Cerca:a folk

LIMITED INDIES LOSER EDITION PRESSED ON BLUE TRANSPARENT VINYL! Stella makes her Sub Pop debut with the mesmerizing Up and Away, an old-school pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love. From the Greek folk-inflected get-go, we're swept up in Stella's world - and it's quite the captivating place to be. The singer-songwriter joined forces with artist and producer Tom Calvert (aka Redinho), and it was a match made in Athens; the results are heavenly. Tom caught one of Stella's gigs on a visit to the city. He reached out, they started hanging out, and the pair soon clicked creatively. Both mention chemistry when asked about their collaboration and it's clear, from what we hear, they had it in spades. The meld is seamless. Stella's songs have always riffed on American and Greek mid-century pop but Up and Away doubles down on the vintage aesthetic. Tom says he styled the record "as if it was a rare gem from the '60s found in a box of records in Athens," and Stella notes she was ready for a more "deeply Greek touch - it felt comfortable and right, smoothly fusing with the pop." The bouzouki appears on a full five tracks played by Christos Skondras who, she says, "was brilliant at improvising," while Sofia Labropoulou on the kanun "brought an insane amount of dreaminess to the last two songs. Having these amazing musicians play for Up and Away - I couldn't be more grateful." While not exclusively a confessional artist, Stella is always intimate - when she sings, it's personal. She writes "about things I feel passion for. Stories about me, about others, about all that's there in love and war." Stella was "in a very emotional state at the time, which came through in the lyrics and vocals." And it's true, her honeyed voice - layered in those unmistakable harmonies of hers - thrillingly runs the gamut from tender to terse, by turns bracing and smitten, aching and forlorn. But it's the lyrics that feel key. Across her output, Stella has proven herself a strong storyteller, and Up and Away is no exception (the guise of the medieval bard she assumes on the cover is telling). Past releases have been studded with gem-like vignettes - a diverse array of stories set tightly together to form non-linear narratives unified by emotion. Her latest feels singular in that it seems to trace a longer-form tale across songs, with each track escalating the record's erotic arc. By the end of the album, Up and Away's core concerns are clear: the conflicting and conflicted emotions inherent in love, that live on in ways we can't always understand or control. Love is like this record: when it's over, you still feel it for time to come.

Habibi Funk is thrilled to share a second collection of deep grooves and unreleased songs from Algeria's Ahmed Malek, often compared to Italian heavyweight Ennio Morricone. Malek’s music effortlessly switches between thematic jazz, funk, reggae and Algerian folk – creating indelible soundscapes that intersect the musical innovations made in African jazz by Mulatu Astatke, Bembeya Jazz National along with some of Europe’s finest experimental composers like Piero Piccioni and Janko Nilovic. “Musique Originale de Films, Volume Deux” is out June 28th, 2024 via Habibi Funk.

Whenever an interview asks about a “memorable moment” in Habibi Funk label history, one we always reference is how we got in touch Ahmed Malek’s (22K Spotify Followers, 285K Spotify Monthly Listeners) music and subsequently his family. It all started with us coming across Ahmed Malek’s music on YouTube in 2012. We were mesmerized by how effortlessly the music would switch between jazz, funk and Algerian folk while counterweighting it with an undertone of melancholia. Musical perception is different for every person, but there is a chance that his music will touch you in one way or another. At the time, we had just started the Habibi Funk label and we felt Ahmed’s music might be a good fit for the sound we were trying to highlight. Fast forward three years: we had become captivated with the idea of reissuing some of Ahmed Malek’s music. We knew some people had tried to locate his family but, but with no success. In the end it was an incredible amount of luck that made it possible for you to read these words and listen to Ahmed’s music. We were on a DJ gig in Beirut playing old Arabic records and we mentioned our passion for Ahmed Malek’s music to a friend. She said she knew one person in Algier, and as much as it would be a shot in the dark, she could ask her if she had an idea of how to find Malek’s family. Two weeks went by before we heard back, and what we got was incredibly good news - her Algerian friend was the neighbor of Ahmed Malek’s daughter! We’re not spiritual people, but it felt like the universe wanted to see the release happen. We started to speak with Henya, Ahmed Malek’s daughter and she was more than happy with our idea. She assured us that her father would have loved the plan as well. She provided us with tons of awesome material, from great photos, to unseen video footage and unreleased tracks. Eventually we visited Henya in Algeria and we licensed some of her father’s music, first for one (Habibi 003), then for another (Habibi 005), then we eventually organized an exhibition in June/July 2019 – Planète Malek – Une Rétrospective – at the Musée Public National D’Art Moderne & Contemporain in Algiers, focusing on Ahmed Malek’s artistic life. We also produced a small movie about him that our friend Paloma Colombe shot and directed. “Musique Originale de Films, Volume Deux” is a deep collection of unreleased songs and stemmed grooves from the Algerian master, from jazz, funk, psych to reggae rhythms and Latin flavors, all under the sonic umbrella of “Planète Malek;” and to quote the maestro, “I didn’t choose music, music chose me.” Lead single is the subtlety funky “Thème Rythme Léger,” out May 3rd along with LP Pre-Order (coincided with Bandcamp Friday for a larger impact) a delicate sonic dance between flute, piano and Spanish guitar with a Bossainfluenced groove. The steady, swingin’ drum groove is cloudlike - definitely toe-tapping friendly so just grab a partner to feel the Rhythme Léger. Second single out May 17th is the reggae-infused “L’Empire Des Rêves” – a sultry sax melody weaves through a prismatic rocksteady thematic groove. 3rd and final single “Thème Djalti feat. Aïda Guéchoud” – is a true Western-inspired ode to his Italian counterpart Ennio Morricone. “Thème Djalti” features the haunting vocals of Aïda Guéchoud, and combines elements of baroque and Bossa-jazz in a timelessly thematic way that seems grandiose yet remains uniquely personal to your ears. Swelling strings, trumpet, fem vox, flute, and plucked guitar expertly arranged, feels like you’re riding a horse into the sunset. Focus track “La La La” is fiery afro-arab-funk of the highest order! Put on your dancing shoes as Ahmed cuts the rug and gets us grooving along. Sonically the cut sounds like if Ahmed ran into The JB’s and Fela Kuti at a Cymande concert. Driving guitar and organ solos vie over pulsating bass riffs and afro-funk drumming that’ll have you out on the dance floor in no time. As always, both vinyl and CD come with an extensive booklet featuring background and interviews with Ahmed compiled through found newspaper clippings and newsreels, also including unseen photos, scans and more. “Ahmed Malek: Musique Originale de Films, Volume Deux” will be out everywhere June 28th.

