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 Legendary Pink Dots, and some rather ambient bits which blend together quite well.
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 their mark with labels like Projekt Records, Cold Meat Industry or 4AD (think Dead Can Dance). What pleases my ears the most is the heavy, almost liquid-like sound that resonates so deeply in my speakers that I feel like I’m inside of a cave enjoying almost pure isolation. It’s quite…
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 in what sounds like Hebrew. Enjoyable.
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 bands like New Order and Afrika Bambaataa. The vocals are smooth, the beats are warm. This should make the rounds at all the summer dance hotspots. If you prefer to hear this on Bandcamp, the song can be accessed here. It sounds phenomenal as a FLAC file.
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 to the hazy pleasantness of this album. According to George Christian’s notes, this is a paean to the African influence in Brazil and on his music. He explains it clearly here: This album came up with a basic motivation in mind: to show how much Africa there is in my…
Saturday afternoons tend to be a great time for me to let my mind wander a bit while I’m doing minor chores. This Saturday’s release comes from Joachim Spieth, DJ extraordinaire, remixer and owner of Affin Records, one of my favorite modern techno labels. This album is a departure from his normal oeuvre. We have 57 tracks, most less than a minute in length, of ambient music which can be shuffled for hours of truly easy listening. It’s not audible wallpaper like most ambient music is supposed to be, but it serves as a good soundtrack for drifting the day…
When reading tags about vodun jazz, a reggae vibe wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Still, Togbe Adjos produces an album mixing the rhythms of the Caribbean with those of his native Benin. This is a mellow but lively album which wouldn’t feel out of place among that massive stack of Trojan Records you have laying around your listening room. West Africa is perhaps the hottest place in world music these days. It’s wonderful to see Benin’s musicians receiving more and more recognition.
I almost feel bad for only promoting the download of this release. Our dear friends over at Meticulous Midgets, one of Russia’s finest experimental/avant-music record labels also releases a magazine to go with the album, and it’s a stunning affair. This is the second one I have had the pleasure of reviewing, and it makes me pleased to know that promotion of new music in the country is in good hands with my Moscow-based colleagues. What’s more, they don’t rest with promoting local acts. The artists on this comp hail from the United States, the United Kingdom, German, Spain, France,…
Our friends at Tejo Milenario have introduced us to yet another one of their brilliant band and we are expecting to highlight quite a few more as the weeks pass by! Albaluna are a project from Portugal whose stage performances blend together music, poetry and dance, combining cultures of the Silk Road into one well-woven tapestry. The music is a mix of electronic progressive music, pure folk forms from the Mediterranean, North Africa and even hints of Chinese music. They literally sound like they are able to vacuum a genre of music and easily mix it into their palette. They…
Our beloved friends from Israel, Zeresh, have collaborated with Italian project Albireon for an apocalyptic doom-folk classic. Considering the state of the world, I choose that word advisedly. This album has something special to it because so many parties come together and work seamlessly, something rare for a split album. The music is both spacious and claustrophobic at the same time, as the tones are dark, a bit creepy and haunting. This would compare rather well to the early acoustic forays into folk that Current 93 took decades ago, though with a gloomier feel about it. Take, for instance, the…