Czech vocalist and cellist Dorota Barová is a new name for me, but her rather glorious voice brings up memories of Portuguese singers like Teresa Salgueiro, who you might remember as the lead singer of Madredeus. Barovà has had an impressive career, as her first album, the award-winning debut “Iluzja” Continue Reading
Ernesto Diaz-Infante – Saca Los Cuernos al Sol
My fellow Californian Ernesto Diaz-Infante provides us with a warm, shimmering work of nine instrumental pieces composed solely for guitar. Each track is warm, not only by experimental music standards, but in terms of pure music listening. My particular favorite was IV, which reminded me of a hybrid between John Continue Reading
Various Artists – Remain Alone (A Disciples Compilation)
Many years ago, I was enthralled with the music of 4AD artist His Name Is Alive, but lost track of what they were doing. That’s a shame, as Warren Defever has continued to be involved in great music, and this one has to be one of the most interesting I’ve Continue Reading
Autumn Tears / Zeresh – Widowing / Possessing
What a strikingly good album this is. Autumn Tears is a collective of musicians from Billerica, Massachusetts who make an ethereal sound that blends the best of bands who would have fit well on 4AD Records during their 1980s heyday and progressive rock, especially for those who are fans of Continue Reading
Samo Salamon – Dolphyology: Complete Eric Dolphy for Solo Guitar
Our friend from Maribor, Slovenia, the fine guitarist Samo Salamon, graces our blog with a new release. This one is just him alone playing the works of Eric Dolphy accompanied by his guitar and, apparently, his cat adding in a meow or two. From Samo’s Bandcamp site: The idea of Continue Reading
Choir Of Beirut – Al Yaoum Youladou Mina Al Batoul
In honor of celebrating Christmas according to the Julian Calendar, we will not be posting reviews today, so we wish to all of you, the faithful, and to our beloved friends, a wonderful Nativity season, a placid Eid and a Happy Hanukkah. May we be rejuvenated in the new year.
Various Artists – Discember: Hear Xmas, See Xmas, Say Xmas
As we observe Christmas Eve and the Nativity today and tomorrow based on the Julian Calendar, we share an avant-garde take on “Christmas” music. The French experimental record label Camembert Électrique have released a 94-track comp of some rather interesting takes of some Yuletide classics, as well as a fair Continue Reading
Azure – Amor Fati
Azure are a post-rock band out of Aviles, Spain, who produce an atmospheric instrumental vibe on this EP. It has a familiar sound to those who like a bit of metal inside of their post-rock, so it’s a worthwhile pickup. Also, for those of you who love using Bandcamp, this Continue Reading
Various Artists: Zanzibara: First Modern Taarab Vibes From Mombasa & Tanga, 1970-1990
It’s so good to see the inestimable Buda Musique take the modern route and make some of the treasures of their back catalog accessible, not only digitally, but on fine vinyl and CD editions. This compilation brings together a collection of artists from the towns of Mombasa and Tanga, in Continue Reading
The Bayan Mongol Variety Group – The Bayan Mongol Variety Group
From Discogs.com and Light In The Attic Records: The Bayan Mongol Variety Group existed from the early ’70s to the late ’80s. After the collapse of the USSR, the ensemble began to experience serious difficulties with funding and booking concerts, and finally disintegrated, after which the participants lost contact with each Continue Reading