Now We Are Six is the sixth studio album from seminal British folk band Steeleye Span. Following on from a run of albums which solidified them as the premier UK folk outfit, Six bolstered the band's increasing rock sound further. Nigel Pegrum was added as full-time drummer, and Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson brought in to assist with production, on a record which also features a guest spot from one David Bowie, playing saxophone on the last number. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Now We Are Six, the album has been newly remastered from the original tape transfers and includes rare BBC sessions from the band's performances on Sounds Of The Seventies and Radio One in 1974 - not heard since original airing. The package also features new words from Maddy Prior, Peter Knight, Rick Kemp, Nigel Pegrum and Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson. Remastered from the original master tape transfers by Phil Kinrade at AIR Mastering. 1CD in Digi-sleeve with four rare BBC Radio Session tracks. Booklet with new words from Maddy Prior, Peter Knight, Rick Kemp, Nigel Pegrum and Ian Anderson.

Odie Leigh would never have called herself a musician before the depths of the 2020 pandemic when her rapper roomies made a bet: Whoever records a song that goes viral first, wins. Slightly ticked off that they hadn’t included her in the wager, she decided to hit them with her best shot, and Leigh was crowned the victor when a track she wrote blew up on TikTok. “I was like, ‘I’m gonna show y’all. I’m gonna win.’“ Four years after posting what she calls “that silly joke song” on TikTok, Odie Leigh has continued to transform and evolve as an artist — from what she calls “acoustic, ethereal folk sad girl music” to harder-edged tunes that flirt with early Aughts pop-punktivism.

Born and raised in Louisiana, Odie Leigh sang in the church choir, sure — her grandfather built the building, after all, and her family attended three times per week. But after moving to New Orleans to study English, she fully intended on making her bones in the film industry. That 2020 wager changed things, though, when Odie realized that she could win hearts in addition to bets. After her releases began gaining steam on social media, Odie Leigh started hitting stages hard. She toured Europe, North America, and played Newport Folk in 2023, followed this year by gigs at Boise, ID’s Treefort Music Fest with more to come.

The late, great guitarist Tony Rice grew up in a bluegrass family and learned to play at the feet of Kentucky Colonel and Byrd Clarence White. In the mid-‘70s, he joined J.D. Crowe’s seminal newgrass group The New South, thus launching one of the most celebrated careers in modern bluegrass, folk, and acoustic string band music. Along the way, Rice collaborated with David Grisman, Jerry Garcia, Bela Fleck, Alison Krauss, Chris Hillman, Doyle Lawson, Norman Blake…the list goes on. This record, 1988’s Native American, is one of his most beloved, a beautiful blend of bluegrass, jazz, and folk featuring soaring interpretations of some of his favorite songwriters, like Gordon Lightfoot (“Shadows”), Joni Mitchell (“Urge for Going”), Phil Ochs (“Changes”), and Ian Tyson (“Summer Wages”). And on the more contemporary side, Mary Chapin Carpenter sings on the record and contributes a song (“John Wilkes Booth”) about the Lincoln assassination, long an obsession of Rice. That’s the great Vassar Clements on fiddle and Jerry Douglas on dobro, too…first-ever vinyl reissue, pressed in “root beer” vinyl and limited to 750 copies!

Die amerikanische Singer-Songwriterin Ani DiFranco veröffentlicht das 23. Album ihrer Karriere.

Für die Folk-Feministin war es von größter Bedeutung, dass die Hörer nicht mit vorgefassten Meinungen in ihr 23. Album "Unprecedented Sh!t" eintauchen. Während viele von DiFrancos Alben eher im stillen Kämmerlein entstanden sind, hat sie sich in den letzten Jahren der Zusammenarbeit geöffnet. Bei 21 von 22 Alben hat sich DiFranco für die Eigenproduktion entschieden. Bei Unprecedented Sh!t wollte sie die Zusammenarbeit mit einem Produzenten ausprobieren und wählte BJ Burton, der eines ihrer Lieblingsalben, Bon Ivers 22, A Million, produziert hat.

Der Titel "Unprecedented Sh!t" ist nicht nur repräsentativ dafür, wie sehr das 11-Track-Album klanglich von Anis sonstigem Werk abweicht, sondern auch ein politischer und sozialer Kommentar zum aktuellen Zustand der Welt.

Emerging from the shadows and plumes of smoke, Chicago, IL ensemble HUNTSMEN are set to make their return in 2024 with their third album, The Dry Land, set to be released via Prosthetic Records on June 7. On their first full-length in four years, HUNTSMEN’s The Dry Land traverses the liminal space between the living and the dead by lifting the veil of the abyss itself. Born of suffering and hardship, The Dry Land unifies the dark and light that resides in all of us through allegories of purgatorial strife and human spirit. Following the release of their sophomore full-length, Mandala of Fear, in 2020 and The Dying Pines EP in 2022 HUNTSMEN’s intervening years between studio albums were marked with devastatingly contrasting highs and lows. Whilst their body of studio work continued to garner acclaim from fans and critics alike, chronic illness would become a recurring uphill battle for the ensemble. As these jarring mixed fortunes reached their apex towards the end of 2022, the band reached towards each other outside of their craft as old friends. Taking stock of four years of tribulations led to a reevaluation of what it is to be creatives and, in turn, ushered in a collective rebirth. Writing sessions saw a number of artistic firsts for HUNTSMEN, most notably with the first full collaborative inclusion of vocalist Aimee Bueno-Knipe. The creative process soon saw HUNTSMEN adding more black metal influences into their Americana and folk tinged doom, evidenced most overtly on tracks such as This, Our Gospel and lead single In Time, All Things. Elsewhere, HUNTSMEN’s knack for finely crafted and richly layered melodies offer moments of resplendence on the slow burning Lean Times and closer The Herbsight. Mirroring the circumstances and environment that led to its creation, The Dry Land’s pacing is one rooted in the art of rise and fall dynamics both musically and lyrically. Tales of escaping religious violence, malevolent apparitions and death incarnate all play key roles throughout the album’s narrative thread. HUNTSMEN treat each tale as both exorcism and exaltation, adding a pervasively unsettling quality to The Dry Land that is sure to stick long after the runtime is over. The Dry Land was recorded and mixed by Pete Grossmann at Bricktop Studios before being placed in the hands of Brad Boatright for mastering, with the resulting sound adding a towering grandiosity to the album whilst simultaneously highlighting HUNTSMEN’s newfound corrosive qualities. The Dry Land’s striking cover art was created by Derek Setzer, depicting an immolating dancer in high contrast black and white amongst rusted gold. Through the fire, HUNTSMEN find themselves reborn on The Dry Land.

