One of the most solid albums we've ever heard on the Sublime Frequencies label – a studio recording by a group with a really great approach to their music – a style that mixes classic Afro Funk elements with rootsier elements on the instrumentation! The grooves are tight, but the sound has some nice earthy qualities at times – especially in Baba Commandment's use of ngoni, which rings out in a way that's both melodic and rhythmic at the same time – echoing an older mandingo tradition, but coming across with a lot of punch! Other instrumentation includes lots of percussion, fuzzy guitars, and balafon too – and most of the vocals have a call/response style, in which other singers call out alongside Baba's lead. Really great stuff – with titles that include "Tile", "Folon", "Wasso", "Juguya", "Siguisso", and "Ntijiguimorola". CD

Baba Commandant serves up a wonderful blend here – tight Afro Funk mixed with rootsier elements from mandingue – all at a level that really makes the album stand out from the pack! There's some especially great performances on ngoni and balafon, both instruments that get some key placement on the album's leaner tracks – which have the fuller sound of the driving numbers step back slightly, but all without ever losing the groove! The recording quality is great – never too polished, and the music is put forth in a way that makes the whole thing feel like some under-discovered nugget from years past – with titles that include "Wariko", "Semayala", "Afro Mandingo", "Serejugu", and "Chasser Les Sachets". CD

A fuzzed out guitar and heavy drums anchored set from Group Doueh – fusing traditional Saharan instruments and western rock influences as brilliantly and excitingly as ever on this fourth set of their evolving sound to appear on the vital Sublime Frequencies label! The blazing electric guitar sound is as heavy as ever on this, matched in itensity by the drums – with passionate male lead and female chorus back vocals, great songs, and entrancing Afro-Saharan elements. Amazing! Titles include "Zayna Jumma", "Ishadlak Ya Khey", "Zaya Koum", "Met-Ha", "Jagwar Doueh", "Aziza", "Ana Lakweri" and "Wazan Doueh". CD

A great collection of non-LP material and other rare gems from one of the key figures in the Turkish psychedelic scene – an amazing artist who managed to take rootsy themes and melodies, and mix them with some really heavy duty guitar – all to create a freaky, fuzzy batch of music that forever changed his scene! Much of Koray's music never got circulation outside of the Mid-East back in the day, and we've been lucky enough to have 21st Century interest lead to a great wave of reissues – as Koray's albums have come out in various packages over the years – leading to this really well-done collection of 45rpm-only tracks, and even more obscure music too! Titles include "Mechul", "Kendim Ettim Kendim Buldom,", "Gun Dogmuyor", "Goca Dunya", "Kraller", "Cumbur Cemaat", "Hadi Hadi Ordan", "Dusunus", "Olmayinca Olmuyor" and "Sevdigim". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful set of ragas on the rudra veena – a sitar-like instrument, but one that has a deeper sound overall, and an additional resonator on the bottom – all of which makes for a really wonderful sound throughout! The album's billed as the first recording of a female musician on the instrument, yet whatever the gender, the sound here is completely sublime –very spare, without any percussion at all – and with moments that move between more familiar Indian music sounds to sections that have a really resonant minimalism – almost in the territory of the enigmatic sun harp by Laraaji! The set features two long performances over 40 minutes in length – the selections "Todi" and "Bhairavi". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that offers way more than just the vocal delights promised in the title – as there's definitely singing on the album, but it's often mixed in with all sorts of unusual instrumentation – which, along with the phrasing of the vocals, makes for a sound that's completely otherworldly overall! At times, the group are using unusual bowed or lute-like instruments, at other times flutes and other reeds – and there's seven use of tree leaves alongside the vocals at points, which creates these really offbeat tones that are enhanced by the singers! The whole thing is maybe one of the most striking, most unusual records we've ever heard from the Sublime Frequencies label – and that's really saying a lot – and titles include "Wu Chu Aci", "Azha Tse", "Tudza", "Sha Tsi Gu", and "Bia Tsa Tsa". LP, Vinyl record album

