Odds & Sods
It’s a quickfire, eclectic selection today. It’s been an intense week of screen gazing and after pulling some long shifts I’m making progress, but there’s still things to tick off the list and this will be my last solo opportunity to do so this year. I miss that little (and big) girl like anything, but needs must.
I’ve actually come to realise this week how overworked I am, although the music side doesn’t seem much like work, and I’ve resolved to take some time off over Christmas. From everything. To hell with lack of holiday pay - one of the curses of low paid self employment, online teaching is not all it’s cracked up to be.
The only break I’ve had in 2024 was when I ended up in Porto’s (amazing) São João maternity hospital for four days, sleeping in the fetal position in a small reclining chair and embarking on an emotional rollercoaster. Not the most relaxing holiday I’ve ever had, but certainly the most incredible.
If you’re struggling to unwind as well then music can certainly help. How about some music from an incense promotion for starters?
marine eyes - songs for incense
I wasn’t joking when I mentioned music for an incense advert. She was recently commissioned by a Chinese company to compose several songs for a product launch and I have to say they all sound lovely. If soft edged, warm, natural field recording blessed ambient vibes are your thing then you’ll have found this week’s listening companion.
Now there are some who balk at sponsored or commissioned musicians, but oddly ambient music in Japan has a glorious history of sponsorship. Companies in the 80’s commissioned avant-garde artists to sell anything from air-con units to watches, and make a serious contribution to culture at the same time; the vinyl is seriously collectible. So it’s nice to see a modern artist keeping the tradition alive, not compromising their art and actually getting paid, so spark up some sandalwood and have a listen. It’s short and sweet so hit repeat.
Various Artists - Juyungo (Afro-Indigenous Music From The North-Western Andes) [Honest Jons]
If you aren’t aware of Honest Jon’s you might be about to go down a bit of a wormhole. They’re one of London’s best record shops, based in Portobello Road no less, and have been going for fifty years. About twenty years ago they started a label releasing music ranging from lauded compilations unearthing Britain’s black music history, to bleeding edge house, folk, African music and the deeper side of dubstep when that was a thing. Dust off your credit card and don’t tell your partner.
Their latest compilation sees them heading over to Ecuador - perhaps not the first country you think of when considering South American music, let alone the Afro rooted sounds they’ve dug up. There’s no low hanging fruit either as they head to Esmeraldas, home of a unique Afro-Indigenous community, where they dig deep into some of the regions recorded musical heritage as well as even older field recordings. It’s a mind blowing collection of animistic roots and culture colliding fusion - raw, ritualistic and revelatory.
Various Artists - Maghreb K7 Club - Disco Singles Volume 3 (Bongo Joe)
I stumbled across this killer 12” recently from Switzerland’s Bongo Joe. As I’m a fan of their global eclecticism, having tipped quite a few of their releases over the years, I’m a bit miffed it took me this long to catch this series, but it’s been worth the wait.
Despite being on Europe’s doorstep the music from Algeria never gained much traction outside of France’s North African community, although Khaled rightly made an international reputation for himself. European and American music certainly made it across the Strait of Gibraltar though and was a huge influence at times. When I was djing more world music I couldn’t resist those dancehall, hip hop or boogie vibes combined with the exotic Arabic vocals and firing percussion. They were sure fire dance floor winners, and it’s exactly these crossover tunes that Bongo Joe are mining as well. So check out the pop powered boogie and raw percussive digi-dub with no less than Denis Bovell on the dials! Once you’ve stopped throwing weird shapes around the living room head straight over to volumes one and two, then explore the wild and wonderful world of Bongo Joe. They’ve even got a cafe if you’re in Geneva.
野流 / Yaryu - Estuary (造園計画 / Zouenkeikaku)
The Yaryu release from a few weeks back went down well so I thought I’d give you a heads up about a new release from them. Often when a band drops two releases so close to each other, one is often content compromised, but I’m happy to report the quality and vibes are still strong.
This one is a bit more new age leaning, gone is the overt spiritual jazz of For Damage, to be replaced by more of a spiritual sound tapestry woven from improvisations by Takuro Okada, Wakana Ikeda (The Ratel) and their many headed collective. They barley seem to touch their instruments at times, the recordings are so peaceful and gentle, and when they do they mostly seem to consist of far flung ancient percussion, plant hewn wind instruments, heavenly strings and cosmic synths sprinkled with purloined temple bells and chimes. Saying that there is a minor collective flashback at the end of “Uchu Minyo“, but even that soon fades and everyone is sitting cross legged on the floor in no time like nothing happened
I like them.
Various Artists - Everything Above The Sky, Astral Travelling w/ Luke Una (Warm)
If you haven’t heard of Luke Una then you probably haven’t done much clubbing in the UK over the last thirty years, although he only came to my attention early this century when his Manchester club night, The Electric Chair became something of a deep, keep it real clubbing shrine.
If you want to keep tabs on his music and DJing, but also for a laugh then follow his Instagram account, even the comments are a riot of self deprecation, banter and irony. I’m not sure how it all translates to a non-UK audience, but I’m a fan.
His recent compilations promoting his E-Soul Cultura clubbing and label “brand” have unsurprisingly been serious dives into rare soul and boogie, the deepest disco and house, Afro-Latin wonders and cutting edge electronica; all those genres that seems to be particularly revered in the UK, and both of them are an absolute treat.
Always expect the unexpected though, he’s only gone all astral, spiritual and floaty with the new one. Hit play below if you want a taster and check out the six tracks of acid-folk and minimal cosmic wonder, they're a trip.
I don't buy music blind these days, I'm not even aware of most of the artists, let alone the tracks and I wouldn't really say that he's got a face you can trust, but every compilation he's put out so far has been outstanding and I have faith that this will be too. The sampler has certainly whetted my appetite enough to come out of (new) CD buying retirement, and I’ll be picking it up when I get back to the UK for Christmas. Due to various licensing issues the Vinyl and CD are the way to go with the digital being a more limited release, so buy the physical for the full journey.
Playlist Companions:
I just realised I haven’t banged on about the playlists much recently, which isn’t like me. I just did a quick count and I’ve added 190 tracks to them since the start of October. From ambient sound baths and wellness imbuing new age vibes to ambient house via jazz, neoclassical, folk and dub they cover a lot of stylistic ground.
All in all there are a thousand tracks over twenty playlists containing some of the best music released by the independent and alternative music world in the last few months.
Don’t say I don’t make it easy for you either, they’re available on Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon, Youtube Music, Youtube, Deezer, Soundcloud and Spotify (if you don’t worry too much about them not paying most of the artists on the playlists). Just hit this link to connect to the various services and TSMM profiles.
thanks for the kind words + share, james!