Radio Martiko usually does a fine job remastering old shellac recordings and making them sound vibrant. This album by Tassos Chalkias is an incredible example. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “Epirótika! Greek psych folk as a soul medicine. A shepherd’s fever dream or spiritual jazz from an ancient world? The Continue Reading
World Music
Mamer 马木尔 – Awlaⱪta / Afar 离
Mamer 马木尔 is perhaps my favorite underground artists operating in China today. His work fuses Kazakh folk music with avant-garde music, bordering on experimental, even though he has a pedigree in working with record labels like Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records. It’s rare to see an authentic musician dig into Continue Reading
Arbay Taraa – Arbay Taraa
I have a bit of catchup work to do with Russian releases which I plan to remedy over the next few weeks, and moreso once I move from China. Arbay Taraa are a mindblowingly great band brought to us by our friends at Russian World Music Chart. They are an Continue Reading
Various Artists – Village Wedding: Lebanese Songs & Vignettes ca. late 1960s – early ’70s
We have another gem from Canary Records: “Anthony M. Abraham (b. June 13, 1893 in Aintourine, present-day northern Lebanon; d. July 1978) arrived in the U.S. in 1921 and worked for decades as a machinist and crane operator at Crucible Steel Works. His label Alkawakeb, primarily reissued or pirated Arabic-language Continue Reading
Fränder – Fränder II
Nordic Notes offer a sophomore album by the Swedish/Estonian troupe Fränder. What separates this album from traditional folk or “World Music” albums is the ease with which the band can mix not only Nordic and Baltic sounds but even music like rock & roll, progressive rock, and modern stylings. Any Continue Reading
Romano – Güle Güle
Batov Records continues to produce funky disco goodness from Israel. From their Bandcamp site: “Romano, synthesizer wizard unveils his debut solo album, ‘Güle Güle’, for Batov Records. A cinematic journey through groove, nostalgia, and diverse cultural soundscapes, the album showcases Romano’s rich musical heritage and cutting-edge creativity, building a unique Continue Reading
Various Artists – Ruptured Sessions Vol. 1: Live at Radio Lebanon
Ruptured Sessions has produced a compilation of Lebanese folk and blues. Considering the horror happening in the region, hearing mournful folk and blues music seems appropriate. May God save Lebanon from evil.
The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections – Surfin’ Kali Yuga
This most certainly is not basic jazz. The Orchestra of Mirrored Reflections has been performing darkjazz for a long time, and at least to my ears, they encapsulate the genre. The beats, based on Indian rhythm, mesh well with the saxophone and atmospheric electronics underpinning the groove above.
Orchestra Baobab (Baobab-Gouye-Gui de Dakar) – Mouhamadou Bamba
Orchestra Baobab are perhaps my favorite band from Africa ever. That’s saying something, as they rank higher to me than the ever-brilliant Fela Kuti or Tony Allen. This particular album blends traditional West African pop and local traditions with an Afro-Cuban vibe, jazz, and even a hint of psychedelic music.
Russian World Music Chart 2024 (Redacted)
We have an update from the Russian World Music Chart. Read below: Russian World Music Chart 2024 Making Russian folk music visible for the world In October 2021, Russia’s first world music chart, the Russian World Music Chart (RWMC), was launched. The purpose of RWMC is to attract the attention Continue Reading