During the month of May we’re featuring albums by Danielle Ponder, Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra, Ghoula, Iso Fitzroy, James Alexander Bright Meets Flying Mojito Bros, London Brew, Rodrigo y Gabriela and The Orb.
Brìghde Chaimbeul – Carry Them With Us
Piper from the Isle of Skye in Scotland. https://www.discogs.com/artist/5125274-Br%C3%ACghde-Chaimbeul From bandcamp: she has developed an innovative style on the Scottish smallpipes that emphasises rich textural drones and a trance-like constancy of sound. In 2018 she became the first signing to Rough Trade’s new folk imprint River Lea. Her debut album The Reeling was named The Guardian’s Folk Album Of The Month. For this one, like the review “What a truly incredible record. Like hearing another language for the first time.” Check out Bonn Beinn Eadarra (The Haunting). I’d like to hear some tracks remixed with a beat tho…
Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra – Racing The Storm
Facts: Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir is an Icelandic singer, songwriter and producer, best known for her 2009 single “Jungle Drum”, her 1999 album “Love in the Time of Science”, for co-writing and co-producing Kylie Minogue’s 2003 hit “Slow”, and for performing “Gollum’s Song” for Peter Jackson’s film “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”. If you have a copy of her promo https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/19947003 you’ll be rich.
Colorist Orchestra is an unusual pop/chamber music collective who rearrange the repertoire of an invited singer-songwriter. The unorthodox use of classical instruments in combination with a variety of musical objects is the foundation of The Colorist’s sound. https://www.discogs.com/artist/6418455-The-Colorist-Orchestra
Ghoula is a Paris Based Producer, Musician, Film music composer mix electro sounds and traditional African music. I liked Drum & Gasba for its punchy electro sounds and Iwaya is tribal trance.
This is wild Miles Chases New Voodoo In The Church is it. “London Brew” is a group of 12 London based artists who came together for a three-day recording session at The Church Studios in London on December 7, 2020 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew
The queen of soul on Jalapeño is back with her third album. Available in green vinyl https://www.discogs.com/release/26778503-Izo-FitzRoy-A-Good-Woman
The production is by Oscar De Jong of dutch music trio Kraak & Smaak https://www.discogs.com/artist/121793-Kraak-Smaak.
James Alexander Bright Meets Flying Mojito Bros – Mirage In The Mojave
British artist James is known for his vocals on Groove Armada’s album https://www.discogs.com/release/15999209-Groove-Armada-Edge-Of-The-Horizon On this album he meets cosmic Americana-disco DJ/producer duo Flying Mojito Bros for collaborations and reworks of tracks handpicked by them from James’ !K7 catalog. Bandcamp review: “Injecting a dose of discerning cosmic-acid-house vibrations, rigorous dancefloor exertion, and occasional slatherings of slide guitar awesomeness; FMB refashion James’ smooth-but-wonky indie-soul with their trademark “Refrito” magic.”
‘Mirage In The Mojave’ was conceived in a dream after a long weekend in a field. James’ manager woke him up and explained the idea. Both parties jumped at the chance to work together and less than a year later the project was reality.
My picks: ‘Let’s Get Lost’ and ‘Sundown’ James has a new side project, with Groove Armada’s Tom Findlay as Bright & Findlay, will see a debut album released on Athens of the North this year. So who is Flying Mojito Bros? ‘Greatest Hits (1970–1983)’, a compilation of their much-demanded party weapons, https://www.discogs.com/artist/7071158-Flying-Mojito-Bros check it out https://flyingmojitobros.bandcamp.com/album/greatest-hits-1970-1983
Rodrigo y Gabriela – In Between Thoughts . . . A New World
Discogs bio: Mexican musical duo who specialize in playing fast, rhythmic acoustic guitars. The duo met in Mexico City while playing in a thrash metal band they moved to Europe, where they met considerable acclaim.
They took up residence in Dublin, Ireland, received their break when Damien Rice approached them to provide the support for the Irish music festival Oxegen.Won a grammy for previous album Mettavolution Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. On this album check out Descending To Nowhere and In Between Thoughts… A New World https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodrigo_y_Gabriela
UK dub techno chill out pioneers.Alex Paterson and Michael Rendall. I hadn’t heard their previous album in 2020. This review on discogs I agree with “At first blush, this is fantastic. Perfect summertime Orbness, mostly blissful grooves with some fine reggae swaths, goofy samples, crisp textures.” I liked Why Can You Be In Two Places @ Once When You’re Not Anywhere At All… Where’s Gary Mix and Picking Tea Leaves & Chasing Butterflies.
