takai, who was one of the few musicians promoting genres like Industrial Dance, Electronic Body Music and Power Noise. From main member Ryant Takai’s Bandcamp…
Jacques ‘n’ Their Box – Horsey
Our friends at MuteAnt Records have released an utterly weird and wonderful new release. Jacques ‘n’ Their Box actually understand how to craft songs out of noise, making this album far more pleasant than most experimental music.
Ilian Ladov – За далёкие берега
Ilian Ladov is a musician from St. Petersburg, Russia, who works in the medium of neofolk. The work is all instrumental, and has a very relaxed vibe to it. It’s a bit melancholy in parts, but not dour or droll…
Roedelius & Arnold Kasar – Zensibility
On December 1, the maestro will again collaborate with Arnold Kasar (whom he paired with on a Deutsche Grammophon release 5 years ago) on a new album of piano and electronics. Judging by the two tracks available for listening, this…
Cristina Godoroja – Ciobănaș Cu Oile: Songs From Moldova and Romania
Antonovka Records, once based in Russia but now ensconced in Moldova, continues to release some of the most seminal music to ever come out of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, and their reach seems to keep expanding. This album…