Kweku of Ghana, Ariane Roy, Jyocho, and Mæntra

Kweku of Ghana – Zone 6, Agege (Heavenly Sweetness)


So Kweku is the frontman of my #1 Afrobeat band of 2021: Onipa. This year, he released a new album under the name Kweku of Ghana, and so I was immediately drawn to it. Zone 6, Agege has a more traditional, folkloric, funky, reggaeish Afrobeat sound than the Afrofuturistic synthy Onipa. That’s neither a pro nor a con, as I love both sounds equally, but that’s just to set different expectations for when you listen to this. This is a beautiful, intimate, inspired, authentic album that truly speaks of Kweku’s… Read more

Sinularia, Sonic Assault, Mad Fellaz, and Xiranda

Sinularia – Subwater Beats


What if you mixed wonky beats hip-hop, jazz, and AAL-style compositions and technique? Well, you get Sinularia. The unique character of the music that’s shown on Subwater Beats is utterly fascinating. The band consists of a drummer, a double bassist, and an electric guitarist. All of them seem very fond of effect pedals and post-production shenanigans. Regarding the composition, the songs move from one section to the next like tides ebb and flow, and it’s a real rhythmic challenge at times to decipher what’s going on. It’s real fun when bands make rhythm their main focus,… Read more

Poil Ueda, Lasiodora, Baber & Wileman, and Don Bolo

Poil 上田 – Poil 上田 (Dur et Doux)


Poil is among one of my all-time favourite bands—just check this review or this one if you need convincing. With this new album, which is set for release in March 2023, the French avant-prog trio teams up with Ni’s bassist—they’ve already collaborated on Piniol—and, for the first time, Japanese 薩摩琵琶 (satsuma-biwa) player and singer 上田純子 (Junko Ueda). The result of this collaboration is an incredible, although rather short (32 minutes is really not that bad), blend of French avant-prog and traditional Japanese music, poems, and spectacle. It’s a truly astounding record… Read more

Sababa 5, Aaron Myers-Brooks, Valve, and Mr. Fastfinger

Sababa 5 – Sababa 5


Sababa 5—סבבה 5 in their native Hebrew language, basically meaning “The Cool 5″—is a neo-psychedelia band from Israel with a heavy dose of Middle-Eastern music influence laced in their funky grooves. Their self-titled album is instrumental, and while it would have been cool to have some vocals to match their style, there is no time where I thought that it lacked them. The melodies and grooves provide ample entertainment on their own, and that comes with the benefit of instrumental music: it’s easier to play it as background music to whatever else you’re doing. So… Read more