V.A. - Classic Productions by Surin Phaksiri 2: Molam Gems from the 1960s-80s (EM Records)
Alai K - Kila Mara (On the Corner)
East African poly-rhythms meet Berlin underground through the fire of Alai K. Once again OtC teams up with the finest producers coming up through the Santuri East Africa workshops and artist development.
Ale Hop - Why Is It They Say A City Like Any City? (Karlrecords)
The new album by the Peruvian-born / Berlin-based experimental artist Ale Hop was conceived in a context of immobility and provides six sonic vignettes that wonder about location, circularity, rootedness and experience. During the lockdown months, she started a process of remote collaboration, by sending messages, posted from various cities along a South American trip, to thirteen musicians from around the world. She journaled her impressions upon these places to an intimate fictional character while reflecting on matters of time, sound, space, cosmology and colonial memory. The thirteen musicians dialogued with this voice by taking upon the challenge of responding to the messages with sound collaborations.
Bios Contrast - Dragon Rising (Bios Contrast)
Dragon Rising utilizes compositions and ostinatos created using a 45-year-old harmonium and combines electronic elements, vocal improvisations, and fully detuned custom violin, guitar and brass flute.
Bryce Hackford - Cloud Holding (Futura Resistenza)
Cloud Holding is NYC-based Bryce Hackford's fifth album, and first for Futura Resistenza, comprising seven sound sculptures coaxed out of recorded improvisations by a group of musicians – Ka Baird, Shelley Burgon, Alice Cohen, Michael Hurder, Dominika Mazurova, Camilla Padgitt-Coles – and worked into formless figures that express an always drifting present. Guided by the Suzuki Nobara – a kind of electric koto with many traditional instrument sounds and unique pitch adjustment controls – and the lyric-less utterances of the human voice,
Cloud Holding traces delicate outlines in a collaborative sound world that shines with mysterious, searching affinity.
Cities A.D. - Ombre Claire (SDZ Records)
Cities A.D. is a Belgian band born from the collaboration between Sébastien Schmit (Neptunian Maximalism, K-branding, etc.) and Phil Maggi (Ultraphallus, Iva Bedlam, etc.). The music present on this first album "Ombre Claire" was entirely elaborated by correspondence between Brussels and Liege during the year 2020.
V.A. - Classic Productions by Surin Phaksiri 2: Molam Gems from the 1960s-80s (EM Records)
EM Records again shines the spotlight on legendary Thai producer Surin Phaksiri in this second edition of his classic productions from the 1960s-80s. Surin Phaksiri is a highly esteemed figure in Thai music, rooted deeply in his native region of Isan in northeast Thailand, a producer with a deep respect for the traditional artistry of his culture, yet always moving forward, looking outward, listening ahead. The molam style of Thai music showcases the voice; indeed, the genre’s name means “expert singer”, and Thailand is blessed with an abundance of experts, singers with amazing control, grace, vitality and finesse.
