Soviet Grooves

Just recently we shared a post with you, covering the infamous Cut Chemist's exploration of record crates found in Cali, Colombia. Today, we return with another musical venture that also has its roots in Cali. Enter The Bongo Hop, a swingin' afro-caribbean project by Bordeaux-born/Lyon-based trumpetist, journalist, film maker, university teacher, DJ, and digger Etienne Sevet. Sevet spent eight years in Colombia as a Cali resident, where in 2003 he chanced [...]

Kicking off in Cologne on Monday (July 17, 2017) is part two of this year's LusAfro festival, curated by the likes of Daniel Haaksman, Francis Gay and José da Silva. The festival, promoting the musical and cultural exchange between artists from Portuguese-speaking 'lusophone' Africa (Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe) and Germany, enters stage two, as part of the Cologne-based Cosmo Radio's (formerly Funkhaus Europa) [...]

Friday is release day, as we all know. Release from all the work week's woes and of course the release of new music all across the globe. That being said, one of our favourite musical globetrotters, the one and only Daniel Haaksman, drops his spanking new Funáná EP today, which also happens to be the festive 100th release of his Man Recordings imprint. In honour of his record label's anniversary and after several musical episodes in Brasil, Angola, Mozambique [...]

Known for its more abstract sonic curation of electronic productions ranging from house and techno to 'other', UK-based independent imprint Opal Tapes is set to release a new album by Hamburg-born and currently Tehran-based electronic music composer and sound artist Ata 'Sote' Ebtekar. Sote made his extraordinary debut on the label last year, when he released his "Hardcore Sounds From Tehran" LP and will follow that up on July 28th with his latest feat on Opal [...]

We are more than honoured to call dibs on The Soul Jazz Orchestra's brand new track off the Canadian ensemble's forthcoming album "Under Burning Skies", to be released via Strut Records in all its pink glory (the record will also be released on pink vinyl) on October 6th, later this year. Having gained international acclaim with their scorching blend of Afro, Latin and tropical grooves during the past 15 years, the groundbreaking collective prepares to release [...]

What on earth did we just listen to?! Released in May on French independent label Akuphone, specializing on "rare global pop and folk music from the early 1950's to the late 1980's", the imprint itself simply describes this one-of-a-kind acoustic display as a "puzzling collage of Tibetan Buddhist rites". What we have here is a departure into the realm of ritual and ceremonial music by a certain Kink Gong, aka Laurent Jeanneau, "a nomadic musician and DIY [...]

We love finding amazing music from around the globe, especially when you have an acclaimed record digger such as the notorious Cut Chemist take a trip down South to unearth the rich musical spirit of Colombia and put together a selection of songs for the 'greedy' ones among us. That being said, we were more than ready to feast our ears on these vibrant tropical remixes and would love for you to do the same. But before we share that link, here's a short comment [...]

What's new from the Jewish Monkeys, you ask? Well, as a matter of fact, this tireless bunch just upgraded its merch game. Last week, the band released a brand new, 52-piece set of customised playing cards with all eight band members on deck and looking as spiffy as ever. Limited to 500, the cards feature the designs/collages of Israeli artist Naomi Shalev. You may recognise her art from the band's recently released second longplayer "High Words", which you can [...]

Little is known about this rare recording by Morteza Hannaneh, co-founder of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra. Rediscovered on tape by his grandson, this 1960's recording for Tehran Radio, which had previously been considered lost, is now seeing a limited reissue on vinyl via Paris-based imprint Collapsing Market. Read an interview with the label's co-founder and Hannaneh's grandson Cyrus Goberville here.

"Without definitive records to go from, [...]

Earlier this month, UK-based independent record label Soundway Records, home to a multitude of styles by acclaimed acts such as Ondatrópica, Lord Echo, Ibibio Sound Machine and many more, released the latest project by London producer Jesse Hackett, whom you may remember from the Kenyan-/Luo-influenced Owiny Sigoma band. Alias Ennanga Vision, Hackett's latest musical venture takes him into the heart of Uganda (or rather Buganda), where he joins forces with [...]

Just ahead of yet another week's end, we would like to recommend this brilliant 90-minute documentary film to broaden your cinematic horizon. Thanks to Daniel Haaksman for tipping us off!

"Some say we are made of flesh and blood. I believe we are made of stories", goes the opening line of the official trailer to "SEMBENE!", a 2015-released, prize-winning documentary about the masterful Senegalese director, producer and writer Ousmane Sembene: "SEMBENE! [...]

Hailing from São Paulo, 32-year-old Brazilian mandolin soloist and composer Danilo Brito is best known for his dextrous and virtuosic choro renditions, a popular Brazilian instrumental music genre said to have originated in 19th century Rio de Janeiro's streets and back yards. Choro (meaning 'cry' or 'lament' in Portuguese), despite its name, is usually marked by a fast-paced rhythm, a style that was an invaluable source of inspiration to many Brazilian [...]