Is there a better song for today than James Brown’s classic?
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It’s a brutal question to ask, especially for my friends who publish non-commercial music. Venus Theory gives us a rather poignant reason to keep making music even if the Universe conspires against you.
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Ryuichi Sakamoto left this mortal coil on March 28, 2023. This is the second major loss of the year for us after Yukihiro Takahashi’s repose a few weeks back. We celebrate his passing by posting a video of him performing one of his greatest tunes, Riot In Lagos, on piano. Even here, it sounds wonderful.
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Your browser does not support iframes. Our heroes age. After the passing of Yukihiro Takahashi last month, it got me thinking about how long we have Sakamoto-san and Hosono-san with us. Both are due a tribute album of some sort. Thankfully, Milan Records has done a sterling job bringing together Sakamoto collaborators, friends, and those who are indebted to the master. Artists like Christian Fennesz and Alva Noto (Carsten Nicolai), who have collaborated on some incredible glitch albums, are joined by his countrymen Cornelius and Otomo Yoshihide, along with old friend David Sylvian, all of whom do wonders reworking Sakamoto’s…
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The eyes in this house aren’t very dry at the moment. We lost yet another legend today. This time, it was the shocking, though not unexpected, passing of drummer and composer Yuki Takahashi, who made his fame as drummer and singer of the Yellow Magic Orchestra. He first gained fame with the Sadistic Mika Band, which would evolve into The Sadistics before moving on to making solo albums, then YMO, and collaborations with British artists Bill Nelson and Steve Jansen. He leaves a massive body of work, most of which still needs an assessment outside of Japan.
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We at MYNTH wish you and yours a very Merry Gregorian Christmas, and please stay safe with your loved ones. For the eve of the birth of the Lord, we offer a charming secular song done ably by post-punk legends the Cocteau Twins.
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Because of work-related issues, there won’t be any reviews today, but instead, I offer, thanks to my friend Jeffrey Kinart, a nice discussion between Iggy Pop and Brian Eno about Eno’s new album, having his daughter sing on it, and doo-wop, among other subjects.
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No, this isn’t a prank. Lithuanian composer Mindaugas Piečaitis really did make a piece of orchestral music, and the cat, Nora, holds her own in comparison to more bloated practitioners of contemporary music. Not a bad effort, to be honest, and yes, it’s available through Apple Music, though there is no information on whether Nora is properly compensated for her performance.
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As today is my 52nd birthday, I thought I would take a walk down memory lane. Today is also the 35th anniversary of New Order’s first major collection album called Substance, which was released on this day in 1987. As it turns out, it was the first compact disc I ever bought, and though I don’t own it anymore, I have my digital copy to remind me of how excited I was (and still am) hearing this album.
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Delicious Tunes is one of Europe’s finest labels dedicated to the best of modern African music. This track is from legendary Angolan guitarist and singer Paulo Flores, and if you wish more of his music, visit the label’s website here or visit Paulo’s Spotify account.