Category: good to hear

Síomha
Come to Say Goodbye
The Irish singer Siomha (= ‘peaceful/good’) has a voice that moves angels. From a family steeped in music, she grew up with the sounds of jazz, trad, folk and soul, leaving an indelible mark on her musical tastes and influences. She started playing the guitar when she was ten, but it was later in her teens while attending high school in southern France that she first took up the jazz guitar, learning from an Italian gipsy she’d met by chance. He taught her the manouche Gipsy jazz style. Soon, Síomha began to write her own songs.
Siomha Music

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Gorillaz ft. Thundercat
Cracker Island
«The ‘Cracker Island’ video, co-directed by Gorillaz co-founder Jamie Hewlett and Nexus Studios’ Fx Goby, reunites the Gorillaz’ 2-D, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs in the Los Angeles County Hospital after all three members show up for unknown reasons; for 2-D, he’s haunted by visions of a cult – as suggested by the song’s lyrics – seemingly run by Thundercat, who pops in and out of reality throughout the visual.» Rolling Stone
Warner

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Kokoroko
We Give Thanks
Seivwright. Yohan Kebede. Duane Atherley. Toby Adenaike. Onome Edgeworth. Ayo Salawu. Their sound is located between fusion and Afro-beat. Compared iwith the next review, you’ll notice an evolution towards the abstract. Sheila says. «It’s that feeling when you’re younger and you hear something and you feel some ownership over it. For me, Nigerian music and soul was played in the house a lot so I felt I had ownership over it so when I heard it elsewhere, there was a certain pride and energy filled with it.»
Brownswood Recording

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Analog Africa
Afro-Beat Airways: West African Shock Waves – Ghana & Togo 1972-1978
Organ-driven Afro-beat; cosmic Afro-punk and raw new, psychedelic boogie… just some of the flavors found on this highly danceable compilation by Samy Ben Redjeb, founder of Analog Africa. No effort has been spared! To document these fifteen irresistible tracks and the music scene from the seventies, Samy crisscrossed the lengths of Ghana and Togo in search of the producers and artists – or their relatives. In the process, he recorded a dozen interviews, scanned 90 pictured and transferred 120 master tapes. Afro-Beat Airways showcases an amazing diversity of local rhythms spiced with Afro-American funk, soul, and jazz.” More here.
Analog Africa

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Stella Donelly
Flood
Stella Donelly, an Australian indie singer-songwriter, is currently on tour in the US. Her debut album, Beware of the Dogs, was released in 2018. She first started singing with in high school, then studied jazz and contemporary music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Her widely acclaimed single ‘Boys Will Be Boys’, about a friend’s rape, was dubbed the Me-Too anthem of Australia. «Like the many Banded Stilts that spread across the cover of her newest album Flood, Stella Donnelly is wading into uncharted territory. Here, she finds herself discovering who she is as an artist among the flock, and how abundant one individual can be» (Bandcamp)
Secretly Canadian

Mingus Big Band
Celebrating Mingus: Dizzy Moods
On occasion of the 100th birthday of Charles Mingus on April 22, 2022
The Mingus Big Band cultivates the music of composer and bassist Charles Mingus, who died in 1979. Under the artistic direction of Sue Mingus, this band of fourteen musicians performed weekly at the Fez and Time Cafe in New York from 1991 to 2004. From May 2004 to October 2008, they maintained these regular performances at various venues around the city and then launched ‘Mingus Mondays’ at the Jazz Standard, where the Mingus Orchestra alternated with Mingus Dynasty, until the pandemic eleven years later. In 2022, the popular tradition is resumed at The Django, at the beautiful Roxy Hotel. Mingus Band can be heard in popular clubs around town and around the world.
Dreyfus Records | May 22

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Fantastic Negrito
White Jesus Black Problems
«Back in 1759, in Virginia, Elizabeth Gallimore, an indentured white Scottish servant, fell in love with a black slave whose name has been lost in the mists of time. All these years later, their great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson, Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, aka Fantastic Negrito, has discovered he is 27 per cent white and has written an album based on their tale. There’s darkness to spare. There’s casually dispensed pain; legal proceedings (fuelled by Joe Meek-style keyboards, the gritty Nibbadip {black falsetto} goes into the court case for ‘unlawfully cohabiting with a negro slave’ in funky fashion), and overt racism on the interlude You Don’t Belong Here. But there’s redemption too, when the couple’s children are freed.» (Check Thomann for Louder Sound)
Storefront Records | June 22

