Expand your taste in music. Based in Beijing, China.
Cellist David Darling passed away on January 8, leaving an incredible body of work for ECM Records and other labels. Any of his ECM albums is a worthy listen, but I choose this one not only for the music, but the hopeful title which stands in stark contrast to the disgusting display of mental illness and evil here in the United States.
God rest the soul of David.
Heckel and Jeckel have a couple of things going for them. First, I’m old enough to remember the rather funny cartoon bearing their name. Second, I really like early Black Sabbath, Big Black, and some of the better stoner rock bands coming down the line these days. These guys do well making something powerful by blending these elements together. I’m impressed.
The link on Heckel and Jeckel’s name leads to Pogo Records’ Bandcamp site. The label releases some creative music. Give them a good exploring.
Just before Christmas, I got word that my friend, Jason “Fish” Harper, was killed in a motorcycle accident. He was a good man, a source of so much amazing music, and receptive to my very strange taste I had in the late 1980s. This song by Tear Garden, a side-project of Edward Ka-Spel of the Legendary Pink Dots, is posted in Fish’s memory.
We will be featuring 5 tracks of the day every week. Our first foray includes the following tracks:
Silber Records has released their wonderful Droneuary series to begin 2019 and 2020, and they are continuing the tradition in 2021. Though it is still early in the year, wait until mid-February to see this series completed.
If you enjoy drone, dark ambient and experimental music, this comp will keep you busy for a while. Respect to Silber Records for continuing this tradition.
Wow! Imagine a mangling together of Gang Of Four, early Wire, an angry Birthday Party and all that is good in post-punk, and you would have the bones to make Trigger Cut.
The tracks are minimal, punchy, and full of distorted angst. I’ll have to hear the rest of this album, but you can indulge in four tracks of brutal music right now.
I point you to my favorite track, Solid State. Enjoy!
Martin Chilton at udiscovermusic.com writes on the difficult life and masterful playing of pianist Michel Petrucciani. A worthy read, which you can access here.
This release by ZX Electric took a bit of getting used to, but once I felt settled in, some rather pleasant memories washed over my mind. Mainly, I started thinking about the sound of cold wave, minimalist electronics, a lo-fi aesthetic, broken, heavily manipulated vocals, and the aura of 1980s cassette tapes which this album seems to reference quite well. I’m looking forward to hearing more from this project.
Porto, Portugal’s neo-soul queen Marta Ren has had her breakthrough album reissued with a couple of extra tracks! From her Bandcamp website:
Record Kicks re-release Marta Ren’s legendary debut LP “Stop Look Listen” on ltd edition vinyl clear LP (500 copies worldwide).By popular demand Milan label Record Kicks announce the reissue of 2016 Marta Ren & The Groovelvets seminal debut album “Stop, Look Listen” on limited edition clear vinyl LP and digital deluxe version on February 26. The digital deluxe version includes 2 bonus tracks, the previously unreleased track “Hit Me” and “Summer’s Gone” that was previously released on 45 vinyl. Pre-orders of the limited edition clear LP are available form Today on Marta Ren’s Bandcamp page (martaren.bandcamp.com). The original LP is long time out of stock and this makes it one of the most in-demand album of the deep funk scene.
Recorded on an Ampex eight-track tape machine and produced by New Max, mastered in NYC by Andy Vandette, with “Stop Look Listen” Marta Ren exploded into the International funk & soul scene. The album is pure dynamite from start to finish and follows the best tradition of the Soul Sisters of the 60s. Marta Ren, who was compared to Marva Whitney at the release of the album, serves you 11 tracks of pure-fire raw funk. After the release of Stop Look Listen, Marta played extensively all over Europe inflaming stages such as Trans Musicales festival in Rennes, Sziget Festival in Budapest, Eurosonic Noorderslag and Mostly Jazz Funk in Birmingham.
Marta is currently in studio working on her highly anticipated sophomore album, of which an extract, the new single “22:22”, has been released last October 23rd.
To our new readers, we at Music You Need To Hear wish to honor Christmas on the Julian Calendar. We wish you a Merry Christmas, a hopeful 2021, and peace on Earth and in your hearts. Here is some music for the season courtesy of the Male Choir of the Valaam Singing Culture Institute.