Mental Health Food Store (Jeff Gburek) – Totemic Encounters, 2025

Stunningly bubbly electronic pop would be the best way to describe this joyful album. From the Mental Health Food Store Bandcamp site: “In early February, while developing and learning to operate this mysterious new modular synthesizer “ecosystem” — these tracks engendered themselves. They are mainly improvised, and since modular synths Continue Reading

Soft Works – Abracadabra In Osaka (Elton Dean, Allan Holdsworth, Hugh Hopper, John Marshall)

MoonJune Records should be given a massive debt of thanks for preserving the Soft Machine legacy.  Some of the core members are in excellent form in a live outing that happened in Osaka, Japan, and the live recording is sublime.

Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek – Yarın Yoksa

One of Berlin’s most incredible live acts, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, has a new album out.  From their Bandcamp site: “Big Crown Records is proud to present Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek’s latest album Yarın Yoksa. The show stopping intensity of Derya backed by the psychedelic soul of Grup Continue Reading

Lara Sarkissian – Remnants

From Lara Sarkissian’s Bandcamp site: “Born and raised in San Francisco and currently based in Los Angeles, Sarkissian has developed her unique approach to composition over years of relentless experimentation across various disciplines. Her interest in music production initially stemmed from her filmmaking and video editing work, when she began Continue Reading

Steve Layton – Introspection

Our dear friend Steve Layton’s latest work is a collection of minimalist music, including the first work, Gospodi pomiluj (Lord have mercy) which has a, dare I say it, holy feel to it.  I owe Steve a great debt for introducing me to many modern classical musicians through his website, Continue Reading

Yelka – In A Rose Hat

From the band’s Bandcamp site: “A strikingly different take on contemporary America—YELKA’s In A Rose Hat offers an artistic perspective far removed from stadium rock or trap trends. It’s an intimate, almost cinematic interpretation that upends expectations. “Crawl into your hibernation, don’t wait for a new sensation…” the opening, ´Colors Continue Reading

Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru – Church of Kidane Mehret

Though the recording leaves much to be desired, this private press recording of Ethiopian pianist Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru is so gorgeously played that the music moves.  Augmented by a few extra tracks not found on the original pressing, Mississippi Records does wonders in bringing these tapes to life.  Her Continue Reading