LUMBEROB has always strived for maximalist sonic vaudeville, always hoped for real electro gabber hardcore noise art, always grabbed for frenzied illegibility, always lurched loosely improvised from a psych-swamp of love. On the new album, HUNTER GATHER, LUMBEROB swings swanky as proper pop deviance. Built from the same loopy logic which drives the stomping slaphappy force of his live show, these tunes are crafted out of lovely and weirdly thunk out loud and large soundscapes. Mixed and mastered by Shimmy-Disc founder Kramer (Daniel Johnston, JD Pinkus, Pan American), the album surprises, estranged from obvious categorization. These slippery little bouncy bangers are bold exercises in genre discovery. It sounds like nothing and it goes with everything. LUMBEROB is a tough act to follow, a surreally inventive performer who spins giddy with excitement, dancing dumb and banging hard. That's just what he does, and HUNTER GATHER is a refined encapsulation of that energy. There's truly a beautiful stupidity to be found here. HUNTER GATHER is noise-pop, art-rock, psych-primitive, dumb-dance. The album teams with bright sounds, spinning visions, and brut poetics. It curves furiously like a naughty noodle and, yes, it spins you dizzy at times. Nothing is old in that feeling ever. Listen loudly.

The color green can represent many things. It can symbolize money, of course, but also weed. And envy. It implies newness, the rebirth of spring, but it can also evoke illness and infection. It’s an apt name for a band that is defined by its adaptability, by its knack for doing many different things all at once. On the Color Green’s second full-length—their first as a quartet—they ground their cosmic jams in earthy melodies, drawing from ‘60s SoCal folk-r0ck, ‘70s classic rock, ‘80s underground rock, ‘90s psychedelic dance-rock, and many other sources.

In the two years the band has been touring, it has already shared stages with a range of groups that reflect both the sophistication and the wild malleability of their sound, including Fuzz, Kikagaku Moyo, Circles Around the Sun, and Young Guv. “When we play live, I don’t really know what’s going to happen,” says guitarist Noah Kohll. “You really have no idea what you’re going to get with this band, which keeps things fresh for us and maybe makes the live experience special.”

Adds drummer Corey Rose, “One thing about this band that I really appreciate is that we can camouflage into any environment or any show. We can play with Hiss Golden Messenger and lean into that funky country vibe, or we can play with the Brian Jonestown Massacre and get evil. We all love a variety of music, so let’s not put ourselves in a box.”

That wild, mercurial quality is reflected on Fool’s Parade, a meditation on loss, grief, confusion, frustration, and the clarity to which they all lead. Their songs are vehicles for self-explorations, not just a means of putting their feelings into lyrics and notes but molding them, night after night, into different shapes to get different insights.

Julian Cope's second album of 1984 - Never re-pressed in its original format, this re-issue faithfully replicates the original Mercury Records UK release with poster, and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl. Fried is one of Julian Cope's boldest. It made many think that after a while teetering on the edge, Julian Cope had finally tipped over into an artistic madness, amplified by his wearing a turtle shell and staring at a toy van on a landscaped spoil tip in Warwickshire on the album's sleeve. Opening track Reynard The Fox added to it all, a six-minute psychedelic garage rock tour-de-force, breaking down to a Cope monologue where he gravely intones English folk tales from his vantage point, referring also to an onstage stomach-slashing incident from 1983. Sunspots, the sole single taken from the album, is one of his greatest recordings in a career that spans over 40 years. Fried is up there with some of the very best works of the singular British eccentric.

Real Gone Music is proud to present the original mono version of what most folks consider to be the single greatest postwar album of Western music, Marty Robbins’ 1959 record Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. Everything about this album is iconic, from its “quick draw” cover art to the songs it contains—“Big Iron,” “Cool Water,” “The Master’s Call,” “Billy the Kid,” “The Strawberry Roan,” and, of course, “El Paso” (here in its rare, full-length version)— that have come to define the Western genre. And the music has never sounded better than it does here: this silver and red “Bullets ‘n’ Blood” pressing was remastered from the original tapes by Vic Anesini at Battery Studios in New York. Comes complete with the amazing original album art, too…a classic album now even collectible than before!

American indie-pop luminary Clairo returns with third album, Charm, co-produced by Clairo and Leon Michels (of The Dap-Kings and El Michels Affair). Evoking balmy summer evenings and tête-à-têtes in plush conversation pits, Charm is a collection of warm, 70’s-inspired grooves that move lithely between jazz, psychedelic folk and soul. Available on July 12th.

Der Nachfolger des 2020er Tohu Wa Bohu-Albums! Das neue Lord Buffalo-Album Holus Bolus hat seinen Namen von einer antiquierten Redewendung, die "alles auf einmal" bedeutet. Der graue Dunst, der den Hörer mit einem geschickten Nebeneinander von dröhnender Violine, Gitarren, Schlagzeug und Gesang in den Bann zieht, ist von den ersten Tönen an spürbar.Das Quartett watet zwar in denselben düsteren Gewässern wie seine dunklen, gefühlsbetonten Brüder David Eugene Edwards/Woven Hand, All Them Witches, Emma Ruth Rundle, Earth/Dylan Carlson, Chelsea Wolfe und Nick Cave, doch das kreative Zusammenspiel von Einflüssen aus dem Nahen Osten und westlichem Americana-Folk führt das Album in seine eigene, einhüllende, meditative Richtung.Auf einer schlaftrunkenen Reise durch die Ikonographie der High Plains ist Holus Bolus düster und doch hoffnungsvoll - eine Mischung, die inzwischen zu Lord Buffalos bewährter Gewohnheit geworden ist. Klappcover, LP ist ice & aqua blue galaxy marble effect Vinyl oder Digipack-CD!