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Adrian Quesada
Boleros Psicodélicos
For Adrian Quesada, co-founder of the psychedelic soul duo Black Pumas, all it took was the stillness of the pandemic to finally create the project that had existed only in his head for the last 10-plus years — his latest release, Boleros Psicodélicos. The 12-track album is infused with the multi-instrumentalist’s admiration for the golden era of romantic bolero music that continues to transcend cultural borders today. Bolero ballads first manifested throughout Latin America in the late ’60s and early ’70s, with elements of instrumental experimentation that would go on to influence future generations like electric guitars with an influx of added reverb, the electric organ  harpsichord strings and the mellotron. (Variety)
ATO Records | June 22

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Death Cab for Cutie
Roman Candles
Death Cab for Cutie formed in 1997, in Bellingham, Washington, a college town about two hours south of Seattle. According to Wikipedia it is currently composed of Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harner (bass), Dave Depper (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Zac Rae (keyboards, guitar), and Jasen McGerr (drums). To date, the band has earned eight Grammy nominations, the first of which in 2006 for Best Alternative Music Album for Plans, and the most recent in 2016 for Best Rock Album, Kintsugi. Gibbard supposedly took the band name from the song of the same name, “Death Cab for Cutie,” written by Neil Innes and Vivian Stanshall and recorded by their group, the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band for their 1967 debut album Gorilla. Their new album Asphalt Meadows, featuring. Roman Candles, is due on 16 September.
Atlantic | June 22

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Harry Styles
Music for a Sushi Restaurant
Harry Styles spoils us with little pop pearls. A multi-talented energy bundle, he surprises again and again with his freshness. A versatile voice, a confident style, self-ironic songs, and an uninhibited androgyny reminiscent of the seventies: the critics are once again full of praise. And he can act, too. It all started with the British talent show ‘The X-Factor’, followed by the boyband ‘One Direction’, put on hold at Harry’s request in 2016 because he didn’t want to “tire out” his fans. Because of his style-setting flair, Harry became the first man to make it onto the cover of Vogue. Harry meditates and works out daily, doesn’t eat meat and describes himself as spiritual. (sgs)
Erskine Music | June 22

Heroes Are Gang Leaders 
LeAutoRoiography
«Heroes Are Gang Leaders was founded in 2014 by poet, photographer and Professor Thomas Sayers and saxophonist James Brandon Lewis as a tribute to the late poet, activist, and Jazz Critic Amiri Baraka. Ellis and Lewis opened for Baraka at the St. Marks Church (The Poetry Project) in 2013. HAGL is a Literary Free Jazz Ensemble of writers and musicians dedicated to the sound extensions of literary text and original composition. Between 2014 and 2019 HAG recorded six projects… (The) yet to be released POPschutz war recorded in Berlin, Germany, during HAGLO’s first European Tour.» (Bandcamp)
Via Midheaven 

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Dr. John
I Walked on Gilded Splinters 
Dr. John was working on Things Happen That Way, when he died of a heart attack in June 2019. Three years after his death, the album will finally be heard when Rounder Records releases it on Sept. 23. it’s the timbre, the accent, the modulation, the timing, the suspense, the mystery, the soul, and the wonder of this voice that had me hooked from the very first moment I heard Dr. John aka The Night Tripper. Produced by Karla A .Pratt, the musician’s daughter, this album draws it inspiration from Louisiana Hayride [radio show] and the icons of country and western.
Rounder Records | May 2022

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The Holophonics
Donkey Kong Country 2 – Forest Interlude. Ska Raggae Dub
The Ska/Punk cover band from Denton/Dallas, TX, consisting of Eric Daino, Vocals, Guitar, Organ; Shane Robert Reider, Trombone; Tyler Waguespack, Bass; Will Huebner, Drums, Brian Handeland, Saxophones, say: «We play all the songs you love and all the songs you hate! Because every song sounds better as Ska and we intend to make you skank all night long!» Their horn section is their forte; they’ve been all over the musical news for covering hits from Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Respawned Records | May 22

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Kendrick Lamar
The Heart Part 6
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is poetry in motion, and one of the most influential rapper sof his generation. As a child, he witnessed the filming of the music video ‘California Love’ by Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre, a seminal moment. He graduated from high school with straight As, releasing his first full-length album at age sixteen. He «dropped ‘The Heart Part 5’ on May 8, 2022, five days before the release of his fifth album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers… The overriding theme of ‘The Heart Part 5’ is spurning the notion of the black gang lifestyle as being glamorous.» (Songfacts)
Hammer Recordings | April 22

