Welcome to the new Between The Cracks. As always, we select an array of releases from across the musical landscape. No lengthy write-ups, as who reads those anyway? We keep it short and to the point because you’re here to listen to the music! If you enjoy any of the releases, please click on the links below and support the artists by buying their music.
Albums
Alessia Obino – A Sound’s A Million Shapes
This latest album by Alessia Obino brings her vocals, lyricism, and love for Sun Ra together in full force. The calibre of musicianship is high, with the likes of Piero Bittolo Bon, Rosa Brunello, Marco Frattini, Greg Burk and more all featured on the album — production comes courtesy of Tommaso Cappellato, with mixing from Nick Woodmansey, aka Emanative. From a free jazz song to a guitar-heavy rock song to a psychedelic trip, Obino proves she can easily thrive in whatever genre she turns her hand to. There’s not much else that needs saying except click play and immerse yourself.
Marlene Ribeiro – Toquei No Sol
Having teased a couple of tracks from her solo project Marlene Ribeiro’s first album under her name is here. Toquei No Sol represents this incredibly talented artist’s most melodic and transcendent outing yet. With a strong sense of place and distinctiveness, her garden in Ireland and her grandmother’s kitchen in Portugal are among the locations she incorporated into the recording. It’s an album that’s a little bit of everything as it glides through the realms of psychedelia, folk, ambient and dream pop. Aside from the genre-defying variety here, the songs are exceptionally well crafted and performed. There really shouldn’t be any reason for it to hold together so well – but Ribeiro is a talent – so it does.
João Selva – Passarinho
Brazilian singer-songwriter João Selva brings tropical pop music with an effervescent and vintage sound. Ten tracks make up this new album, reflecting various musical influences: traditional Angolan semba to Cape Verdean funaná, via Caribbean zouk and Congolese rumba – Selva channels the sounds of the Black Atlantic. Warm and infectious, Passarinho’s songs will have you dancing in ways you never imagined you’d know how to do.
Pedro Ricardo – Soprem Bons Ventos
Debut album from Portuguese multi-instrumentalist, producer and DJ Pedro Ricardo. This nostalgic yet timeless collection delicately fuses jazz, electronic, and traditional Portuguese folk. This album is as unique as they come. With his unique style, Ricardo’s exploration of diverse genres results in a contemporary sound that is truly his own. In the words of Ricardo, “An ode to the past, to those who came before me, connecting with my present and imagining the future.” Bringing you solace and inspiration from the moment you play this album, it’s like a ray of sunshine. Listen below!
John Ellis – Somethings I Said
Showcasing his biodiverse sound world, John Ellis opens up his musical vaults and unleashes ten hidden instrumental oddities.
Compilations
Piitu Lintunen Presents – 7Ai9
Sähkö Recordings is known for bringing weird, wonderful and experimental music to the world. Their latest offering takes a deep dive into the punk, industrial and experimental scenes of the 8os through the ears of Finnish record collector Piitu Lintunen. He published a DIY punk zine with his brother during the ’80s, and through this, he received many demo tapes, material from which have been compiled on ‘7Ai9’ along with some newer work.
Singles
Andrzej Korzynski – The Devil Tapes
Coinciding with the reissue of his soundtrack to Andrzej Żuławski’s 1972 experimental horror film ‘Diabeł’ comes this 7″ containing what is widely considered the holy grail of the late Polish composer’s archives – the original theme that was subsequently mixed and edited to create the psych-rock masterpiece. Highly recommended.
Aboutface ft. Joshua Churchill – زن Zan (Woman)
Zan, Zendegi, Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom), initially a Kurdish motto, زن زندگی آزادی has become the chant of current protests in Iran. Women bravely have risked their lives on the streets to fight against patriarchy, harassment, and servitude to a fascist system.
