Vanrock

Earlier this year back in March, Tel Aviv's Jewish Monkeys returned to Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic for a string of live shows, where they also performed the lead single "All the Great Things" from their forthcoming third full-length "Catastrophic Life".

It just so happened that they decided to record their kickoff concert at the state theatre of Mainz and turn their performance of "All the Great Things" into an official live video. Recently released [...]

Back in May, the young Berlin/Potsdam-based nine-piece Wanubalé (Swahili for "Brothers") dropped a sizzling two-track EP on Agogo Records, which was right down our alley. The same two tracks now  feature on their brand new eight-track debut album "Phosphenes", recorded in the Jazzanova Studios alongside Axel Reinemer. And so the musical circle comes full turn. 

Wanubalé met in school and, drawing inspiration from the Berlin's jazz and club scene, set out to [...]

We were there to cover the imprint's first release in 2018, alias Fédia Laguerre's "Divizion", and we continue to be impressed by the body of work DJ/producer Déni-Shain and his friend/label parter Thomas Vicente have been putting out on Atangana Records since.

In June, they released the first volume of"a tribute to the great Guadeloupean producer Henri Debs" in collaboration with the latter's legendary label Henri Debs & Fils, one of the most prolific French [...]

If you thought life couldn't possibly get much worse, then brace yourself, for "Catastrophic Life" is upon us! After "Mania Regressia" and "High Words", Tel Aviv’s grandfathers of punk are back to present their third album, to be released via yours truly on November 8th. Wait a minute. Grandfather's of punk?! We beg to disagree. In fact, several talented young bloods joined the ranks of the Jewish Monkeys over the past years, flashing polyphonic brass and [...]

Paris-based label Akuphone, created by Fabrice Géry (aka Cheb Gero) in 2015, has made a name for itself with an abundance of rare and striking releases of global pop and folk, including Praed's "Doomsday Survival Kit", Mushapata's "Saba-Saba Fighting", Balinese funerary music on "Gamelan Beleganjur" or Kink Gong's "Tibetan Buddhism Trip". 

Back in June, the label released a fascinating compilation of contemporary "Japanese female artists from various [...]

Strut Records continues its essential compilation series of Indian Ocean sounds with "Alefa Madagascar", the first compilation to document the unique culture of salegy, soukous and soul on the island during the ‘70s and ‘80s. The selection, made by Réunionese DJs La Basse Tropicale and Percy Yip Tong (Mauritius) reveals the enormous diversity of sounds produced on the East African island from 1974-1984, many of them by the influential Charles Maurin [...]

Apparently there is a story to every song. Not just a story that reveals how the song came to be, but also a story that explains, how or when the song was first heard. For us it was about two months ago, on a bike, listening to the Worldwide FM playlist, when we first heard of Portuguese producer/DJ Bruno Deodato's Internal N.Y. Rhythms project. 

It turned out, that the mesmerising, shaker-ridden firecracker of a tune we had just listened to was "Poli-ritmo II" [...]

It's all about that jazz! Our most recent find comes by ways of Lausanne, Switzerland-based label Rocafort Records, whom we last covered a few weeks back for Kokoro Disco-San's "Isla Fantasià", a two-track sun-drenched 45 that instantly struck a chord with us. Their latest release is a truly international affair, led by young Turkish pianist, composer and arranger Göhkan Sürer. 

The Gökhan Sürer Quartet consists of musicians from Mexico, Serbia, Catalonia [...]

This has been long overdue and seeing as summer is still alive and kicking here in Berlin, we thought now would be a good time to introduce you to ONIPA, a highly combustible collaboration between Ghanaian vocalist KOG (of KOG and the Zongo Brigade) and UK producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Tom Excell (founder and band-leader of acclaimed afro-jazz project Nubiyan Twist). ONIPA first popped onto our radar in 2018, when they delivered their [...]

Nearing the month of September and quite possibly the autumn season, this day finds us in a mellow mood. Summer was golden and continues to present itself in lush attire. And as we think back on those lovely, hazy moments, Istanbul-based beatsmith Ozoyo's debut full-length is just what the doctor prescribed. 

Following on the heels of his previous three EP releases "Wanderlust" (2016), "Lost Beats" (2018), and "333" (2018), Ozoyo is back to present his 15-track [...]

Born out of the very first World Conference on Music and censorship back in 1998, Freemuse, "an independent international membership organisation advocating and defending freedom of expression" in music across the globe, continues to play a major role in exposing worldwide inequalities. Their regular newsletter keeps subscribers up to date on current affairs, namely transgressions or encroachments on artistic freedom and basic human rights.  

Early in July, [...]

Who would have thought that we'd venture into the club circuit, but Dutch DJ/producer Young Marco's latest full-length on Island Of The Gods Records left us no choice and you'll be quick to understand why. Some five years ago, the Bali-based imprint invited Marco Sterk alias Young Marco to visit the islands of Indonesia, including Bali, and immerse himself in the indigenous culture that is still present there to this day. Marco, whose late grandfather happened [...]