• Music

    Igor Vasilev Novogradska – Bikini Moon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

    July 31, 2022 - By 

    If Andrei Tarkovsky had Edward Artemiev as his soundtrack specialist and early Roman Polański had Krzysztof Komeda, then it stands to reason that Macedonian auteur Milcho Manchevski would have his in Igor Vasilev Novogradska. Parts of this new soundtrack are filled with dirge-like qualities befitting this movie, but what truly impressed me were at the end of the album.  Chessboard sounds like it would fit somewhere in the Fourth World period of Jon Hassell’s early work, and on the ninth and final track, if you go to about 07:26 into it, you will hear a song so blatantly new wave…

  • Music

    Les Rencards – Les Rencards

    July 30, 2022 - By 

    Les Rencards are a band based out of France which produce a garage rock-meets-yé-yé sound, made up of a Frenchman, a Brazilian and two Catalans, released by the erstwhile Groovie Records out of Portugal.  Their sound is raw and authentic.

  • Music

    The Traffic – Fire​/​Bangarang

    July 29, 2022 - By 

    The first thing that came into my mind hearing The Traffic was that they have mastered the psych-soul formula to a tee.  The first track, Fire, is a Jimi Hendrix cover where the flute takes the place of Hendrix’s legendary guitar playing, and it sounds damn solid.  The second track, Bangarang, sounds like something that would have fit in well with a hip Blaxploitation soundtrack, with a heavy funk element to the track.

  • Music

    Shin Joong Hyun & Yup Juns – Shin Joong Hyun & Yup Juns

    July 28, 2022 - By 

    repsychled Records out of Peru are known for releasing scorching garage rock from their native country, but they have dipped their fingers until the shimmering pools of South Korean psychedelic music as well. Shin Joong Hyun is considered South Korea’s ‘godfather of rock’, and he has been comfortable working not only with psych but with folk-rock, pop and soul.  This particular album with done with Yup Juns, his backing band, and you can hear influences from blues rock to Jimi Hendrix in this disc.

  • Music

    417.3 – 47

    July 27, 2022 - By 

    417.3 appeared on my radar about 7-8 years ago when I was trying to explore more about Russian post-rock.  They are a heavy instrumental band, but not overly “mathy” or anything like this. 47 is a one-track single with the sort of shimmering guitar playing that one would expect from post-rock bands, as it seems to be the calling card of the non-metal end of the genre’s spectrum.

  • Music

    Ilir Lluka – Twelve Years of Nihilism

    July 25, 2022 - By 

    Ilir Lluka, a composer out of Tirana, Albania, is one of the best active experimental musicians in the Balkans.  He works in the mediums of electroacoustic music, electronic, drone and sound art.  From his Bandcamp site: The title of Ilir Lluka’s new digital album “Twelve Years of Nihilism” refers to his period of creativity and musical productivity of Ilir Lluka. The artist considers himself a realist but agrees that his feeling of pessimism about mankind can somehow come close to the semantic concept of the nihilist when regarding it from the object of inspiration point of view. The four tracks…

  • Music

    Abadir – Mutate

    July 24, 2022 - By 

    SVBKVLT is a label based in Shanghai, China who have an international outlook.  A perfect example is this band, the Egyptian artist Abadir, who works in the field of experimental electronic music and glitch.

  • Music

    Moğollar – Anatolian Sun

    July 23, 2022 - By 

    Moğollar were, arguably, the founders of the Anatolian Rock scene in Turkey during the 1960s and 1970s.  Thanks to glorious reissue programs like this one done by, I believe, Gulbaba Records, you can hear mellow, fuzzy and Beatlesque Andalou music lovingly remastered.  A gem of an album.

  • Music

    Various Artists – Pierre Barouh and the Saravah Sound

    July 22, 2022 - By 

    As I’ve been stewing over this release for well over a month now, it’s exciting to finally announce that today, this scorching compilation is finally available on vinyl and download from our friends at WeWantSounds.  In fact, the only depressing thing about this gem is that I can’t hear it on vinyl yet as I’m currently in Belgrade, Serbia, waiting to see where I move to next before settling down back in the Czech Republic. Normally, I’ll either place my own personal thoughts about a music, or use clippings from a press release, but the Saravah story needs a bit…

  • Music

    Yamila – Visions

    July 21, 2022 - By 

    Mexican composer Yamila produces music similar to Rock-In-Opposition legends like Art Zoyd, Univers Zéro and fellow countrymen Decibel. The music is heavy, brooding, and dense. From her label, Umor Rex’s Bandcamp site: “Her voice and music –sometimes torn and others buoyant– could resemble the score for a biblical passage (ie. visions of the Apocalypse), for they are overflowing with physical ecstasy and sounds that one can touch. Visions is composed of different forms and rhythms. Pieces like “Visions V” evolve intensely with sharp and systematized hits ––powerful layers that bring us closer to Alessando Cortini’s Forse era. “Visions II”, for…