What a pleasant surprise this turned out to be! Staalplaat Records was the label my friends and I would swear by on every release they put out when we were teenagers, and the quality never left them. From the Youtube channel (sorry, my Chinese friends, but this will be remedied Continue Reading
Duo Noire – Night Triptych
Thomas Flippin and Christopher Mallett are Duo Noire, who perform astounding guitar duets. From their Bandcamp site: “Duo Noire’s playing throughout is virtuosic, sensitive, and calibrated beautifully to the style of each work. “Night Triptych” contributes an hour’s worth of important new music into the repertoire, presenting works that will Continue Reading
Beyond From Within – Love Whispers To Be Free
Although Beyond From Within offers only one track on this release, it is a scorcher that will appeal to Hawkwind fans.
Various Artists – Canary Records: What Heaven Has Against Me: Central & Southern Turkish Folk Music, ca. 1928-55
From the Canary Records Bandcamp site: “Armenian singers from the central, southern, and eastern regions of Turkey — Urfa, Diyarbekir, Malatya, Gaziantep, Harput, etc. — recorded prolifically in the U.S. from the mid-1910s through the ‘20s. Meanwhile, Darü-1 Elhan (Istanbul Conservatory) was founded in 1916. During the 1920s, academics there Continue Reading
The Bug – London Zoo
From the Ninja Tune Bandcamp site: “The Bug is the main project for Kevin Martin, a producer who over the years has also been behind a diverse range of projects. He is part of Techno Animal / Ice / God (all with Justin Broadrick of Godflesh / Jesu), King Midas Continue Reading
Oduchu – Nostalgia
From the band’s promo material: “Unlike many other Tuvan bands rooted strictly in tradition, ODUCHU embraces a broader musical landscape. “For us, melody is the heart of the music,” says Chingis, who not only composes and arranges most of their songs but is also a trained sound engineer and producer, Continue Reading
Roz Vitalis – Dedication to BigNick
Roz Vitalis is a progressive rock band known for their exceptional technical skills on their instruments. However, they truly shine when they exercise restraint. Their music incorporates elements of Rock-In-Opposition, avant-prog, and a touch of arena rock, resulting in a brilliant album. The “BigNick” referred to is their producer, Nikolai Bogaichuk, who Continue Reading
Armonico – Okinawa 1976
Due to the limited information available about Armonico, it’s difficult to determine whether he created these tracks or simply compiled them. Regardless, the music sounds fantastic, blending City Pop with the melancholic elements reminiscent of the early Durutti Column era.
Various Artists – Analog Africa: Roots Rocking Zimbabwe – The Modern Sound of Harare’ Townships 1975-1980
“Roots Rocking Zimbabwe” is one of the many incredible compilations that Analog Africa has produced in recent years. If you’re not familiar with the label, I recommend visiting their Bandcamp site to explore the full story behind this release. Here’s a brief overview: “The 25 songs presented in this project Continue Reading
Colin Stetson – SORROW – a reimagining of Gorecki’s 3rd Symphony
There is something about the contrabass clarinet that is achingly sad to hear. American-Canadian composer Colin Stetson has an already impressive body of work, but his interpretation of Henryk Górecki’s most iconic composition is something else to behold. As he states on his Bandcamp site: “The concept was simple, and Continue Reading