Ocher Red
Call it serendipity, but this unassuming release recently resurfaced in our feed, reminding us that we had previously received and flagged a promo in our inbox by the same name. As luck would have it, there it was and upon reading the release notes we quickly realised that this instrumental gem might just be our thing. Out on Brighton's Hive Mind imprint as of last Friday and titled "Ocher Red", this is the debut full-length of Herandu, the sonic alloy of sibling duo Evgeny and Mikhail Gavrilov. Hailing from Siberia's Novosibirsk, the two had collaborated in their youth, "forming the band FPRF in the mid 2000s," which eventually disbanded as the individual band members went on to pursue their own endeavours. Evgeny and Mikhail stayed in music, producing under the aliases of Dyad and Misha Sultan (ring a bell? read more here) respectively.
Herandu (possibly a nod to the track "Herandnu" found on Weather Report's iconic "Black Market" album, characterised by a tricky time signature and described by Wayne Shorter as meaning "here and now") was formed in 2022, when the two brothers hit the studio during a joint visit to their native Siberia. It was there that they rediscovered a certain commonality in their approach that translated to a novel sound rooted in the sum of their individual musical ventures. They invited their friend Vladimir Luchansky and his saxophone to the mix and "Ocher Red" began to take shape. Channeling a deep appreciation of 'urban music' inspired as much by "the gritty cityscapes of '70s TV cop thrillers" as by "21st century urbanism," Herandu have conjured a mesmerising eleven-track opus of aural plasticity, fusion in practice or, quite simply, musical alchemy. Combining elements from club and dance music with an 'anything goes' modus operandi in the spirit of jazz, this here is a special blend of electro-melodic experimentation.
"...a little bit like Metalheadz meets Weather Report out in Siberia's post-industrial badlands...," the release notes read, which is a pretty good description, but the album title has us coming up with even more interpretations: Ocher is won from the ground, "an earthy clay coloured by iron oxide, usually yellow or reddish brown," and one of the world's oldest pigments, prominently featuring in cave art. In this case, however, "Ocher Red" might be a metaphor for these two brothers returning to their Siberian homeland (a topography rich in iron ore by the way) and finding common musical ground, resonating in a multitude of stunning ferric hues, ethereal but equally enduring from a listener's standpoint. Brimful of wit, there are most definitely levels to the vibe that is Herandu, yet all of them are thoroughly absorbing.
More posts
Les Belgicains
The notorious algorithm served this one up on a silver platter a few weeks back, suggesting we follow the newly revived, Brussels-based Covadia Records imprint and after brief consideration, we decided we would. Now here we are to reap the rewards, seeing as the label released its inaugural compilation last Friday, one that you better not sleep on. If you are familiar with the sounds of infamous Congolese rumba and bolero band TPOK Jazz and its charismatic [...]
Altera Vita
There's something undeniably celestial about the harp and this effect is multiplied to the fullest on this heavenly collaborative debut album by the phenomenal harpist Alina Bzhezhinska and tenor sax phenom Tony Kofi. This is not the first time the two UK-based, multiple award-winning artists have joined forces and yet, hearing them in a duo constellation does exude a certain magic. Titled "Altera Vita" ('Another Life'), this collaborative full-length "homage [...]
Working Progress
Every now and then we like to shake things up a bit and throw a sonic wrench in the system. Today's circuit breaker comes by ways of Kingston, Jamaica, home to groundsound. The forward-thinking duo consisting of Gavsborg (founding member of the Equiknoxx collective) and Riddim Writer (word artist & cultural analyst) has formed "a message-driven, Afrofuturist partnership" and recently released a stunning one-hour full-length "to free-up how listeners hear, think [...]
Ye Ankasa
Certain things remain a constant, such as the this planet of ours that keeps spinning on its own axis and those clocks that keep on ticking. Also, Berlin's Jembaa Groove is back with another album on Agogo Records. Two years after delivering their unifying debut "Susuma" (read more here), fusing West African influences with the infinite possibilities of jazz and a healthy dose of soul, the multi-cultural seven-piece returns with yet another heavy afro-soul [...]
Merci Yaya Bongo
Call us ignorant, but only now are we catching up on the history of Gabon. The country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa gained its independence from France in 1960, however, relations between the two countries remained co-dependent. Gabon has had three presidents since gaining its autonomy, the most prominent being Omar Bongo, who stayed in power for a whopping 42 years only to be succeeded by his son in 2009, who then ruled another 14 years until his [...]
Hiddo Dhawr
Last Friday marked the return of a true, yet still lesser known musical and cultural icon, the great chanteuse, nurse and activist Sahra Halgan. Hailing from Somaliland, a region in northwestern Somalia that declared its independence from the British protectorate in 1991 following a brutal civil war, but remains "unrecognised by the international community," Halgan continues to be one of the region's strongest voices in every respect. So before we dive into her [...]
The Albanian Connection
Once again, the days are getting longer and spring is in the air, luring us out of our homes and inviting us to explore the verdant environs. Also, it's the long Easter weekend here in Germany, which has inspired many to hit the road and venture out even farther. Enter the fitting cinematic score to a bit of good ol' musical escapism, rather enticingly titled "The Albanian Connection". Out on Tel Aviv-based independent label Raw Tapes, said release is the [...]
Jolifanto
Everybody gather 'round, the circus is in town! Always keen to feast our ears on extraordinary productions from around the globe, this latest release on the Madrid-based imprint Lovemonk has us in a positive state of frenzy. It's an all-out Spanish affair if you will, bringing together two boundary-pushing acts, placing them before a white canvas and hoping for the best. The result of this particular amalgamation is nothing short of a revelation, a visionary [...]
Locomotive Train
Sitting on a train from Bruges to Bruxelles, we felt it might me a good moment to share this recent highlife reissue on BBE with you. Remastered and re-released digitally earlier this month on Ghanaian Independence Day, this early 1970s album by the African Brothers Band International of Ghana is an absolute gem and thoroughly engaging from start to finish. Blending classic highlife with elements of rock, funk and reggae, "Locomotive Train (Keteke) - Meko [...]
I Too Am A Stranger
It's back to the basement, we thought to ourselves as we readied ourselves to review the latest album by Leeds-based outfit The Sorcerers. "I Too Am A Stranger" is the follow-up to the group's sophomore LP "In Search Of The Lost City Of The Monkey God" and their eponymous 2019-released debut and sees the core trio of bassist/guitarist Neil Innes, drummer Joost Hendrickx and reed/flute/vibes/keyboard player Richard Ormrod bolster their brass section with [...]
Souvenirs
There are recordings that are specifically made to move you and then there are recordings that genuinely move you. The latest release on Mississippi Records is of the latter kind, a collection of self-recorded solo piano songs by the revered Ethiopian nun, composer and pianist Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru. Simply titled "Souvenirs," these cassette recordings had previously only been available on CD, as sold in the gift shop of the Kidane Mehret monastery in [...]
Zaman Ziyan
Bridging continents from birth and styles since initially getting together in 2001, Istanbul-based outfit Ayyuka has been reimagining Turkish music – notably the infamous psychedelic era of the 1970s – on its own terms, and with quite some success. Juxtaposing their local roots and musical influences with global genres such as afrobeat, surf rock, funk and more, the four musicians have created an extensive discography by just doing their thing. We first [...]