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The Afghan Whigs
The Getaway
The Afghan Whigs announce their first studio album in five years How Do You Burn? — their ninth album overall, following the brace of widely-acclaimed records they’ve made since re-grouping in 2012,  For his supporting cast, core member Greg Dulli called upon several serial collaborators including the late Mark Lanegan, who was a regular in Dulli’s Twilight Singers, a partner in The Gutter Twins and a close friend. The Afghan Whigs, from Cincinnati, Ohio – Dulli, Curley, Nelson, Keeler and with Christopher Thorn now joining the band on guitar – will take How Do You Burn? out on the road beginning this spring.
Royal Cream/BMG | Mai 22

A Pair of Brown Eyes
Cat Power – Video by Jim Jarmusch
A singer-composer, actress and occasional model from the Southern United States, Cat Power has been playing in various bands since 1990. Charlyn Marie Marshall was born 1972 in Georgia, her father, Charlie Marshall was a well-known blues pianist. Avant-garde director Jim Jarmusch has directed the music video for Cat Power’s interpretation of The Pogues’ ‘A Pair of Brown Eyes’ from her recently released album Covers. “The dreamy visual was filmed at New York City’s Blonde Studios, with Jarmusch’s camera capturing Cat Power as she performs the song alone on a Mellotron in a cloud-like setting. The video marks the first collaboration between Marshall and the Down by Law director. ‘As someone who deeply loves Cat Power’s music, getting to collaborate with Chan on this video was like a dream come true,’ Jarmusch said in a statement. ‘She’s so inspiring to me, of course as an artist, but she’s also just such an extraordinary person.’” (Rolling Stone)
Domino Records | April 22

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Lightning I, II, from the album WE (to be released on 6 May 22)
Arcade Fire
The Canadian Indie rock band Arcade Fire has released five studio albums, three extended plays and twenty-four singles. Present members of the band include Win (Edwin Farnham Butler, 1980), singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, his wife Régine (Alexandra) Chassagne, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist, and a founding member of the band. Other core members are Frank Reed Parry (multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer), Tim Kingsbury (bass) and Jeremy Gara (drums).  A first album, Funeral, was a direct result of the personal losses they had endured in their families, most notably the passing of Win Butler’s grandfather, the composer-arranger Alvino Rey. This led to a somewhat somber sound. It catapulted the band to immediate success. A flurry of prizes later, and Arcade Fire is somewhat more settled. The band likes to give back and are big donors when it comes to Haiti, where Régine Chassagne hails from.
Columbia Records | April 22

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Sira from the new album Timbuktu
Oumou Sangaré
In 2017, the album Mogoya signalled the long-awaited return of Oumou Sangare after eight long years during which the Malian singer devoted herself to managing her numerous businesses. With that album, recorded in Stockholm and Paris, the woman who once sold water on the streets of Bamako and has since become a global star, treading a fine line between her attachment to the traditional music of Wassoulou, the region of Mali which she hails from, and technological dislocation, gracing her fans with songs whose vital force was still intact and laying bare a heart that has remained as ardent as ever. In return, Oumou suddenly found herself propelled into a new dimension, that of pop culture: Painted by the Congolese artist JP Mika for the front cover, remixed by Sampha, St Germain, Malik Djoudi and others for the follow-up Mogoya Remixed, and even sampled by Beyoncé. Putting her generosity, her formidable energy and her notoriety at the service of the most disadvantaged, the Malian star Oumou Sangaré defends the values of Africa.
World Circuit | April 22

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Arbenz X Postma / Jerjen / Barradas
Shooting the Breeze
«Swiss drummer and bandleader Florian Arbenz is in the middle of a mission to release twelve albums with twelve radically different line ups from his studio in Basel. Conversation #5 is out this month featuring renowned Dutch saxophonist Tineke Postma, accordionist João Barradas and Australian bassist Rafael Jerjen.» (Jazzfuel) From his custom-built Hammerstudio in Basel, he brings together both musicians he’s known for years and those that he’s only admired from afar. Florian Arbenz, who comes from a family of musicians, has been playing jazz together with his twin brother, pianist Michael Arbenz, since their teenage years. In the field of classical music, he has performed as a percussionist at numerous concerts and festivals (such as the Basel Music Forum, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and the Lucerne Festival) with Heinz Holliger, Kent Nagano, and Paul Sacher, among others. In addition, he has given solo concerts in Europe and South America.
Hammer Recordings | April 22

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Danses de Claude Debussy
Nicolas Tulliez, solo harpist with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France
«Born and raised in Paris, Nicolas Tulliez holds a Bachelor of Music from the Juilliard School, an Artist Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, and a Master of Music from Yale University. His teachers include Pierre Jamet, Nancy Allen and Judy Loman. Winner of many competitions and scholarships, he has performed as a soloist all over Europe, USA, Canada and Asia. Chosen by Myung Whun Chung as first harp solo of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France since 2005, after being appointed at the same position at the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, then at the Sinfonieorchester Basel, he also plays regularly with other formations such as the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Berliner Philharmonie, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Abbado, Haitink).” (https://nicolastulliez.com/)

