Shuma (Šuma) – Sonca

Sonca is a reissue of an album released in 2016 by Belarusian band Shuma.  From label Ezhevika’s Bandcamp site: “Re-issue of Shuma’s most popular album Sonca, originally released back in 2016. It was aknowledged by Belarusian music critics as The best album of the year, The best electronic album and Continue Reading

Mimi Roman – First Of The Brooklyn Cowgirls

Unless one thinks of the ever-amusing singer Kinky Freidman, I can’t say I’m terribly familiar with Brooklyn Jewish people being heavily involved in country music.  Enter charming Brooklynite Mimi Roman, whose voice was among the early pioneers of rockabilly.  It’s a large collection at 35 tracks, but it’s worth every Continue Reading

Sula Bassana – Nostalgia

Though he have nearly 20 years under his belt with this band, I have to admit that I never heard David Schmidt’s music until this evening.  Sula Bassana’s latest release, Nostalgia, is a gloriously slow wade into space rock.  It’s heavy, sludgy, and exactly the sort of thing that I Continue Reading

Sound and Voice – That Which is Unknown

This has to be one of my favorite psychedelic folk releases since the heyday of bands like Charalambides.  Merit Medrano is an Austin-based guitarist and leader of Sound and Voice, which is, apparently, his latest musical project, implying that he’s been a busy soul for some time now.  The music Continue Reading

Various Artists – Ten Songs from Houshang Ebtehaj

Iranian poet and balladeer Hushang Ebtehaj passed away on August 10, 2022, but left an incredibly rich body of work.  This compilation, released by Tehran-based record label Khosousi, brings together Ebtehaj’s best interpreters, such as Mohammad Reza Sharjarian and his son Homayoun,as well as Alireza Eftekhari, Hossein Ghavami, Mohammad Motamedi Continue Reading

Soyuz (Союз) – Force of the Wind (​С​и​л​а в​е​т​р​а​)

Belarus is not what one would think of as a Brazilian music hotspot, though, if my friends in the country could enlighten me to the local music scene, I would really appreciate it.  Still, Soyuz, led by singer Alex Chumak blend a Brazil-meets-Santana-meets-funk beat and this album engages you quickly, Continue Reading

Dirty Three – Whatever You Love, You Are

The Dirty Three are Mick Turner, Jm White and Warren Ellis, and between them, they have worked with a who’s who of alternative music like P.J. Harvey, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and Nick Cave among others.  What’s most impressive about their sound, however, is that they can sew together angular post-rock with a Continue Reading