I’m extremely pleased to announce the new release of Croatia’s best experimental bassist, Jurica Jelić! He hails from Knin, and produces a mélange of genres, mixing classical, post-punk, and Slavic paganism as his bass influences.
Music Downloads
[Music Sample] Cuneiform Turns 30: The Albums of 2014
Washington D.C.-based Cuneiform Records has been publishing influential avant-prog rock music for three decades now. Steve Feigenbaum, the label’s owner, should be commended for bringing such groups like Univers Zero, Daniel Denis, Richard Pinhas and Happy Family to American consumers.
This compilation covers 30 years of great releases, and is available as a ‘name-your-price’ download, courtesy of Bandcamp.
[Music] Gregory Ayriyan – s/t
After years of having to let this project lie dormant, I’m proud to announce the resurrection of my record label, the Carrera-Linn Cultural Exchange (CLCX). Our first release is from the Russian-based Armenian-American violinist Gregory Ayriyan, who composed all but three of the tracks on this disc. The other composers include Sayat Nova, Komitas, and Niccolò Paganini, so he interprets the cream of the crop.
[Music] Roger Damawuzan & Les As Du Benin – Wait For Me
Many thanks to Hot Casa Records, who introduced the music of Roger Damawuzan, the ‘James Brown of Lomé‘, to the world. You can definitely see where he gets his inspiration from!
[Music] Ethan Diamond, Bandcamp – XOXO Festival (2014)
If you haven’t heard of Bandcamp, you really need to catch up. Artists and record labels are using this absolutely wonderful platform to sell vinyl, fan merchandise and other objects as well as high-quality digital downloads in a host of formats.
Ethan Diamond, the founder of the company, is seen here speaking about the many uses of Bandcamp. We wish him and the company continued success, though I’m mad that his invention is cleaning out my wallet!
For a sample of his music taste, check it out here.
[Music] Villagers of Ioannina City – Krasi
This is beautifully weird, and I have my dear brother, Yasen Kazandjiev, to thank for it.
This sounds like Greek folk music gone somewhere between post-punk and psychedelic music. As if Joy Division discovered the pleasures of lamb and ouzo. I’m looking forward to watching Villagers of Ioannina City grow and develop this sound!
[Review] Fake Cat Project – Fake Cat Songs
Kirill Makushin (who also records under Kirill M and Crows In The Garden) is no stranger to this blog. He’s a bayan player who works well with experimental composition. In this EP for the Fake Cat Project (his new band), he works with the legendary Russian avant-garde music stalwart Alexei Borisov, and Igor Levshin, who contributes ‘vocals’ (meows, really).
[Music] Finnegans Wake – 4th
Finnegan’s Wake is the name of at least one other progressive rock band, but this one hails from Belgium, though now resides in Brazil, and is led by Henry Krutzen, who founded the band in 1993, and it reminds me of a chamber-rock band, not dissimilar to Rock-In-Opposition bands like Henry Cow or Art Zoyd.
[Sample] Finnegans Wake – 4th
Finnegan’s Wake is the name of at least one other progressive rock band, but this one hails from Belgium, though now resides in Brazil, and is led by Henry Krutzen, who founded the band in 1993, and it reminds me of a chamber-rock band, not dissimilar to Rock-In-Opposition bands like Henry Cow or Art Zoyd.
GRM on Bandcamp!
Holy smokes! The legendary INA-GRM Record Label out of Paris, France, which housed some of the most legendary names in electroacoustic and avant-garde music, has decided to release selected titles as downloads via Bandcamp, and at reasonable prices!
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 