Der Nachfolger des 2020er Tohu Wa Bohu-Albums! Das neue Lord Buffalo-Album Holus Bolus hat seinen Namen von einer antiquierten Redewendung, die "alles auf einmal" bedeutet. Der graue Dunst, der den Hörer mit einem geschickten Nebeneinander von dröhnender Violine, Gitarren, Schlagzeug und Gesang in den Bann zieht, ist von den ersten Tönen an spürbar.Das Quartett watet zwar in denselben düsteren Gewässern wie seine dunklen, gefühlsbetonten Brüder David Eugene Edwards/Woven Hand, All Them Witches, Emma Ruth Rundle, Earth/Dylan Carlson, Chelsea Wolfe und Nick Cave, doch das kreative Zusammenspiel von Einflüssen aus dem Nahen Osten und westlichem Americana-Folk führt das Album in seine eigene, einhüllende, meditative RichtungAuf einer schlaftrunkenen Reise durch die Ikonographie der High Plains ist Holus Bolus düster und doch hoffnungsvoll - eine Mischung, die inzwischen zu Lord Buffalos bewährter Gewohnheit geworden ist. Klappcover, diese limitierte Version ist emerald green and gold color merge Vinyl!

Celebrated Zambian guitarist and bandleader Paul Ngozi’s concept album about the stuggles of those living in Africa’s 1970s townships Includes Oversized 8 Page Booklet That Details Paul Ngozi and The Ngozi Family’s Arc, Including Rare Photographs, Discography And Annotation. The third entry in an era-defining reissue series on Now-Again centered around this Zamrock legend and his band - previous entries include Day Of Judgement and 45,000 Volts

"Zambia’s Zamrock movement that exploded in the 1970s...provided young musicians access to European and American music, and created a unique sound. At its root, Zamrock melded fuzz-toned psychedelia, chugging garage rock and roiling funk with a broad mix of African cadences and beats...enlivening a scene that included bands like Musi-O-Tunya, Amanaz and the Ngozi Family” (New York Times)

Zamrock was a bona-fide rock scene: on the African continent, only Nigeria can claim one so comprehensive, and Nigeria’s was largely catalyzed and funded by subsidiaries of the European major labels. Zamrock was as independent as the newly-named country, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia. Zamrock is starting in its completeness, especially for a scene that emerged, unfurled and disappeared so quickly. From Musi-O-Tunyaís fusion of Fela’s Afro-beat, Hendrix’s rock, South African jazz and traditional Zambian melodies and rhythms to Salty Dog’s acid folk/rock, Zambia’s rock scene contained all of rock’s subgenres. Zamrock was much more than an imitation of American and European rock music: it quickly became a uniquely Zambian movement, befitting of its name. WITCH, Paul Ngozi and Amanaz sound nothing like other rock music from the African continent - or elsewhere.

Die amerikanische Singer-Songwriterin Ani DiFranco veröffentlicht das 23. Album ihrer Karriere.

Für die Folk-Feministin war es von größter Bedeutung, dass die Hörer nicht mit vorgefassten Meinungen in ihr 23. Album "Unprecedented Sh!t" eintauchen. Während viele von DiFrancos Alben eher im stillen Kämmerlein entstanden sind, hat sie sich in den letzten Jahren der Zusammenarbeit geöffnet. Bei 21 von 22 Alben hat sich DiFranco für die Eigenproduktion entschieden. Bei Unprecedented Sh!t wollte sie die Zusammenarbeit mit einem Produzenten ausprobieren und wählte BJ Burton, der eines ihrer Lieblingsalben, Bon Ivers 22, A Million, produziert hat.

Der Titel "Unprecedented Sh!t" ist nicht nur repräsentativ dafür, wie sehr das 11-Track-Album klanglich von Anis sonstigem Werk abweicht, sondern auch ein politischer und sozialer Kommentar zum aktuellen Zustand der Welt.

Ulvhedner hails from the valley Sauda in the west of Norway, where the band was formed by Svein Terje (ex-Tristania) & Arild back in 1993. Evolving through the late 90’s synth-driven and melodic second wave of Norwegian black metal, Ulvhedner made an impression on the scene through some demo’s with their folk influenced black metal sound. Their first full length album “For I Tida”, which roughly translates to ‘in old times’, saw the light of day only in 2009. The next ten years Svein Terje carried the band as a single entity with releasing a few ep’s, but also working with and under different monikers as Skygge, Mihrim, Drylar, Blodorn and Ode Vidder. During the pandemic Terje wrote Ulvhedner’s second album “Legd”. Ulvhedner resurrected now as a band again, including Arild, with renewed energy, and with Bjornar providing all lead vocals and Jan Rune Hoftun on drums. The varied and aggressive soundscape of the new album “Fjosmetall”, which also marks Ulvhedner’s 30th anniversary, is a tale of local Norwegian folklore once more, performed with the grim sound of old school Norwegian black metal. It features 8 tracks of pagan melodies in crisp cold and dark Norwegian black metal art, with Norwegian titles and lyrics inspired by the hardships of old mountain farmers and workers in the winter-land of the North that built the country.

