Monthly Archive: May 2018

As the title and the band’s name implies, the music within is Orchestra Exotica’s version of the Exotica genre, which was defined by Martin Denny back in the 1957. That music was a fantasy mix of South Pacific and the Orient. Later composers (like Les Baxter) brought in influences from Oceania, Hawaii, The Andes, and even Africa. The music on this Orchestra Exotica is all that but modern day listeners may be more apt to describe it as Caribbean space age jazz with a lounge music quality. The whole idea for the album came from the original children’s play written by Bruno Vansina titled ‘MaiTé, het meisje en de vogel’ (translated ‘Mai’Tie, the girl and the bird’- as the bonus disc of this package). Pierre Vervloesem, the master interpreter he is, took these pieces and did a bit of revamping, but not to the extent of defacing them.

Louisa has spent two decades making magical music on independent labels such as Prikosnovenie. She decided to start her own label and control her very innovative musical vision, and ‘Elderbrook’ showcases some compositions spreading across the years 1981 through 2017. With no less than 28 musicians helping out, the Silo String Quartet, and sounds from Australian birds, and various samples, Louisa performs on mandolin, sansula, ocarina, chimes, elephant bells, Tingsha, dragon-scale curtain, rainsticks, lead and backing vocals. A prized list of guest vocalists also appear, including Priscilla Hernandez (who also has some very dreamy solos).

Having heard everything Robin Taylor has released (I personally own all his physical output),  I was curious to what Robin might have done to the songs of yore. I was confused back in 2015 when he released what he called a ‘compilation’ titled ‘Across The Universe’, and I misunderstood what he actually did. He took previous songs he was not totally happy with, and remade them with his new band. This was like a new release, and now he has done the same thing again with even more tunes he wanted to improve. This time it is like an entirely new set of compositions, and an absolute thrill.

Nile On Wax is a smart Belgian trio who play a adventurous, atmospheric instrumental music in a somewhat dark, brooding, reflective progressive hybrid of celestial chamber rock and world music. Not far from the more eastern flavored sounds of Dead Can Dance (without the vocals) and a more spacious and esoteric Roleki (without the keyboards).

DJAM KARET Sonic Celluloid (2017 – HC Productions – USA) http://www.djamkaret.com/ It is quite an achievement to begin with, for a band to create and release 18 albums (they actually have over 30 releases...

theBABAorchestra Another Ride on the Elephant Slide (2017 – THIRSTY OWL RECORDS – USA) http://www.laurenelizabethbaba.com/baba/ https://thebabaorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/another-ride-on-the-elephant-slide What would you say to a fantastic avant jazz big band that covered grounds similar to Carla Bley,...