My pick of the more downtempo, recent and forthcoming releases. Attempting to recreate the golden yesterdays of Jose Padilla`s White Isle sunsets with the tunes of today.
Gaussian Curve play a bongo-led Blues for azure skies. Akis seduces with sax-y Noir. Arthur Verocai`s here, with another standout track from 10th anniversary reissue of his classic, Encore. Lena d`Agua`s Exotica has West meet East. Peter Westheimer`s machines imagine a wildlife idyll. Talamanca System struggle for pleasure. Jonny Nash & Suzanne Kraft fashion a fragile Not Classical Not Jazz reductionist soundscape. Justin Adams shimmers in desert heat. While The Swan & The Lake blow a cool breeze of chimes, vibes, steel pans and Barbershop harmonies. Scott Gilmore overdubs all manner of guitar twang. Swinging in the mode of CFCF doing Seigen Ono. The bright sunshine virtuosity – on six strings and tabla – of former Bombay Hotel members, Nordso & Theill, has Speck Mountain`s Hey Moon meet Mahavishinu Orchestra`s When Blue Turns Gold. Jim Breese contributes a beautiful beatless Cocteau Twins-esque remix of Stockholm`s Tommy Awards (from the next Balearic. comp). Chee Shimizu`s 17853 imprint gets set to reissue some previously cassette only slowly evolving treasure from late Japanese Ambient pioneer, Hiroshi Yoshimura. Archeo Recordings pick up the trail of Paolo Modugno`s existential journey. 100% Electronica revisit Software`s surf, strings, and synths. Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda melts all religion, all colour, into a transportive One World music of church organs and choirs. Like a universal hymn sung at the end of time. Then the Penguin Cafe take their small boat bravely out onto the choppy waters of an imperfect sea.
Track-list
Gaussian Curve – Four For You – Music From Memory
Akis – Erotica – Into The Light
Arthur Verocai – Caminho Da Roca – Far Out
Lena d`Agua – Tao – Strangelove
Peter Westheimer – Cadaghi Dreaming – Left Ear
Talamanca System – My Past Is Your Future (Beatless Stars) – International Feel
Jonny Nash & Suzanne Kraft – Photo With Grey Sky White Clouds – Melody As Truth
Justin Adams – Open Invitation – Wayward
The Swan & The Lake – Clouds Over Osterbro – Music For Dreams
Scott Gilmore – Europe – International Feel
Nordso & Theill – Sun Fo Ni – Music For Dreams
Tommy Awards – Sessions II (Jim Breese mix) – Balearic
Hiroshi Yoshimura – Tokyo Bay Area – 17853
Paolo Modugno – Brise d`Automne – Archeo Recordings
Software – Island Sunrise – 100% Electronica
Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda – Journey to Satchidananda – Luaka Bop
Penguin Cafe – Ricercar – Erased Tapes
Reference Links
Ban Ban Ton Ton 