"We Can Live Together is the first full LP by Earthtones on Wonderwheel. The title is a message, a prayer, and a vision for humanity. It is a reminder that we are in this life together, that love binds us all, and it is only the ideologies and social systems built to prohibit our ability to recognize how close we are that hold us back. We can live, together. The record is based in Folkloric Futurism, a movement that explores the convergence of global folk traditions with technology. Channeling the influence of proto House & Techno pioneers like Mr. Fingers, Kevin Saunderson and Inner City, Earthtones combines analog synthesizers & vintage drum machines with folkloric vocals and instrumentation in a way uniquely his own. It's a celebration of the intersection of past and future, here and there, ancestry and technology. It celebrates themes of spirituality, feminism, love, and most of all, peace. Highlights include "Ọ̀sanyìn", a prayer to the Orisha Ossain, with Maikel Alberto Salazar of rumba super-group Obbatuké on vocals. Recorded in Santiago De Cuba, the track is evocative of Mala's classic "Mala In Cuba" album that broke down barriers between electronic music & traditional music. "La Mujer Serpiente", having seen a sellout 7" last year features Polaris prize winning artist Lido Pimienta-behind the live cumbia rhythms, bass synths, analog keys, 808 drums & guitars, the vision of this track is one of uplifting womxn and femmes everywhere. Ancestral and contemporary Colombian voices are present on the mid-tempo dancefloor track that is the single "Limones" with Semblanzas Del Rio Guapi, Oliwa & the chugging analog rap soundscapes of "Quiero Que Mami" with Verito Asprilla . The album also touches into ambient moments ("Song of the Wind" , Waves") – inspired by friends Carlos Nino, Matthew David, Colloboh and the vibrant West Coast environmental sound movement. credits







g 07: Selam (Dub) [feat. Etsegenet Mekonnen]

Sarah and the Safe Word's "The Book Of Broken Glass" is an existential journey of 13 songs that weave in and out of their signature cabaret-punk mixed with rock arrangements, folky undertones and
sometimes even and late 90's early 2000's nu-metal vibe! This album merges all these styles into one cohesive unit that feels somehow familiar yet wholly unique

“On ‘The Nashville Sessions’ as throughout Van Zandt’s entire catalogue, the more wretched he sounds, the better - and on the best parts of ‘The Nashville Sessions’ he almost makes melancholy sound a condition to be envied.” Uncut In 1974, Townes Van Zandt recorded what would have been his seventh album, ‘Seven Come Eleven’. Business issues prevented its release until the recordings surfaced two decades later as ‘The Nashville Sessions’ In 2014, Townes Van Zandt’s original manager and producer Kevin Eggers gave Charly Records’ Rob Caiger and engineer Pete Reynolds the only surviving tapes to restore and remaster to present a stunning document of the folk-blues master at his absolute peak, originally released on vinyl for the first time in 2015. “You did a first-class with the record. The packaging looks sensational and the records sound great. That was what matter most to me over the years. I know Townes would be very pleased. The simple truth is the only things that matter to him was his songs and his music. All the rest was bullshit and he could have cared less. We began as dear friends and that’s how it ended just before his death. When it came to the music he gave all he had to give.” Kevin Eggers - 26 March 2015

Released in 1970 on the british cult label The Village Thing (owned by
singer/songwriter Ian A. Anderson), the sole album by couple Anne
and Graham Hemingway is a superb acid folk manifesto. Coming all
the way from Cardiff, the duo has been described as a mystical,
magical hippie small family. Alongside classic guitars, they played
dulcimer, glockenspiel, vibes, bells, kazoo and small percussion,
joined throughout by label-mate John Turner (bowed and fingerpicked string bass) and Andy Leggett.

Born out of revelry and resolution in a redwood cabin tucked into the California coast, endowed with a spirit simmering in wanderlust, and ornamented with the rich traditions of the Louisiana bayou, 'Lonesome Highway' marks the resilient return of Irena Eide, aka Rainy Eyes. These are eleven songs of triumph, punctuated with perseverance and perspective, here to sober up the soul and send it back stronger onto the blacktop. If Rainy's 2019 folk-infused debut, 'Moon in the Mirror', revealed the truth, 'Lonesome Highway' tells poignantly and poetically of the consequences.

'Lonesome Highway' was written as Rainy reflected on the juxtaposition of her circumstances. While she basked in the joy of her recent entry into motherhood, she was simultaneously confronting a troubled relationship that had turned toxic. "Songwriting was my therapy. It was basically how I dealt with the pain and the trauma. The music helped me heal," says Rainy. "This album is about how I had to help myself. To take that pain and use it. For it not to destroy me, but to make me who I am."

Krautige Cumbia der Zukunft trifft auf unverzerrte Gitarre! Bewusstseinserweiternd! Der in Bogotá lebende kolumbianische Komponist Eblis Alvarez, bekannt als Meridian Brothers, kreiert seit 1998 eine einzigartige Mischung aus psychedelischen Klängen. Mit seinem neuesten Projekt "Mi Latinoamérica Sufre" erkundet Alvarez das ungenutzte Potenzial der E-Gitarre in einem tropischen Latin-Kontext. Inspiriert von afrikanischen Highlife- und Soukous-Traditionen schafft Alvarez ein furchtloses Klangexperiment voller Erfindungsreichtum, Verspieltheit und Emotionen. Im Gegensatz zu typischen tropischen Gitarrenalben verzichtet dieses Album auf Verzerrung und Klischees und setzt stattdessen auf einen reinen, sauberen Ansatz. Mit komplizierten Kompositionen, die Cumbia, Champeta, Soukous, brasilianische Tropicalia und psychedelischen Underground-Rock mischen, huldigt Alvarez der goldenen Ära der kongolesischen Rumba, des ghanaischen Highlife und des nigerianischen Afrobeat. "Mi Latinoamérica Sufre" ist ein Egotrip, der eine humorvolle und zugleich introspektive Reise der Selbstfindung und Identität darstellt. Die Hauptfigur, Junior Maximiliano der Dritte, navigiert mit Hilfe psychedelischer Substanzen, politischer Philosophie und Folklore durch die Komplexität der Selbstfindung. Während er sich mit Nostalgie, Paranoia und geteiltem Leid auseinandersetzt, stellt Alvarez sein stimmliches Können unter Beweis und schafft ein akustisches Theater des Geistes. Begleitet von visuellen Erzählungen des kolumbianischen Künstlers Mateo Rivano, porträtiert das Album verschiedene psychologische Zustände von Desorientierung, Selbstmitleid, Erleuchtung und Optimismus. "Mi Latinoamérica Sufre" entpuppt sich als würdige und innovative Ergänzung der Konzeptalbum-Tradition und bietet eine unverwechselbare Mischung aus bittersüßen Aromen, die von Latinoamérica inspiriert sind.

