• Music

    Plume Girl – In the End We Begin

    August 5, 2023 - By 

    A bliss-filled release from out mappa Records out of Slovakia from a new name, Plume Girl.  I’ll let the label describe this rather ethereal bit of emo folk, which you can read in full at their Bandcamp release site: “Already in its title, Plume Girl’s debut thoroughly lets things go and takes them in – all at once. “In the End We Begin” is the first solo full-length from Sowmya Somanath, a Hindustani classical singer/composer and half of alt-pop duo Felt Out. Plume Girl’s music takes inspiration from the semi-regular musical form of the rāga (translated as ‘tinting’), invoking mood…

  • From Resident Advisor.
    Music

    Bandcamp Friday and Help For Ukraine

    March 4, 2022 - By 

    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, would appreciate it.  Even if Bandcamp Friday dips into the well too much these days, at least they’re trying to help, so kudos to them. Here are three that caught my attention, so look, enjoy, and support if possible.    

  • Music - Spotify

    Tomáš Kočko Orchestr – Ona

    December 31, 2021 - By 

    The Tomáš Kočko Orchestr are one of the great musical treasures of my new home city of Brno.  They band mixes true Moravian folk music, including some melodies with pre-Christian roots (so, at least a millennium of music here), world music and even touches of metal to great effect. The concept of their latest album is based on the women of Moravia, whose character and strength preserved the culture despite attempted encroachments from within and without. From the band’s press release: The songs come from the Moravian folk tradition and talk about the experiences of the great-grandmothers of today’s women…

  • Music

    Sufjan Stevens – Songs for Christmas

    December 24, 2021 - By 

    Sufjan Stevens released this album in 2006, and it manages to hold up well.  He does a fine job interpreting classic Christmas tunes that are charming, sometimes irreverent and silly, but it makes a fine listen as we prepare for the coming of the Savior of the Universe this snowy evening.

  • Music

    Rapt – None Of This Will Matter

    October 2, 2021 - By 

    This Z Tapes release left me floored.  Rapt are a folk band out of London who have an ethereal sound which reminded me of musicians like Nick Drake fronting a band on 4AD.  Think, perhaps, of a more airy-sounding This Mortal Coil gone neofolk. The sound is folky without being stale, and adding elements like shoegaze and dreampop make for a rich, rewarding listen.  I really like this.

  • Music

    Various Artists – Z Tapes Summer 2021

    August 20, 2021 - By 

    Z Tapes is a small-but-mighty label out of Bratislava, Slovakia, who release everything from bedroom pop to properly polished indie music.  They have a massive roster of artists they work with, and also, bucking the current trend for vinyl, offer cassette releases.  There is a lot of appealing music on this comp, but the track that sold me on how good this record was was 動物園 by Stargirl, which you can hear below.

  • Music

    The Lamplight Club – Gallows Tree

    April 26, 2021 - By 

    We have quite a treat tonight.  The Lamplight Club was a six-piece band out of Essex, England who produce a sound that fits comfortably between 60’s garage-psych, gothic folk and touched with a noir country tinge to it. You can stream their songs via Spotify here.  If there are more honorable streaming services to recommend, please do so.

  • Music

    JIM – Falling That You Know

    April 17, 2021 - By 

    Considering how bad Top 40 music is, I never listen to the radio unless I’m subjected to such torture when I visit a mall or other public place of business.  Because I was doing some late night work related to China, I figured I would take a look at a link which popped up for the BBC radio program hosted by a lady whose name doesn’t come to mind right now, but who is on my Twitter feed, and it led me to hearing this track. JIM is the monicker of James Baron who was a member of an indie…