It’s rather charming to see cultures like this clash. These folks from Sindh, Pakistan, give their takes on everything from music to technology, usually with a calm, relaxed and jovial insight. In this episode, they listen to a-ha’s classic tune, “Take On Me,” and it seems they really enjoy not Continue Reading
Pop
Bô’vel – Changes
I had no idea who Mancunian soul singer Bô’vel was until our esteemed friends over at Athens Of The North released this album of long-forgotten tracks recently. Bô’vel was a darling of pirate radio during the mid-1990s, and judging by how soulful and funky these tracks are, she deserved a Continue Reading
Elia y Elizabeth – Alegría / Ponte Bajo el Sol
From Vampi Soul’s Bandcamp site: “Elia y Elizabeth Fleta were two Colombian girls who recorded a handful of songs between 1972 and 1973, acompannied by Jimmy Salcedo and his group La Onda Tres, mixing soft-pop with a touch of tropical-pastoral funk, singer-songwriter sweetened by the subtle perfume of Caribbean music Continue Reading
Akiko Yano – To Ki Me Ki
There is no better way to tell the story of this gorgeous and lovingly remastered release by Akiko Yano than to let our dear friends at Wewantsounds to explain it for themselves: “Wewantsounds is proud to continue its Akiko Yano reissue series with the release of the singer’s third studio Continue Reading
Peter Gabriel – Live in Athens 1987
It’s incredibly nice to see Peter Gabriel release the bulk of his solo material on Bandcamp. He even offers a subscription for rare tracks and remixes, most of which are perfectly okay. This release was a pleasant surprise, as it was, I believe, once released as part of the So Continue Reading
Marc Almond – Heart On Snow
20 years ago, Marc Almond collaborated with musicians in St. Petersburg and recorded a magnificent album of Russian chanson. It’s as good as you would expect. The gems of the album include the title track and Gosudaryunia, penned by Russian rock legend Boris Grebenshchikov. A fine reissue, and I thank Continue Reading
Juchify.com
A friend passed this site along, and as North Korea is supposedly a die-hard Juche state, it surprised me that they actually have a streaming service for local music. Because Bandcamp, Spotify and others may or may not be under pressure from Western governments to not allow this sort of Continue Reading
Various Artists – One Part Dog, Nine Parts Cat ~ The Beginnings of Burt Bacharach
Legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach passed away yesterday at the age of 94, leaving behind countless pop hits covered by singers both major and minor. British label Moochin’ About have collected a 146-track compilation covering his earlier material, and it features artists like Dick Van Dyke, Cliff Richard, and perhaps his Continue Reading
Liraz – Azizam
Persian-Israeli pop singer Liraz will have a brand new album called Roya in October, but she’s seen fit to release an early single which is in parts psych-ish and sensual. Definitely for fans of Israeli pop and even Googoosh fans!
Dominique Figaro & Steve Shehan – Figaro... Si!
I had no idea what to expect with this album except that it was promoted by Carbon 7 record label impresario and former Univers Zéro bassist Guy Segers. His taste tends to be outstanding, so I gave this a shot. Quite pleasant, actually. Dominique Figaro’s voice reminds me of a Continue Reading