After a few concerts/screenings improvised as a duo in Cairo and Beirut, as well as for the Rencontres d’Arles, the Lille photography center and the Belgian magazine Halogénure, Dargent and Oberland have teamed up with mavericks Elieh and Halal for a puzzling cross-border manifesto. The first sonic moves of this eclectic quartet, made in a bunker studio somewhere between Paris and Berlin,
urgently took the form of a quest, that of a neo-folklore for troubled times, a music seeping with many kinds of atavism and experimenting in all directions. A fertile no-man’s-land where trance and contem1plation, jazz and electronica, acoustics and electricity would merge in a stimulating mystical magma. From the possible emergence of a Babelian language to the shared desire to rediscover mu[1]sic as a ceremonial act, this encounter took place over three days of improvised sound bacchanalia, the phases of which were all recorded by Benoit Bel (Zombie Zombie, Thurston Moore Group, Oi[1]seaux-Tempête). A hallucinated and generous testimony, SIHR is a synergy of many different worlds and many different possibilities, the sonic vision of a present conjugated in a hybrid tense and exalted by too many tangos danced on the glowing ashes of our days

Daniel Hope's latest album "Irish Roots" embodies his deep connection to Ireland, which he inherited from his paternal great-grandfather who left Waterford for South Africa in the 1890s. Although he has never lived in Ireland, Hope's fascination with Irish culture led to the making of the documentary "Celtic Dreams: Daniel Hope's Hidden Irish Story".

Supported by musicologist Olivier Fourés and experiences with the award-winning Irish band Lúnasa, Hope explores the interplay between folk and classical music. "Irish Roots" reflects this journey, presenting compositions by Ina Boyle and Turlough O'Carolan alongside classics such as "Danny Boy" and Vivaldi's L'estro armonico concertos.

Daniel Hope is joined on his new album by a stellar line-up of guest artists including Lúnasa, harpist Siobhán Armstrong, flautists Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway, singer Rea Garvey, multi-instrumentalist and folk musician Ross Daly, fellow violinist Simos Papanas and the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Geiss

In a joint venture with Weird Vacation, fmd is pleased to announced the long overdue reissue of the classic Plush debut album, More You Becomes You. Originally released in 1998, More You Becomes You was revered upon release and has been remastered from the original tapes by Jason Hillier with new Digital and DL masters created by Bob Weston who also recut new lacquers for the vinyl reissue. Described by Uncut magazine as “One of the most charismatic and eccentric pop craftsmen of the past twenty years”, Liam Hayes has been making critically acclaimed records since the 90’s. His first single “Three-Quarters Blind Eyes b/w Found a Little Baby” released under the moniker Plush, was cited by the NME as being “..one of those rare records - and incredibly rare debuts - that instantly seems a classic..” Although he emerged from the Chicago indie-rock scene, Hayes is often compared with artists such as Jimmy Webb, Brian Wilson, Laura Nyro and Harry Nilsson. Like some of the best folk-pop or soft soul from the 1960’s and 1970’s there is a timeless quality to his music. Re-release of debut album More You Becomes You is remastered from the original analogue tapes by Jason Hillier and recut for vinyl by Bob Weston, who also remastered the CD and Streaming formats. A deluxe 12 page full size booklet comes with the LP version (which also comes packaged as close to the original as possible, with a printed outer envelope/bag) and a 20 page booklet comes with the CD version put together by Liam and Jason Harvey, with Sleeve Notes by John Mulvey.

Fin Greenalls introspektives, philosophisches und sanft euphorisches Songwriting wurde mit den langjährigen Bandkollegen Tim Thornton (drums/git) und Guy Whittaker (bass) in völliger Abgeschiedenheit aufgenommen. Der gebürtige, in Berliner lebende Cornwaller suchte die Einsamkeit und Bodenständigkeit des kleinen Dorfes Zennor an der malerischen Atlantikküste Cornwalls, wo die Band das neu errichtete Studio des Produzenten Sam Okell einweihte, des Grammy-prämierten Tontechnikers/Mixers der Beatles-Alben "Get Back" und "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - 50th Anniversary Release".

In der Vorstellung, dass so ein klassisch-englisches Lo-Fi-Folk-Album entstehen könnte, trieb die gemeinsame kreative Unruhe der Band und Okells "Beauty In Your Wake" stattdessen in die weitläufigen Gefilde von FINKs kommerziell erfolgreichen Alben der 2000-2010er Jahre und ist eine Rückkehr zu sich selbst. Die Musik von FINK war schon immer in ein breiteres globales Geflecht eingebettet, nicht zuletzt, weil sie in zahllosen Film/TV-Soundtracks wie "Better Call Saul", "The Walking Dead" und der neuesten Staffel von "True Detective" und "Ava du Vernays Origin" zu hören war, für die Greenall einen exklusiven Song schrieb.

Greenalls wurde 1997 bei Ninja Tune unter Vertrag genommen. Die neu formierte, klassische FINK-Besetzung ist dieselbe, mit der die Band ihr erstes Album "Biscuits For Breakfast" (2006) aufnahm, das sich als Sprungbrett für internationale Touren erwies. Nach drei weiteren Alben wurde die Band immer experimenteller, live und auf Platte. Mit der jungen Amy Winehouse unterhielt sich Greenall über seine Songwriter-Sessions und arbeitete mit so unterschiedlichen Künstlern wie Mahalia, Banks, Ben Howard und Pino Palladino im Studio und auf der Bühne zusammen. Zu seinen Auszeichnungen gehören drei BMI Songwriting Awards für die Arbeit mit John Legend an dessen "Evolver"-Album, der Nr.1-Single "Green Light" und dessen Soundtrack zu "12 Years A Slave".

Fin Greenalls introspektives, philosophisches und sanft euphorisches Songwriting wurde mit den langjährigen Bandkollegen Tim Thornton (drums/git) und Guy Whittaker (bass) in völliger Abgeschiedenheit aufgenommen. Der gebürtige, in Berliner lebende Cornwaller suchte die Einsamkeit und Bodenständigkeit des kleinen Dorfes Zennor an der malerischen Atlantikküste Cornwalls, wo die Band das neu errichtete Studio des Produzenten Sam Okell einweihte, des Grammy-prämierten Tontechnikers/Mixers der Beatles-Alben "Get Back" und "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - 50th Anniversary Release".