Tiny Desk Concert
DakhaBraka
“People always ask me, ‘What’s your favourite Tiny Desk Concert?’ Well, right now it’s the one recently performed by DakhaBrakha. The creative quartet from Kiev, Ukraine make music that sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard, with strands of everything I’ve ever heard. There are rhythms that sound West African and drone that feels as if it could have emanated from India or Australia. At times, DakhaBrakha is simply a rock band whose crazy homeland harmonies are filled with joy. All the while, they play tight-knit tunes featuring accordion, drums, reeds and shakers while wearing tall, Marge Simpson-looking wool hats that made me jealous It’s refreshing to hear the power of acoustic music and the many worlds of sound still waiting to be explored.” Bob Bollen, Producer
NPR Podcast

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Пташечка (Little Bird)
Vivienne Mort
The first attempts to create the band Vivienne Mort came in 2007, when singer/songwriter Daniela Zaiushkina composed her first songs. Finally, in 2010 Vivienne Mort released its debut mini album Єсєнтукі LOVE. In 2013 the band released their first full-length album Театр Pipinó at the Revet Sound recording studio and set out on a Ukrainian tour. At the same time, they made a music video for the song “Сліди маленьких рук” (Small Handprints), that was broadcast and spread on the net very quickly. In 2014 Vivienne Mort released the second mini album called Готика (Gothic) and a music video for the song “Риба” (Fish). The new mini album Filin is introduced on March 1, 2015. The new single “Ти забув про мене” (You Forgot About Me) appears shortly after that. On March 15, 2016, the band released its fourth mini album Rósa. The corresponding tour began in Poland and ended in Kyiv The video for the song “Пташечка”, which was shot in Mumbai, India.
United Music Group | July 2016

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The Best of Ozean Elzy
Okean Elzy
Okean Elzy, Elsa’s Ocean in English, O.E. for short, is a rock band from Ukraine. It is considered a cult band. The band was formed on October 12, 1994 by four friends in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv (German: Lemberg). The founding members Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, Denys Hlinin, Yuri Khustochka and Pavlo Hudimov knew each other from the band “Klan tyschi”, which was founded in 1991. Front singer Svyatoslav Vakarchuk (nicknamed “Slava”) writes most of the lyrics for Okean Elzy in his native Ukrainian. Besides, he is fluent in Russian, Polish and English. Vakarchuk became, after the 2019 parliamentary election with his own party ‘Voice’ deputy in the Ukrainian parliament. In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vakarchuk joined the Territorial Defense of Lviv oblast on March 6, 2022. (Wikipedia) These guys tends to grow on you…
Moon Records | November 17

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Zenit
ONUKA
The Ukrainian word onuka translates to “granddaughter,” a tribute to lead singer Zhyzhchenko’s grandfather and renowned folk-instrument maker, Oleksandr Shlionchyk.  Zhyzhchenko started her music career as a member of the band Tomato Jaws, a band that she started with her brother. Tomato Jaws remained active for 11 years, ultimately leading to the creation of ONUKA. Lead singer Nata Zhyzhchenko believes that she can revitalize old traditions and classic folk instruments such as the bandura and sopilka (a flute). ONUKA’s debut album was released in 2014, and it became the best-selling record of the month in Ukraine. Their first EP, Look, was released on May 15 and debuted #1 in Ukraine. ONUKA released a second EP, Vidlik on February 8, 2016. The EP includes five tracks: ‘Svitanok’, ‘Vidlik’, ‘Other (Intro)’, ‘Other’, and ‘1986’. Zhyzhchenko cites the Chernobyl disaster, and its impact on Ukraine as a major influence on the album. The EP’s name, Vidlik, means both ‘new beginning’, and ‘countdown’. (Wikipedia)
Vidik Records | December 19

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Bella Ciao 
Adaptation of the Italian Folk Song; Ukrainian-Jewish klezmer by Mishka
Khrystyna Soloviy
Khrystyna Ivanivna Soloviy (1993, Lviv Oblast) is a Ukranian-Lemko folk singer, born into a family of choral conductors. She graduated in philosophy from the University of Kyiv. In 2013, she won the Ukrainian casting show „Голос країни“ (The Voice of Ukraine) and chose Slawa Wakartschuk as her mentor. He produced her first album Zhyva voda (Living Water) which included 12 songs (ten folk songs of Lemko and Ukrainian origin and two written by herself). Meanwhile, Khrystyna Soloviy is one of the most famous singers of Ukraine. In times of peace, she sings about love. Since February 24, the date of the invasion of her country by Russian troops, the 29-year-old singer has decided to use her songs as a weapon of war.
Rectangle | February 22

