Dave Summer penned an article on the state of Russian jazz today, and one of the featured releases was a compilation of artists featured on the Rainy Days record label. This is a great way to explore these innovators, including saxophonists Azat Bayazitov and Andrew Krasilnikov, bassist Makar Novikov, drummer Continue Reading
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Nick Sudnick – Opera Of The Eleventh Hour
St. Petersburg, Russia-based composer Nick Sudnick has had a storied career as the main protagonist of the of the art-rock group Zga. I had the pleasure of working with him for one reissue in another life. He is still very much involved with music, and has been releasing an incredible Continue Reading
Valerio Orlandini – Syntagmata
Valerio Orlandini is a sound designer and composer from Firenze, Italy whose work reminds me of that of artists like French electroacoustic music composers like François Bayle or Michel Chion. It is, of course, dark, nearly claustrophobic, music. Yet it has a nice cinematic feel to it. He’ll be worth Continue Reading
UBURGRUND – Dionelos
At least as I am able to understand it, UBURGRUND is a graphic artist and composer who hails from Băicoi, Romania. This release is inspired, in part by the Romanian modern surrealist author Mircea Cărtărescu and his magnum opus, Solenoid. I have not had a chance to read the book Continue Reading
Noisesculptor & God Cancer – Wanderers In The 4th Dimension
Noise music is something you are either passionate for. or you loathe to the depths of your soul. I say this because too many artists not only sound far too similar, it almost sounds like they insult the audience by turning on a vacuum cleaner and try to call that Continue Reading
Fellirium – Changes
Yet another great listen from Russia. I have plenty more coming down the line. Fellirium produce a neofolk that stays away from the more pretentious parts of the genre, and sticks with fine, gentle instrumental soundscapes. One can hear hints of the Incredible String Band, perhaps a more acoustically based Continue Reading
HIEMIS – La Chose
Gradual Hate Records has had a stream of excellent releases this year, but this album by HIEMIS, an artist out of Spain, is the best of the bunch. This is dark, gothic (in the original sense, not the bad makeup sense), ethereal and would compare well to artists who made Continue Reading
Rami Moscovich – Capsules
As far as electronic music releases go, Rami Moscovich does a nice job straddling Eno-esque ambient with Berlin School vibes reminiscent of 70s-era Tangerine Dream. The jewel of the crown of this release is the track My Grandmother’s Apartment, where it sounds like Rami’s grandmother is reminiscing about old times Continue Reading
ISQ – Ode To Myself (Arthur Baker Remix)
ISQ are a band based out of London who have managed to carve out a rather nice niche in both the alternative jazz and house music worlds. In this new release, their track, Ode To Myself, has been remixed by legendary producer Arthur Baker, who has worked his magic with Continue Reading
George Christian – África em mim
Our friend and colleague George Christian Vilela Pereira has released an album that I could only describe as mellow strumming psychedelic noise with elements of Krautrock and instrumental psych that one could have found in Japan in the late 70s and early 80s. The lo-fi feel of the recording adds Continue Reading