In der Vorstellung, dass so ein klassisch-englisches Lo-Fi-Folk-Album entstehen könnte, trieb die gemeinsame kreative Unruhe der Band und Okells "Beauty In Your Wake" stattdessen in die weitläufigen Gefilde von FINKs kommerziell erfolgreichen Alben der 2000-2010er Jahre und ist eine Rückkehr zu sich selbst. Die Musik von FINK war schon immer in ein breiteres globales Geflecht eingebettet, nicht zuletzt, weil sie in zahllosen Film/TV-Soundtracks wie "Better Call Saul", "The Walking Dead" und der neuesten Staffel von "True Detective" und "Ava du Vernays Origin" zu hören war, für die Greenall einen exklusiven Song schrieb.

Greenalls wurde 1997 bei Ninja Tune unter Vertrag genommen. Die neu formierte, klassische FINK-Besetzung ist dieselbe, mit der die Band ihr erstes Album "Biscuits For Breakfast" (2006) aufnahm, das sich als Sprungbrett für internationale Touren erwies. Nach drei weiteren Alben wurde die Band immer experimenteller, live und auf Platte. Mit der jungen Amy Winehouse unterhielt sich Greenall über seine Songwriter-Sessions und arbeitete mit so unterschiedlichen Künstlern wie Mahalia, Banks, Ben Howard und Pino Palladino im Studio und auf der Bühne zusammen. Zu seinen Auszeichnungen gehören drei BMI Songwriting Awards für die Arbeit mit John Legend an dessen "Evolver"-Album, der Nr.1-Single "Green Light" und dessen Soundtrack zu "12 Years A Slave".

The 6th Full Length studio album from South African Death Metal Bulldozers VULVODYNIA is upon us! As the first album featuring Lwandile Prusent on vocals (previously on guitar), 'ENTABENI' harks back to the band's earlier brutal roots, with lyrical concepts themed on African folklore, with a huge production from Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy, Ingested, Despised Icon) and artwork by Shindy Reehal (Viscera, The Zenith Passage, Bound in Fear).

OCTOPLOID ist die Kreation des Amorphis-Bassisten Olli-Pekka "Oppu" Laine. Da er selbst auf eine lange Geschichte als Songwriter zurückblickt, war es sein langfristiges Ziel, tief in einen Pool musikalischer Elemente einzutauchen und sie zu dem zu verschmelzen, was im Debütwerk seiner neuen Band "Beyond The Aeons" gipfelte. Viele unterschiedliche Stilrichtungen zu vermischen mag weit hergeholt erscheinen, aber all diese musikalischen Schwingungen, die auch mehrere illustre Gastmusiker anlockten, verschmelzen am Ende zu einem abgerundeten Klangbild. "Beyond The Aeons? kombiniert Elemente aus Folk, Prog und Death Metal und ist ein Inbegriff des Sounds von OCTOPLOID und der musikalischen Einflüsse von Bandleader Olli-Pekka Laine. Oppu glänzt in dieser Formation nicht nur dadurch, dass er dem Album seine charakteristischen Bass-Grooves verleiht, sondern auch zusätzliche Keyboard-, Gitarrenund Gesangsparts beisteuert, und wird unterstützt von Mikko Pietinen (Schlagzeug), Peter Salonen (Gitarren) und Kim Rantala (Keyboards). Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow The Sun-Sänger) übernimmt den Leadgesang für Live-Aktivitäten.

The very same group that the Mamas & the Papas sang about in “Creeque Alley!” Before each musician found their way to stardom, Mama Cass & Denny Doherty teamed up with future Lovin’ Spoonful guitarist Zal Yanovsky and “Summer Rain” hit songwriter Jim Hendricks to form the Mugwumps! Only lasting eight months, this pop-folk treasure didn’t hit the shelves until after they disbanded and found success a couple of years later.

The very same group that the Mamas & the Papas sang about in “Creeque Alley!” Before each musician found their way to stardom, Mama Cass & Denny Doherty teamed up with future Lovin’ Spoonful guitarist Zal Yanovsky and “Summer Rain” hit songwriter Jim Hendricks to form the Mugwumps! Only lasting eight months, this pop-folk treasure didn’t hit the shelves until after they disbanded and found success a couple of years later.

Self-described as “expansive, harmonious folk-rock”, Luke Edwards states, “Pie Town is the next step down the Heartland trail for us - it’s a collection of songs about my experiences over the past few years addressing the reticence to “grow up” and all the bulls**t that comes with that loss of innocence. Recorded here in Seattle, it reflects our most expansive and explorative instrumentation. I’m excited for this album, stay young my friends.”

Past collaborators of Decosimo include indie/folk artists Jake Xerxes Fussell, Wye Oak, and Hiss Golden Messenger. Past collaborators of Schrey include experimental/sound artists Alvin Lucier, Gordon Mumma and Yasunao Tone. In April 2021, Joseph Decosimo, Luke Richardson, and Cleek Schrey three of the most compelling interpreters in the American traditional music scene gathered at a cabin in Tennessee to explore their collective repertoire of Old-time fiddle and banjo tunes, gleaned from visits with older players, field recordings, and vintage 78s. Working with fiddle, hardanger d’amore (a fiddle with sympathetic strings), banjos, and a 19th-century pump organ, the trio captured both the sonic details of their instruments and a generous musical interplay rooted in a dozen years of collaboration. Their debut album, Beehive Cathedral, presents resonant, thoughtful, and expansive explorations of Appalachian and American music. The results showcase deep Details study and enveloping, exhilarating performances. A rich vein of stories and relationships to people and places underpin Beehive Cathedral. Much of the album draws on Decosimo’s experiences learning the music of Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau, where he grew up and worked as a folklorist. A key source of inspiration was fiddler Clyde Davenport (1921-2020), “Clyde was a social and musical trickster who knew hundreds of old tunes and had an uncanny ability to recall each piece in exquisite detail,” says Decosimo. “During my visits, he’d play breathtaking local pieces from his father Will, who was born in 1868. His father had learned some of them from a neighbor who was born in 1829.” "This record expresses some of what we hear in Southern traditional music: the ring of the strings, the buzz of the tunings, the hum of the organ,” explains Schrey. Spending time listening to old recordings and imagining how those sounds were made has made the trio keenly interested in the relationship between physical motion and sound in their source material. The result is a dense layering of sounds and interaction. Of this sonic interplay, Irish fiddle luminary Martin Hayes observes, “The sound of a beehive conveys the idea of a unified harmonious soundscape which is how this recording sounds. Beehive Cathedral is a sonic delight, a beautiful blend of Old-time soundscapes and more. This is a hypnotic recording that is grounded, subtle and refined

Dando Shaft’s third LP continued their explorations into the progressive and psychedelic strands of folk, now with shifting time signatures evidencing an increasing sophistication, as well as an ongoing commitment to experimentation; more varied in theme than their previous releases, there were shades of blues in places and an array of new instruments in the mix, including harpsichord, accordion, and slide guitar, yet the progressive folk that was always at the core of the group is still intact. With original copies costing in the hundreds, this is another worthy exploration for Dando Shaft fans, and all lovers of progressive folk music.