Encanto: We Don’t Talk About Bruno 
Disney Original Score
In case you have small children, you can’t have missed it. Disney’s new movie Encanto, with songs by Lin Manuel Miranda, has turned from an underground hit to a full-scale invasion! Gone are Baby Shark, obviously for babies, or Elsa, tucked away in her Nordic village. Here comes as good a story as Disney hasn’t produced in many years. In Encanto we meet the multigenerational Columbian family Madrigal, each of whom possess an exceptional magical gift, except for Mirabel Madrigal, the heroine of the story. This gift seems threatened, Has the family Madrigal and their little house been bewitched by the prescient Bruno Madrigal? This is for Mirabel Madrigal to find out with the help of her sisters Isabel and Luisa. The music – a madrigal, of course – is a sensation! (sgs)
Vevo | December 21

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African Shabtay
Marbin
Marbin is a progressive jazz-rock band based in Chicago, IL, with a unique story that stads out in today’s music world. With a do-i-yourself approach, Marbin started touring extensively in 2011, bringing their original instrumental music to every part of the United States. Through word of moths, Marbin has gained a multitude of devoted fans all over the world and has sold tens of thousands of records. Marbin has released eight albums so far, the last being Shreddin’ at Sweetwater (2021). Danny Markovitch (saxophone, Everette Benton Jr. (drums), Dani Rabin (guitar) and Jon Nadel (bass) regularly play in clubs and in jam and jazz festivals around the world. Markovitch and Rabin are originally from Israel and met shortly after Markovitch completed his military service and Rabin had graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Multi-National | October 21

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Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You: Change
Big Thief
Big Thief is a rock band from Brooklyn, New York, with roots in folk music. «Its members are Adrianne Lenker (guitar, vocals), Buck Meek (guitar, backing vocals), Max Oleartchik (bass), and James Krivchenia (drums). All four members attended the  Berklee College of Music, but only formed a group after each had graduated.» (Wikipedia) Dragon New Warm Mountain is their fifth album, a double pack and best of the past two years. It «is a ninety-minute meditation and answer. An album about cosmic timings and earthly connections, weaving deftly between the themes explored in their twin albumsU.F.O.F and Two Hands released in 2019. More than any other band, Big Thief’s music represents an ecosystem.» (Sophia Zu in Cherwell) Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You conveys a great sense of intimacy – music from the heart!
4AD | February 22

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LUX – Remake 2022
PJ Wassermann
LUX by Schaltkreis Wassermann was a big hit in the 80s Italian cosmic scene dominated by DJs Beppe Loda and Daniele Baldelli. LUX, with its overlays of three and four beat rhythms, continues to fascinate music lovers. On average, the track is googled five-hundred times a week on Shazam. I’ve produced a remake of LUX using analogue synths ARP 2600, ARP Avatar and Roland 100M, adding modern synthesizers. Several remixes of LUX will be released in the coming weeks and months – stay tuned. PJ Wassermann is a musician, performer and composer who has been into electronics for more than forty years: «Playing live is one of my passions. I perform to visuals by Asteriza and often jam. With my looper, I create ambient musical spaces, and I have a loose band project called Spacebike.»
schaltkreiswassermann.com | February 22

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Di Giaches de Vvert. Il Primo libro di madrigali a quatro voci. Renaissance for steel guitar: Che Giova Posseder Cittadi (Prima Parte) 
Noël Akchoté
Noël Akchoté (1986) is a French guitarist active in various experimental fields between drone, rock, jazz, and contemporary classical music. Also music journalist and author as well as founder (together with Quentin Rollet) of the French avantgarde label Rectangle. At fourteen he was performing day and night in bars and restaurants. He dropped out of school and learned to play drums and bass.
Akchoté has played with every great name. Starting on guitar at when he was eight years old, he received lessons in classical guitar in school.«French guitarist Nöel Akchoté has confounded critics since his earliest releases with his blend of swinging jazz, free improvisation, and art-song sensibilities.» (Thom Jurek, ‘Soundpage(s)’
Rectangle | February 22

The Boy Named If  
Elvis Costello & the Imposters 
A sensational Elvis Costello, who has never sounded better on vinyl, gives all on this extraordinary album that has found positive reception all around. «So much of the pleasure of The Boy Named If lies in how The Imposters deliver everything from the slow-burning ballad ‘Paint the Red Rose Blue’ to the tight R&B groove of ‘Magnificent Hurt’ with the clean efficiency of a rock & roll combo. The Imposters have never sounded better on record – and they’ve never sounded more like the Attractions either, which isn’t entirely a coincidence – and that helps give The Boy Named If its infectious kick: it may feel like an old-fashioned Elvis Costello album, but it sounds entirely fresh.» (All Music)
Capitol | January 22

