There isn’t a lot of information on wild psych music coming out of places like Tajikistan, but this isn’t a bad slice of Central Asian arabesque disco-prog, courtesy of Makhfirat Hamroqulova & Gulshan. Hamroqulova is not only a famous singer in the country, but an actress of note as well.
Prog
[Music] Setna – Live: Voir / Ouverture / Conscience
Thanks to Tyler Chovski who posted this rather remarkable ensemble from France. Setna are heavily influenced by Magma and do a great job working in the zeuhl genre.
[Music] Rational Diet – Pukhow
It’s a crying shame that Belarusian Rock-In-Opposition-influenced band Rational Diet is no more. For my taste, they had carried the torch first illumined by bands such as Art Zoyd, Univers Zero and Henry Cow.
[Music] Steve Hogarth & Richard Barbieri – Your Beautiful Face
Richard Barbieri never disappoints. From his work in Japan to all of the wonderful projects he’s worked on since, he’s shown to be a thoroughly underrated synth player. There’s always hope he’ll reach a bigger audience.
The surprise here, for me, is Steve Hogarth. I’m not a huge fan of Marillion (at least since old singer Fish left the band in the late ’80s), but really, Hogarth’s voice sounds like a perfect compliment to the electronic underpinning Barbieri provides. A lush work.
This one is dedicated to my Mari, who has given me a year of happiness.
[Music] Jacula – In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum
Before I developed a love for Rock-In-Opposition bands like Art Zoyd and Univers Zero, I had a deep interest in the schlock-laden works of Antonio Bartoccetti, composer of the band Jacula. It was cheesy, silly, doom-laden music of the best sort. I wonder whatever happened to him?
[Music] Gwenno – Chwyldro
Gwenno are a band from Wales who just popped onto my radar. File under neo-Krautrock-influenced bliss.
[Music] Can – Geheim (Half Past One) [Peel Sessions]
[Music] Catherine Ribeiro – Paix
Catherine Ribeiro is France’s psychedelic chanteuse. From what I understand, she is still making music. This is from her peak period, and it still sounds stunning.
[Music] Kraftwerk – Europe Endless
I’ve yet to hear a bad track from Kraftwerk. Thanks the my incredible friends on my Facebook feed who pointed me to this lilting piece of electronic music.
[Music] Iconoclasta – Suite Mexicana Part 1 : Mestizaje
Mexico is known for great garage rock bands, avant-prog, and neo-prog bands. But my favorite is the symphonic prog band, Iconoclasta. This piece comes from their crowning achievement of an album, Soliloquio, long out of print, unfortunately.
Much respect to my friend, Domenico D’Alessandro, for reminding me of how good an album this truly was, and what a crime it is to know that it’s still out of print.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 