Red Vinyl

Bereits zwanzig Jahre geben ELVENKING den Ton an, wenn es um Folk Power Metal geht. Mit dem elften Album "Reader Of The Runes - Rapture" wird die italienische Band ab dem 28.04.23 die beliebte "Reader Of The Runes"-Reihe fortführen und ihren berechtigten Kultstatus verteidigen. Ein weiteres Fundament für mystischen, verzauberten und brachialen Power Metal.

Nach drei Jahren Wartezeit folgt nun der zweite Teil der Reader Of The Runes Trilogie und gleichzeitig elfte Album der italienischen Folk Power Metal Legenden ELVENKING! Mit "Reader Of The Runes - Divination" wurde 2019 diese mystische Reise begonnen, welche auf "Reader Of The Runes - Rapture" einen weiteren fabelhaften Höhepunkt findet. Seit zwanzig Jahren stellt die Band schon unter Beweis, dass sie nicht umsonst Kultstatus in der Szene haben und nicht nur durch herausragende Liveshows ihre Fanschar immer mehr erweitern können. Mit "Reader Of The Runes - Rapture" zeigen ELVENKING, dass sie nicht auf der Stelle treten und ihren Sound weiterentwickeln, ohne ihr Trademark zu verlieren. Ein weiteres starkes Fundament in einer gewohnt fehlerfreien Diskografie. Über 70 Mio. Streams allein auf Spotify lügen nicht. Diese Band wächst nach wie vor und wird mit "Reader Of The Runes - Rapture" über sich hinaus wachsen.

Getting their start in the mid-1960s as a covers band, the Surrey-based group that began as The Late and who would be forced to take the name Unicorn mid-way through the recording of this excellent debut LP soon understood that originals made better sense, pointed in that direction by the success of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Given greater depth by Gerry Rafferty’s producer, Hugh Murphy, Uphill All The Way makes for superb listening, the musical craftsmanship yielding intricate textures beneath Ken Baker’s dreamy lyrics, the intelligent folk rock complete with country and western underpinnings. A must for UK folk rock fans!

Dando Shaft’s self-titled sophomore set continued to build on the reputation established by their excellent debut, and now the arrival of female singer Polly Bolton added another textural dimension, as heard most clearly on the soaring ‘Riverboat,’ the absence of drums throughout allowing us to fully appreciate the players’ excellent musicianship, with Martin Jenkins’ masterful mandolin, flute and fiddle drawing the sound to higher realms. As it was issued on RCA’s prog sub-label Neon, which folded soon after its release, the LP is as rare as it is excellent—another must-have for fans of progressive folk and psychedelic folk rock.

Ever since he made his first trip to Japan to DJ, Optimo Music founder JD Twitch has been bewitched by Japanese music, and particularly the vibrant, imaginative, and often far-sighted sounds which emerged from the island nation during the 1980s. Now he’s put years of digging in Japanese record shops to good use on Polyphonic Cosmos, the latest release on his compilation-focused Cease & Desist imprint.

Subtitled ‘A Beginners Guide to Japan In The ‘80s’, the collection offers a personal selection of Japanese gems recorded and released between 1981 and ’86 – a period when advances in recording and musical technology offered the nation’s artists and producers a whole new tool kit to employ. When combined with the unique musical culture of Japan, where local traditions are frequently fused with Western styles to create timeless, off-kilter aural fusions, this embrace of locally pioneered music technology had spectacular, often unusual results.

Eight years in the making, Polyphonic Cosmos provides an endlessly entertaining musical snapshot of Japanese music of the early-to-mid ‘80s with all of the open-minded eclecticism and sonic twists that you would expect from the Glasgow-based DJ.

Compare and contrast, for example, the gently breezy, morning-fresh folk-plus-electronics bliss of ‘ばら二曲 Baranikyoku (Fellini&Rota)’ by World Standard – the most familiar alias of long-serving musician/producer Sohichiro Suzuki – and the hallucinatory, slow-motion tribal rhythms, post-punk rhythms and tape delay-laden electronics of Imitation’s ‘Exotic Dance’. Or, for that matter, the tipsy mid-‘80s electronic reggae of Pecker’s ‘Sha La La’, the grungy but melodic post-punk strut of ‘You Go On Natural’ by Earthling (a track Twitch accurately describes as “sheer unrelenting groove”), and the unearthly, swirling sonics, new age instrumentation and flotation tank vocals of prolific (and seemingly mysterious) act Geinoh Yamashirogumi’s ‘Rimme Kohkyogaku Meiki’.

It’s a credit to JD Twitch’s curatorial skills that the quality never dips, and sonic surprises lurk around every corner. Consider for a moment the hard to describe, far-sighted audio immersion of D-Day’s ‘Ki-Ra’ – all languid post-pop guitar, enveloping chords, spoken word vocals, shuffling 808 beats and marimba melodies – and the two contributions from video games soundtrack specialist (and driving instrumental synth-pop specialist) Hiroyuki Namba.

The collection naturally includes some selections that have long been favourites in Twitch’s DJ sets – see Masumi Hara’s ‘Your Dream’ – as well as a handful of tracks from artists who may be more recognisable to those with only rudimentary knowledge of Japanese musical culture. The great Yasuaki Shimizu, whose work as Mariah has become far better known in recent years thanks to reissues of some of his most magical albums, is represented via ‘The Crow’, a picturesque chunk of horizontal, hard-to-define jazz-not-jazz smokiness, while the collection fittingly concludes with a sublimely funky, oddball electronic workout from Yellow Magic Orchestra legend Ryuichi Sakamoto (the frankly incredible ‘Wongga Dance Song’).

Matt Anniss