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Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Anna von Hausswolff 
The daughter of the Swedish avant-garde sound artist Carl Michael von Hausswolff, composer, singer-songwriter, pipe organist, musician Anna «has written and released four full-length albums: Singing From The Grave (2010), Ceremony (2012), The Miraculous (2015) and Dead Magic (2018), often recording with a cast of other musicians. Her forthcoming release, All Thoughts Fly sees Anna in solo instrumental mode. The entire record is just one solo instrument, the pipe organ, all songs written and played by Anna von Hausswolff. In Montreux, we hear six pieces; Anna performs sensational renditions of fan-favourites from The Miraculous and Dead Magic, with the backing of a full band including additional vocals from her sister, cinematographer Maria von Hausswolff.»
Southern Lord | January 22

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To Human Power
Mirjam Hässig Quartet
A dream world, sometimes stormy, contemplative and suddenly a pinch of Dadaism, that’s what Aé! offers listening ears. Ayé! is characterized by the special instrumentation with harp, double bass, voice, ukulele and electronic beats. The musicians Mirjam Hässig (voice, composition, ukulele), Julie Campiche (harp, FX), Manu Hagmann (double bass, FX), Nicolas Bianco (drums, electronics) form a multifaceted team, which musically attentively responds to each other and creates a warm and captivating atmosphere. The quartet joined forces in the summer of 2019 and has been working on their independent repertoire ever since. After the debut tour, the music was recorded and released in November 2021.
The Orchard Enterprises | November 21

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Laurel Hell
mistki
The sixth studio album by the Japanese American rock singer-songwriter mitski is more electronic than her previous, more guitar-driven recordings. Pitchfork quotes mitski as saying: «I needed love songs about real relationships that are not power struggles to be won or lost. I needed songs that could help me forgive both others and myself. I make mistakes all the time. I don’t want to put on a front where I’m a role model, but I’m also not a bad person. I needed to create this space mostly for myself where I sat in that gray area.» Their sweet melancholy makes mitski’s songs special. They are easy to listen and to dance to. Mitski (Mitsuki Frances Laycock) grew up in Japan and lived an international childhood before settling in the US and pursuing a musical career.
Dead Oceans | February 22

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Dawn FM
The Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (he and mitski are both born in 1990), known professionally as The Weeknd, is a Canadian singer-songwriter and record producer. His songs are upbeat, but he had a troubled childhood. Weeknd’s lyrics speak of his amorous needs and relationships. He began releasing his own music in 2009 to almost immediate success. He has a strong voice with a good range, he has soul, and he’s street smart. That’s why The Weeknd is the real deal, in him disco meets Marvin Gaye. He has opened for Drake, played Coachella and The Brooklyn Ballroom, remixed Beyoncé’s «Drunk In Love», won a slew of prizes and became a superstar, heading the Superbowl, in February 2021.
XO | February 22

Floating Points. Movement I
Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra
Pharoah Sanders possesses one of the most distinctive tenor saxophone sounds in jazz. Harmonically rich and heavy with overtones, Sanders’ sound can be as raw and abrasive as it is possible for a saxophonist to produce. Yet, Sanders is highly regarded to the point of reverence by a great many jazz fans. Although he made his name with expressionistic, nearly anarchic free jazz in John Coltrane’s late ensembles of the mid-’60s, Sanders’ later music is guided by more graceful concerns. Sanders made his first record as a leader in 1964. After John Coltrane’s death in 1967, Sanders worked briefly with his widow, Alice Coltrane. From the late ’60s, he worked primarily as a leader of his own ensembles. In the decades after his first recordings with Coltrane, Sanders developed into a more well-rounded artist, capable of playing convincingly in a variety of contexts, from free to mainstream.
Luaka Bop | March 21

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Live in Niamey, Niger
Mdou Moctar
The video’s narrative is about something intangible. We get glimpses, and feel the connection between the band members, and their friends and neighbors at home through a series of deliberately raw and candid moment on video. This love song’s simple beauty is amplified by the patient, lingering moments that trail off like a thought you’re OK to let go, because everything around you seems familiar and comforting. This ethereal non-linear music video is all about that familiar feeling, and how universal it can be – whether it’s in Niger or wherever the viewer maybe sharing these moments. Included are friends and family in the Tuareg community around Niamey as well as Hausa people from villages in the Dosso region. It shows the love between friends are for our home country.
Matador Records | June 21

