Antonovka Records, once based in Russia but now ensconced in Moldova, continues to release some of the most seminal music to ever come out of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, and their reach seems to keep expanding. This album covers the work of traditional singer Cristina Godoroja, an ethnomusicologist Continue Reading
Russia
Oleg Karpachev – Sputnik (Dir. Egor Abramenko) O.S.T.
I have never heard of Oleg Karpachev, a Israeli soundtrack composer, but thanks to the fine folks at the legendary Cold Spring Records, I can spend this day blown away by this soundtrack which melds together Hans Zimmer and In Slaughter Natives in some fashion. From the label’s Bandcamp site: Continue Reading
Ясный-Svetly – Песни (Songs)
There is such a gentle lilt to the voice of Nata Boundriver of Ясный-Svetly that I can imagine this being what Kate Bush or Hope Sandoval sounding like if either had fronted post-rock era Mark Hollis or some band specializing in ethereal, ghostly music. A sublime listen.
Evgeny Masloboev – Clay. Thirteen Contemplations on Matter
Clay is the topic of the latest Fancy Records release by composer Evgeny Masloboev. The topic, as described by the artist, is a fascinating one, tied in with some incredible contemporary classical music. From the Fancy Records Bandcamp site: “Clay is a living mystic. This is the ever-dancing childhood of Continue Reading
Yunchi Ensemble – Aleksandrovka, Milyanfan: Dungan Music from Kyrgyzstan
Yet another amazing collection has been released by Antonovka Records, now based in Moldova. This collection features a Chinese Muslim ethnic group called the Dungan who live in the passes between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and surprisingly, they don’t write in Chinese, but in Cyrillic! From Antonovka’s Bandcamp site: “Most of Continue Reading
Okolo Poludnya – Gulyat EP
Russian band Okolo Poludnya produce a very good retro-inspired EP influenced by new wave, synthpop and post-punk.
Roman Stolyar – In Gleisdorf
Our dear friend Roman Stolyar has released a new live solo recording with him performing on the piano and recorder from a show recorded literally last weel in Gleisdorf, Austria.
Shono – Kolkhozoy Traktor
Our dear friends at CPL-Music will be releasing some solid music from Buryatia in Eastern Russia. From the bio sheet: “Unheard sounds from Buryatia: Shono revive the ancient rituals of the vast Eurasian grasslands. The autonomous Russian Republic of Buryatia is located in the far east of the country, bordering Continue Reading
Santeri Dobrynin, Egor Masaltsev, Olga Plekhanova – Karjalan Jouhikko: Karelian Instrumental Music
This release from our friends at Antonovka Records features three players of the jouhikko, a local stringed instrument: Santeri (Alexander) Dobrynin and Olga Plekhanova from Karelia and Russian Egor Masaltsev, who moved to the region. There are 22 tracks of charming interplay between the three and individually. All the tunes Continue Reading
Various Artists – Meticulous Midgets 2023
Our beloved friends at Russia’s finest indie music magazine, Meticulous Midgets, has released their annual compilation of weird experimental, lo-fi and avant-garde music. Featured artists include Russia’s own Assembly of Honey, the Italian ambient sound sculptor Marco Lucchi and Latvia’s Шумилов Бор (Shumilov Bor) among a host of talent worldwide.