Zakho#22 by Rocky B on Mixcloud
An extremely impressive radio program out of Israel covering World Music. For more, contact Rocky B. at his website, or directly at Mixcloud.
[Music] Bulat Gafarov – Ya JAleyka
I can’t say that I know much about Bulat Gafarov personally, other than he’s both a fine multi-instrumentalist and a friend on Facebook, but he’s really quite an amazing talent. An ethnic Russia, he’s comfortable with music from India, China and Central Asia, as well as the regional music of places like Tatarstan and Siberia.
[Music] Comment Band – Lahzeha
Even in Tehran, one can find good-quality alternative music. Here’s Comment Band, one of the better acts in town.
[Music] Adorable – Sunshine Smile
Adorable were an English band made up of band members Pete Fijalkowski (vocals, guitar), Robert Dillam (guitar), Stephen ‘Wil’ Williams (bass) and Kevin Gritton (drums). They produced, to my ears, one of the best shoegaze songs of the early 1990s. A truly gorgeous, shimmery track!
[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] Kismet – Love Will Tear Us Apart
Every time I go to Skopje, there is always someone who asks why on Earth I’d bother to come and stay such long periods of time in what they feel is an insignificant city in the heart of the Balkans. You can thank this song, the disc it came on, and a friendship with Gorazd Capovski and Ilija Stojanovski, for this.
I had worked at Tone Casualties records as an A&R Manager, and came across this disc while at my evening job, buying weird music for Aron’s Records (RIP). I had passed through what was then Yugoslavia a few years past, and knew a bit about Macedonian music, but the combination of goth/darkwave and an ethnic, Byzantine sound, came as a huge revelation. I never, in a million years, thought Love Will Tear Us Apart would sound perfect with bagpipes. A pleasant surprise which still strikes a chord after 20 years.
[Music] RIP Dieter Moebius
Extremely sad news today. The Quietus reports that Dieter Moebius, one-half of the legendary Cluster, along with Hans-Joachim Roedelius, a collaborator with Michael Rother in their Harmonia project, as well as Brian Eno, and a source of influence for so many musicians who delved into making electronic music, passed away today at the age of 71.
I had the pleasure of meeting Dieter and Achim a few times as they would pass through my home on tour. I wish his wife, Irene, Achim and his family, and all those who worked with him, much comfort in the days ahead.
[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!
[Music] Gloria Jones – Tainted Love
Everyone knows the great cover Soft Cell did of this classic 60s slab of soul, but few remember that this cut by Gloria Jones is the original!
[Music] Susumu Yokota Has Died
Terrible news from The WIRE. Susumu Yokota, ambient DJ and composer extraordinaire, passed away from complications in March of this year, but the family only recently made a public announcement of his passing.
You can read The WIRE obituary here, as well as notes from FACT Magazine, The Leaf Label and Natalie.mu.
To hear some of Susuma’s work, check out Gekkoh below:
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 