This latest release from our friends at Mahorka Records, featuring the Belgium-based Christophe Bailleau O’Farrell, is going to date me a bit by using this reference. This is less experimental and more avant-garde, reminding me of the legendary Made To Measure series that featured such luminaries as Tuxedomoon, Hector Zazou, Continue Reading
Belgium
Hochiwah / Cimetière de l’Est – Split
As much as I love the term ‘experimental music’ as a catch-all, it is wholly inappropriate for something this weird yet this accessible. I cannot say anything about Cimetière de l’Est, but I had the pleasure of hearing several works by Hochiwah, and the first two bands that came to mind were Continue Reading
Wim Mertens & Glenn Branca – Belly Of An Architect (Original Soundtrack)
For no other reason than having a good memory about the great Wim Mertens and the late Glenn Branca, I present you this minimalist classic soundtrack, one of Mertens’ best works.
Various Artists – Radio Martiko: Music For A Revolution Vol 1 : Guinea’s Syliphone Recording Label (1967-1973)
A massive debt of thanks goes to Radio Martiko, which has released a compilation I had always hoped would come out on vinyl and in digital formats. The Syliphone Recording Label was a Guinean government-sponsored record label active from 1967 to 1983 and one of Africa’s earliest post-colonial record companies. You can read about Continue Reading
Pefkin – Unfurling
Pefkin have released an ethereal masterpiece. From their Bandcamp site: “On her fourth full-length for Morc, Gayle Brogan raises the bar once more. The familiar Pefkin elements are present: melodies that unfold patiently and graciously, with textures so vivid they feel almost tangible. Across six tracks, around forty minutes in Continue Reading
Red Stars Over Tokyo – The Burning Spiral
Those who assume techno music is cold should take a good listen to Red Stars Over Tokyo. This is warm, relaxed, and some of the most pleasant electronic music I’ve heard in a fair while. Perhaps it’s for the dancefloor, perhaps not, but you will feel a sense of contentment Continue Reading
Various Artists – taâlem: Homework – Year 9
Belgium’s taâlem Records is one of Belgium’s most venerable labels and one of the world’s best for experimental music in general. This is their ninth edition of tracks collected for the year, and this one has 71 pieces to go through.
Tuxedomoon – Desire (45th Anniversary Edition)
Currently, there is no track list available for this important release, but Tuxedomoon is reissuing their masterpiece, Desire, as a double LP, CD, and digital download. The release date is set for November 21, 2025, just before Thanksgiving. If you’re looking for an avant-garde Christmas gift for yourself, this might be the perfect Continue Reading
Cedrik Fermont – Es könnte der Anfang sein
Cedrik Fermont is a composer whose work I greatly admire. He has done remarkable work in documenting experimental music from underrepresented areas and is also an accomplished composer in his own right. This new album features two tracks: one recorded this year and the other in 2023. Both tracks utilize Continue Reading
Onsturicheit – Onsturicheit Live
Turntablism beautifully combines elements of musique concrète with abstract and illbient hip-hop. This album embodies a deeper, darker, and more experimental musical atmosphere. Belgian composer Onsturicheit is one of the newer practitioners of this genre, skillfully telling stories by mixing sounds in real time. This album is designed for deep listening, Continue Reading