Even in the midst of war and apocalypse, you should find ways to feel a sense of joy. Hope trumps all, and Ghanian music, like that of Vis-A-Vis, makes for a good remedy. Cheerful vocals, lo-fi production and a pulsing beat cures many ills.
Downloads
Bandcamp Friday and Help For Ukraine
Politics is loathsome. Human beings, however, can be beautiful. All of them, not just your favorites. If you can help out those in need from all points in this disgusting war, I’m sure the labels, the artists, and most of all, the people who could use the funds to survive, Continue Reading
Divanhana – Zavrzlama
In January, we had the pleasure of reviewing a track called Ćilim from Bosnian ethno-folk band Divanhana, and now, it’s our pleasure to bring you the rest of the album! Zavrzlama is a collection of sevdah tracks which have a darker, more minor-key quality than what I’m used to from Continue Reading
Daniele Baldelli – Back My Funky Side
Beefy, gritty, nasty funk. That’s what you will hear from this monster by DJ Daniele Baldelli. There are elements of tribal funk, Afrobeat, and soundtrack music that wouldn’t be out-of-place in old German or Italian krimis or Poliziotteschi. Calibro 35 would be the most apt comparison to Daniele’s work, but Continue Reading
Ernesto Diaz-Infante – Vacilando EPs
We had the pleasure of reviewing an album by Bay Area guitarist Ernesto Diaz-Infante in January, and now, we can introduce you to Vacilando, a collection of instrumental tracks recorded on guitars, oud and banjo. The material is comprised of Ernesto’s composition, none of which exceeds six minutes in length, Continue Reading
Etran de L’Aïr – Agadez
Thanks to a bit of luck and our friends at Sahel Sounds, I was fortunate enough to obtain an album by Nigerien (no, not Nigerian) troupe and stars of the local wedding music scene, Etran de L’Aïr (or Stars of the Aïr region). From their Bandcamp site: “Recorded at home Continue Reading
Ángel Ontalva – October Equus Guitar Project Vol. 1
Ángel Ontalva is a Spanish guitarist who spends a great deal of time working in Russia whom we’ve featured here in the past, and he surprises us with a release of an album full of Rock-In-Opposition and chamber-rock influences. From his Bandcamp site: “The origin of this album is in Continue Reading
Igor Vasilev Novogradska – Sisterhood Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Igor Vasilev, working under the nom de plume Novogradska, has produced music in various genres, including darkwave (with Alexander Veljanov of Deine Lakaien), Mizar and his own solo work in electronic music. He has also become a sought-after soundtrack composer. This particular work, for the Dina Duma-directed Sisterhood, has an Continue Reading
David J – What The Patrons Heard
David J should need no introduction, but if you’re new here, he made his name as the bassist of Bauhaus and the leader of both Live and Rockets and Tones On Tail. This new album, What The Patrons Heard, was 34 years in the making. He combines his post-punk roots Continue Reading
Wabjie – Lull
Wabjie are a Swiss trio made up of singer Soraya Berent, pianist/composer Michel Wintsch and drummer Samuel Jakubec who produce a sound that references Thom Yorke, Bobby McFerrin and Betty Carter at their most experimental, but perusing the promo sheet, one name was left off that hit me very hard Continue Reading