A collage of grooves from Sumatran FM radio – from the defining sounds of Melayu, Minang Pop, the Batak ballad, to western folk and rock elements – all adding up to an exciting, compelling listen! Like other compilations on the Sublime Frequencies label, the tracklist is a real whirlwind from beginning-to-end, trapsing through myriad musical styles while remaining a unified, groovy whole! Tracks include "All Hit Music", "The MOST Radio", "FM Bagus", "Dangdut Is The Music", "Allah's Hit Explosion", "Beautiful Prayers" and more! CD

A great collection of non-LP material and other rare gems from one of the key figures in the Turkish psychedelic scene – an amazing artist who managed to take rootsy themes and melodies, and mix them with some really heavy duty guitar – all to create a freaky, fuzzy batch of music that forever changed his scene! Much of Koray's music never got circulation outside of the Mid-East back in the day, and we've been lucky enough to have 21st Century interest lead to a great wave of reissues – as Koray's albums have come out in various packages over the years – leading to this really well-done collection of 45rpm-only tracks, and even more obscure music too! Titles include "Mechul", "Kendim Ettim Kendim Buldom,", "Gun Dogmuyor", "Goca Dunya", "Kraller", "Cumbur Cemaat", "Hadi Hadi Ordan", "Dusunus", "Olmayinca Olmuyor" and "Sevdigim". CD

A wealth of wonderful work from Baligh Hamdi – an artist who had a huge impact on Egyptian music in the postwar years, even if he's not as well known on our side of the Atlantic! The tracks here all date from a time when Hamdi had been already recording for a number of years – first with revolutionary music that helped Egypt find a new musical identity in the 50s, then through blossoming work with singers and film productions in the 60s – leading up to the cuts here, which are from a variety of different instrumental albums issued under Baligh's own name! The style is a bit of what you might guess from the title – instrumental, but hardly pop in the American sense – as the tunes often have these really great flavors and colors that come from a mix of modern and traditional instrumentation – percussion and woodwinds next to keyboards, or a strange flute line next to a guitar – all served up at a level that allows you to focus on the arrangements and nuances without any vocals to get in the way. Titles include "Hanim", "Chaka Chiko", "Gazairia", "Mawood", "Mawal", "The Wanderer", "Zabour", "Iskandarani", "Zamane", "Sahara", and "Salamat". LP, Vinyl record album

Pulp grooves from 60s & 70s Singapore – gritty garage rock & soul, beat, and strange girl pop grooves compiled from rare Malaysian 45s! The tunes blend American and European rock & pop sounds with more traditional sounds of Asia and the Malaysian peninsula – many with female vocals, and catchy and groovy as all get out! The percussion and organ sounds are especially fantastic, with wailing and echoing grooves galore. Titles are translated into English, and they include "Each And Every Flower" by Grace Lee & The Stylers, "Good Luck In The New Year" by Linda Yong & The Silvertones, "Mimi Cat" by Chew Yan & The Stylers, "Mountain Lady" by Charlie Elecitric Guitar Band's South Of Japan, "Spring Wind Kisses My Face" by Chen Jie And Golden Melody Band and more. 22 tracks in all! CD

A wealth of wonderful work from Baligh Hamdi – an artist who had a huge impact on Egyptian music in the postwar years, even if he's not as well known on our side of the Atlantic! The tracks here all date from a time when Hamdi had been already recording for a number of years – first with revolutionary music that helped Egypt find a new musical identity in the 50s, then through blossoming work with singers and film productions in the 60s – leading up to the cuts here, which are from a variety of different instrumental albums issued under Baligh's own name! The style is a bit of what you might guess from the title – instrumental, but hardly pop in the American sense – as the tunes often have these really great flavors and colors that come from a mix of modern and traditional instrumentation – percussion and woodwinds next to keyboards, or a strange flute line next to a guitar – all served up at a level that allows you to focus on the arrangements and nuances without any vocals to get in the way. Titles include "Hanim", "Chaka Chiko", "Gazairia", "Mawood", "Mawal", "The Wanderer", "Zabour", "Iskandarani", "Zamane", "Sahara", and "Salamat". CD