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Toubouk Ine Chihoussay
Etran de l’Aïr
Etran de L’Aïr is one of the most respected bands in Agadez, the capital city of the Saharan guitar scene. Yet they are also a band that has remained on the fringes, stars of the Agadez working class. This changes in Fall 2021, as the band heads to Europe for their first-ever tour, including appearances at Le Guess Who and Festival Face Z. Etran de L’Aïr is one of the longest-running wedding bands in a city renowned for guitar. Constantly performing at outdoor weddings, both in the city and the surrounding countryside, Etran plays exhaustive concerts, late into the night. Even for a guitar band, they push the instrument to the extreme, with three guitars playing simultaneously, soloing over one another, creating a dreamy cacophony of sound. (Bandcamp)
Sahel Sounds | October 21

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Barn
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
The grandfather of grunge surprises us with an album that sounds exactly like he used to sound when he started out. And he has mobilized his original band at least as much as possible: “…Barn is probably the least frustrating new Young album in some time. These are 10 cogent songs about love and life, about the recent past, the years long gone and our future, delivered with verve, emotion and snarls of six-string authority. Infamously, Young’s one-time label Geffen sued this prolific but bloody-minded artist in 1983 for delivering records that “were not commercial in nature and musically uncharacteristic of Young’s previous records”. Laughably, Barn actually fulfils most of those criteria. This is a Crazy Horse record that is both raucous and highly tuneful, saturated with in-band bonhomie.» (The Guardian)
Warner Brothers | December 21

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Good Morning Music
Team Peaceful Piano Music
Soft piano Music for effective relaxation, healing meditation music
Peaceful Piano Music – for early morning lovers morning music playlist – a list of songs to keep you energized, motivated and happy for the day – It’s time to rise and shine. Whether you’re looking for soothing tunes to get you out of bed or fun songs to start your day, we’ve got the perfect music for every mood. – Wake up to great music from around the world. It’s a free service with a library of over 2,000 songs from over 50 different cultures. – Wake up to soothing sounds of soothing music, melodies and soothing sounds. Start your day with a smile and the knowledge that you will be refreshed and ready to take on whatever happens today.
EMVN | All Songs Are Our Owners | December 21

Repertio
Mario Batkovic with Clive Dreamer
Mario Batkovic displays rare skills on the accordion, in some ways reminiscent of the great late bandoneonist Astor Piazzolla. The second single, taken from his new album Introspectio is called «Repertio». It is a collaboration with MXLX and Clive Deamer, drummer with the bands Portishead and Radiohead. Batkovic is a composer for film and game scores. His first album received widespread critical acclaim with Rolling Stone listing it in the top ten avantgarde albums of 2017. His mission is to explore the song possibilities of the accordion, without effects or loops, but rather through a mutual symbiotic relationship between man and instrument. He is constantly on tour, playing the great venues and festivals of the world. As a composer, he is known for his work on Die Schwalbe (2016), Red Dead Redemption II (2018) and Unser Garten Eden (2010).
Invada Records | November 21

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Hikayeleri ile ‘Ben Yaşarım’
Ada Lea
Sertab Erener, born on 4 December1964 in Istanbul, is known for her contralto voice and its classical oriental modulations. She took singing lessons from an early age. The renowned Turkish singer, Sezen Aksu, promoted her. From age eleven, Sertab suffered from ulcerative colitis. In 1994, an operation removed her entire large intestine. As a result of this ordeal, she began to meditate and to study philosophical books. In between surgeries, she produced a second album with songs by Sezen Aksu that sold 600’000 copies; her first had been a collection of songs performed for national Turkish TV, her third contained her own songs. This is her 14th album, manifesting different styles. Sertab is also known as a philanthropist, and her song ‘Every Way That I Can’ was voted best European Song Contest Winner in 50 years.
Sony | December 21

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An Orchestrated Songbook
Paul Weller with Jules Buckley and the BBC Symphony Orchestra
Paul Weller is an English singer-songwriter, singer, musician (bass guitar) and fashion designer. He achieved fame with the revival band The Jam and is credited with being the ‘godfather of British pop’. Born in 1958 and initially named John William Weller; his parents often called him Paul. He came from a humble background and showed a great interest in music form an early age, admiring The Who, The Beatles, and Status Quo. His engaging and slightly hoarse voice tackles anything from pop and jazz standards to rock and roll. From 1992, his career moved upward and away until he became one of the most successful British musicians of his generation. He has also been very generous with his money.
Universal | December 21

