Lisa Knapp is, at least for me, a new and rather pleasant voice in English folk music. She makes a huge impression with this traditional tune by pairing up with David Tibet of Current 93 fame.
Ethnic
[Music] Lot Lorien with Jake Wilson – The Keeper
I have a long, happy history with the Bulgarian ethno-folk band Lot-Lorien. They’ve been through several singers since their commencement, and most were female, but during their stay in England, they came across a local singer called Jake Wilson, whose voice meshes quite well with their instrumentation.
[Music] Kayno Yesno Slonce – Mare Verborum
Kayno Yesno Slonce are a band based out of Sofia, Bulgaria, who straddle genres so easily that they’re nearly impossible to classify. There is a gentle beauty in the music that reminds me of Bert Jansch or The Incredible String Band, but one can hear elements of Wyrd Folk like Shirley Collins or the more instrumental endeavors of Current 93. For those of you who like neofolk, Balkan music, or something slightly hazy and psychedelic, this album is a stunningly good choice for your ears.
[Music] Ciwan Haco – Sira Sibê
Many thanks to my friend Oded for sharing this Kurdish pop gem from legendary singer Ciwan Haco, who was the first Kurdish musician I ever heard.
[Music] Hülya Süer – Şeker Oğlan (Kozmonotosman Rework)
Hülya Süer was one of Turkey’s biggest pop names throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Her tune gets reworked by Kozmonotosman. Click on his name to find other great reworks.
[Music] Fatoumata Diawara – Fatou (Full Album)
World Circuit Records, a longtime leader in World Music, produces another magnificent album. This one is by a Malian singer born in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) called Fatoumata Diawara. She’s worked with such luminaries as Paul McCartney, Damon Albarn and Beninese legends Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou.
[Music] Collection Petites Planètes – Kangë e Defa – Female Rhapsody in Kosova
A very pleasant surprise from our friend and colleague, Vincent Moon, who churns out stream of startlingly beautiful compilations from places off the beaten path (Ossetia, Chechnya, etc). His label, Collection Petites Planètes, presents a compilation done with the assistance of Fatime Kosumi, a Kosovar singer of Albanian heritage, covering folk tunes for female choir.
There is an accompanying video which was posted by the duo at Vimeo, which you can access here.
[Music] Omar Metioui & Mohamed Mehdi Temsamani – Ritual Sufi-Andalusi: Al-Shustari (1212-1269)
Omar Metioui is a Moroccan classical musician who was born in 1962. In this album, Metioui collaborates with Mohamed Mehdi Temsamani in their interpretation influenced by the Andalusian poet Al-Shustari.
[Music] Nyege Nyege Tapes Spotlight Uganda’s Burgeoning Electronic Music Scene
Uganda isn’t the first place one thinks about regarding electronic music, but thanks to the Internet, boundless curiosity and many visits by those promoting the genre (such as C-Drik of Syrphe Records), the scene is growing into something rather healthy and strong.
More on the scene courtesy of Bandcamp.
[Music/Culture] The Bard of the Caucasus: Armenian, Azeri, and Georgian Legacies of Sayat-Nova
It is truly a shame that such a treasure like Sayat-Nova, whose works were written in Armenian, Azeri, Georgian and Russia has been turned into a tool for nationalism.
Kamyar Jarahzadeh writes a wonderful article on the legendary band here for Ajam Media Collective.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 