CD Review: Valravn's 'Re-Cod3d'

Valravn
Re-cod3d
Westpark Music

Hailing from the Faroe Islands, Valravn is an experimental, roots, and electronica group that is in the same vein as Garmarna, Sorten Muld, and Gjallarhorn. Coming from a Scandinavian-like musical background, Valravn's music has been remixed, or in this case--'re-coded'--as songs from previous albums are reinvented on this current release. Remixes are provided by the famous Carmen Rizzo, as well as Omnia, ORKA, Transglobal Underground, Euzen, Faun, Soren Bendixen, The Kenneth Bager Experience, Midi Lidi, and Pawel Rychert. The songs are a bit quirky, dark, and uptempo in an alternative way without resorting to flashy dance tracks or light and airy elevator music. There are male and female vocals. Valravn's remix masters came from all over the world to work on this project, including Poland, Norway, U.K., Netherlands, USA, Denmark, Germany, and Czech Republic. Re-cod3d is a solid release for fans of previous material. However, the contemporary setting may attract a new crowd. At any rate, the music of the Faroe Islands is on the map for world music fans! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Damjan Krajacic's 'Glide'

Damjan Krajacic
Glide
RoundTone Records

Zagreb-born and L.A.-based, Damjan Krajacic knows how to play the flute and create wonderful Afro-Cuban rumba, Latin-jazz, and nostalgic, downtempo lounge music. Damjan's vocals and flute are accompanied by piano, fender rhodes, congas, bass, drums, and assorted percussion. However, a majority of the music is instrumental. The fluttering flute melodies, spicy percussion, and punchy piano sounds make Glide stand out from the crowd. You will hear sounds from Cuba, Brazil, Caribbean, and America. If you are interested in jazz, samba, Latin music, and rumba styles thrown into an experimental mix of aural colors, then Glide is right for you. Perhaps the only musical element indicative of Damjan's Croatian past is the piano. The jazzy nuances and tender melodies are ideal for fans of jazz and world music. Let Damjan take you on a journey where you glide effortlessly through the musical styles created by his mind and body. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Annlaug's 'November'

Annlaug
November
Fivreld

Annlaug's Norwegain roots shine through on her latest release from Scandinavia's fiddle country. However, the songs feature not only strings, but guitars, shruti box, accordion, banjo, ukulele, and percussion. Recorded in Scotland, Annlaug explores the music of not only Norway, but the British Isles as well. The guitars and percussion add a lively touch to the music. This is not simple violin or fiddle music with a solo voice. Instead, Annlaug's rich, musical arrangements retain a sense of roots and tradition, while concomitantly surging forward into the modern world with a slightly experimental and pop feel thrown in (though, not haphazardly). Annlaug's Norwegian song titles are translated into English in the liner notes. Also, English song lyrics are provided in the liner notes. November retains the sound quality of Faroe Islands' Valravn and the quirkiness of Denmark's Sorten Muld wrapped up in the arrangements of Heidi Talbot or Karine Polwart. Clearly, Annlaug knows how to create catchy, engaging, and vivid pieces of musical magic. ~ Matthew Forss   

CD Review: The Cambodian Space Project's '2011: A Space Odyssey'

The Cambodian Space Project
2011: A Space Odyssey
Metal Postcard

The Cambodian-based band, The Cambodian Space Project, is made up of a Cambodian singer, Srey Thy, and a cohort of French and Australian ex-pat musicians. The result is a candid, folk-rock, and surfedelica that explores the Golden Age of Cambodia's hit-makers--Pan Ron and Ros Sereysothea. The Klezmer-like sound of the opener, "Snaeha Doc Toek Kmom (Love Like Honey)," is a catchy tune with accordion, clarinet, and all the familiar bass, keyboards, and guitars that made the nostalgic music so popular. The traditional tune, "Tek Tum (Big Water)," is great work with harmonica drones, accordion sounds, and a solid beat that is as magical as it is creative. The 60s pop sound of "Pros Kangaroo" is a perfect little tune with a California-sound that is uniquely Cambodian. The words of Ros Sereysothea's "Kolos Srey Chaom (Love God)" features the melody of the Dutch band Shocking Blue's 1969 hit, "Venus." All in all, The Cambodian Space Project is the rock-child of America's Dengue Fever. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Gabriel Palatchi Band's 'Diario de Viaje'

Gabriel Palatchi Band
Diario de Viaje
Self-Release

Argentinian-born and Canadian-based, Gabriel Palatchi and his band of Latin-jazz connoisseurs create engaging and fresh songs on trumpet, flute, keyboard, piano, drums, assorted percussion, bass, and even vocals. Gabriel incorporates lively tones and rhythms that are well-suited for the Afro-Cuban, Latin-jazz, and South American aficionado. The classical melodies echo back to the spy-thriller soundtracks of the 1970s or 80s throughout South America, USA, and even Bollywood. The slightly funkadelic tunes--notably, "Electroshock," "Raices," and "Chilangotango"--transcend musical boundaries and eras with catchy, musical numbers fun for the whole family. The mostly instrumental tunes are great for relaxing, dancing, and contemplating the meaning of Latin-jazz in a modern context. Importantly, a sense of musical realism and creative authenticism cuts across genres, generations, and geographic locales. The creative spirit of Gabriel's band makes Diario de Viaje (Travel Diary) well worth the journey down to your locale music store or online retailer. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Afrolicious' 'A Dub For Mali'

Afrolicious
A Dub For Mali
ESL Music

Afrolicious is the result of Pleasuremaker (a.k.a Joe McGuire's) love of DJing and the sounds of North Africa. "Thursday Night Kinda" features some scat vocals by Baba Duru and a host of jazzy-electronica in the vein of Action Figure Party. It's not too hard nor too soft--it's just right. The electronic backbone and kora-melodies with miscellaneous sounds and cool grooves are featured on the title track, "A Dub For Mali." The Issa Bagayogo-esque vocals are provided by Burkina Faso's Yacouba Diara. "Foolin'" features the Trinidadian presence of Fresh Is Life with a funky, Caribbean element. The final track, "Vampires," sought the talents of Thievery Corporation's Rob Garza and the famous singer, Femi Kuti. The electronica, funk mix is loaded with nostalgia and futuristic embellishments that carry the track into an otherworldly realm. Femi's vocals are perfect, as well as the arrangements. The album is rich with sound and head-bobbing rhythms. The album length is only 23 minutes, but don't let that be a deterrent for sampling the electrified sounds of North Africa's roots music. A modern marvel and urban delight. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Tarana's 'After The Disquiet (EP)'

Tarana
After The Disquiet (EP)
Self-Release

Tarana's live release of four songs recorded at The Bop Shop in Rochester, New York on March 8, 2011, borders on Indian, classical, downtempo, and electronic genres. The amalgamation of sounds from drums, electronics, and Trina Basu's violin, provides a solid, improvisational-like quality to the music. The four songs are: "Disposable," "Night Song," "Black Teeth of Trees," and "Hava." Actually, "Have" and "Disposable" are the only two songs directly influenced by India, while "Black Teeth of Trees" is a stirring ode of electronica delight without all the showy trance or dance beats of the hottest night-club. Instead, the song weaves its way through a dark world of odd sounds and the drone of a violin. "Night Song" is jazz-influenced and a musical nod to jazz-bassist, Wilber Morris. The wholly instrumental album is a modern romp in the world of spacey, urban, and ethnic electronica. Despite its short length, Tarana creates memorable tracks that seem to last a lot longer than time would allow. Still, adventurous electronica fans with an Indian twist would relish this release the most. ~ Matthew Forss