‘Somewhere Between’ Is an Irresistible Dive Into ’80s Japanese Pop
The latest compilation from Light in the Attic's "Japan Archival Series" explores the edgier pop that rose out of the age of prosperity and consumerism.
various artists
Discover Michigan’s 1990s Space-rock Scene on ‘Southeast of Saturn’
Third Man Records offers a generous overview of Michigan's burgeoning space-rock scene from the 1990s. It covers a wide swath of genres while offering a bunch of largely-unheard rarities.
British Jazz and Soul Artists Interpret the Classics on ‘Blue Note Re:imagined’
Blue Note Re:imagined provides an entrance for new audiences to hear what's going on in British jazz today as well as to go back to the past and enjoy old glories.
‘Underground London’ Dazzles with Its Scope and Anti-Establishment Music
Cherry Red issues a gargantuan collection of anti-establishment music associated with the 1960s London counterculture, a movement which challenged the norms and conventions of mainstream society by drinking from the well of psychedelia, free jazz, Beat poetry, musique concrete, electronics, and minimalism.
‘Pacific Breeze 2’ Is Another Refreshing Dive into the Waters of City Pop
Reissue label Light in the Attic follows up last year's Japanese musical excursion with another collection, Pacific Breeze 2, that's sure to please lovers of international retro-pop.
‘Stone Crush’ Proves (Again) That Memphis Is Ground Zero for Soul and R&B
Stone Crush shines a light on the forgotten -- or never known -- artists that passed through the doors of Memphis' most storied studios in an attempt at just one fleeting moment of fame.
Exploring Tuareg Music of the Southern Sahara
A vinyl reissue of Tuareg Music of the Southern Sahara sheds light on the folk origins of today's thriving Saharan rock scene.
Sound Portraits from Bulgaria: A Journey to a Vanished World, 1966-1979
Smithsonian Folkways chronicles 50 years of folk recordings on Sound Portraits from Bulgaria. It is a truly essential addition to any global folk collection.
‘The Ru-Jac Records Story’ Is Like Some Alternate-Universe Stax/Volt Compilation
The obscure soul of Charm City: a new four-volume retrospective of Baltimore's Ru-Jac Records provides a goldmine of long-forgotten R&B recordings previously unknown to anyone but the most hardcore of soul aficionados.
Various Artists: Andina: The Sound of the Peruvian Andes
Vintage music from the Peruvian Andes makes for a lively compilation, although it loses something in the translation from past to present.
Various Artists: To the Outside of Everything: A Story of UK Post Punk 1977 – 1981
This definitive, five-CD anthology is a challenging and enlightening listen, a triumph of curatorship that provides near-encyclopedic insight into this important chapter of UK popular music history.