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In Order to Know You
Deep Throat Choir
Deep Throat Choir is an all-female singing collective formed in 2013 by Luisa Gerstein. Having played in the bands Landshapes and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, the project was driven by the simple desire to bring music making back to a few basic elements: just voices and drums. Not for the love of choirs per se, but for the love of raw female voices thrown together, of the interplay of intricate vocal melodies and harmonies; Luisa wanted to sing and arrange the music she loved, and to hear it stripped and bolstered in that specific way that lots of voices can do. A melody sung by one voice is so different to a melody sung by many, and the same goes for words; the sentiment is altogether transformed when carried by a collective as opposed to an individual.
Bella Union | December 21

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Servant of the mind
Volbeat
Volbeat, a Danish rock band formed in Copenhagen in 2001, playing a fusing of rock and rock, heavy metal, and rockabilly, are pleased to present a new studio album. Their current line-up are made up of vocalist and guitarist Michael Poulsen, guitarist Bob Caggiano, drummer Jon Larsen and bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen. All of their studio albums have been certified gold in Denmark. Their second album Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil attained platinum status, and their 2010 release Beyond Hell/Above Heaven was subject to widespread international critical acclaim. They have opened for mega bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, and Nightwish. Volbeat contributed a cover of the Metallica song «Don’t Tread on Me» to the charity tribute album The Metallica Backlist, released in September 2021.
Mascot Records | December 21

La cumbia me está llamando ft. La Perla (Kaidi Tatham Remix)
Nubya Garcia
Nubya Nyasha Garcia (1991) is an incredibly talented English jazz musician, saxophonist, composer, and bandleader who cites Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane as well as Miles Davis and Marie-Lou Williams as her major musical influences. Her first instruments were the violin and viola, which she played for the London Schools Symphony Orchestra. Nubya Garcia debuted her band on 18th August at the 2021 BBC Proms held in London’s Royal Albert Hall. The Telegraph gave the performance a 5* review. (Wikipedia) She also hosts a monthly radio show on NTS, in which she showcases her varied tastes in music, with echoes spanning soul, contemporary jazz, reggae and dub.
Concord | August 21

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The NeverEnding Show
Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons was born into a family of renowned entertainers. He first gained recognition as a sound engineer for The Beatles and Pink Floyd. In 1975, with Eric Woolfson, he founded The Alan Parsons Project. They recorded a dozen albums and performed a year-long show, Freudiana, playing in Vienna. In 1992, adding guitarist Ian Bairnson, drummer Stuart Elliott, and orchestral arranger Andrew Powel, with all of whom he had worked before, Alan dropped ‘Project’ from the Band’s name. band reshuffles followed in 1996 and 2002. Here we have him at his best: great feelgood music from one of the most professional bandleaders and singers to have started out in the sixties.
Frontiers Music | October 21

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High and Lonesome
Robert Plant / Alison Krauss
«The duo has once again enlisted producer T Bone Burnett for the new collection of covers, which features songs written by Merle Haggard, Allen Toussaint, the Everly Brothers, Anne Briggs, Geeshie Wiley, Bert Jansch and others. A Plant / Burnett original, ‘High and Lonesome,’ also appears on Raise the Roof., serving as the album’s opening track. Krauss and Plant are backed by drummer Jay Bellerose, guitarists Marc Ribot, David Hidalgo, Bill Frisell and Buddy Miller, bassists Dennis Crouch and Viktor Krass and pedal steel guitarist Russ Pahl, among others,» (UCR) This track conveys unpolished R&B, but this is where country fans get their money’s worth.
Rounder Records | October 21

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Global Citizens Live in Paris : Afrika
Angélique Kidjo
It is a pleasure to hear Angélique speak one of her native languages and sing in another. Born in Benin, in 1960, Angélique ist a singer, songwriter, actress, and activist who hardly needs introducing. She is fluent in five languages, two European, three African, and she performs in all of them. Time called her ‘Africa’s premier diva’’. She combines beauty and strength, precision and improvisation, funkiness and tradition. Angélique is blessed with a great voice and engages warmly and directly with her audience. Next to her many musical collaborations, she has written a memoir, Spirit Rising, and she has been active for more innumerable causes, mostly involving Africa, and the planet.
Global Citizens | October 21

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Angel In The Alleyways
Dion ft. Patty Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen
Dion has released the single and video for Angel in the Alleyways. The song was written by Dion and Mike Aquilina and is one of the selections from the forthcoming Stomping Ground album.« (New Jersey Stage) The video for this gospel-like song was shot at the Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux, transported from Segovia, Spain, to Miami in the 1950s, (!) and has a hymnic quality. Springsteen’s wife, Patty, is credited with the rich sound of the alum. Dion and the Springsteens had collaborated with Dion (DiMucci) before, on Hymn to Him’, on the spiritual singer-songwriter’s 2020 album Blues With Friends.
Keeping the Blues Alive Records | November 21