Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
After a five-year absence, Norway’s Jaga Jazzist releases the symphonic prog rock of One-Armed Bandit, which immediately has become the group’s best album.
Turntablist Rob Swift, formerly of the X-ecutioners, takes a foray into the classical world with The Architect, a dynamic DJ disc; stoner-metal trio High on Fire picks up its pace and crafts an album that isn’t as outstretched.
Malian sensations Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté present another beautiful set of duets that sees a posthumous release after the passing of Farka Touré in 2006.
Icelandic producer Valgeir Sigurðsson establishes a name for himself as a composer with the gentle, mini-orchestral soundtrack to Dreamland, and Greek black-metal quartet Rotting Christ puts out another striking, original album that fuses its dark style to the ethnic sounds of its ancestors. (more…)
Tags: Ali Farka Toure, Bedroom Community, Ben Frost, Bjork, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Breez Evahflowin, Cindy Blackman, Daníel Bjarnason, Eluvium, Frank Zappa, High on Fire, Ipecac, Jack Rose, Jaga Jazzist, Johnny Cash, Jono El Grande, Kill Rock Stars, Mum, Nico Muhly, Ninja Tune, Nonesuch, Quasi, Rob Swift, Rotting Christ, Sam Amidon, Season of Mist, Temporary Residence, Terry Riley, Thrill Jockey, Toumani Diabate, Tzadik, Valgeir Sigurdsson, X-ecutioners
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Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
Norway, Iceland, and Italy: it’s an all-international edition of This Week’s Best Albums.
Having transitioned from acoustic jazz to a prog-jazz-fusion outfit, Shining now delivers a gargantuan rock release, capturing a progressive industrial sound unlike anything else.
Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason presents a debut that is sorrowful, forceful, harmonic, and delicate — an album that undoubtedly will make year-end lists in classical circles.
Lastly, Italian cutup artist Økapi pays homage to a potentially fake Krygyz composer with a soothing glitch-lounge effort. (more…)
Tags: Aldo Kapi, Bedroom Community, Daníel Bjarnason, End, Enslaved, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Indie Recordings, Jørgen Munkeby, KML, London Sinfonietta, Shining, Sonic Invaders, The End, Tipsy, Økapi
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