Josef Van Wissem / SQÜRL – Only Lovers Left Alive

Style: Film Score (LP1 – Stoner Rock, Noise Rock; LP2 – Psych Folk, Arabic Folk, Gnawa)

Vibe: Nocturnal, Murky, Melancholy, Hypnotic, Raw, Loose, Dark, Loner, Stoned, Droney, Alienation

Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Noisy, Fuzzy, Riffs

Land of Kush – Sand Enigma

Style: Avant-Garde Big Band, Arabic/Egyptian Folk, Psychedelic Jazz

Vibe: Intense, Sombre, Cathartic, Psychedelic, Complex, Ritualistic, Communal

Musical Qualities: Dense, Progressive, Dissonant, Acoustic, Percussive

Instrumentation: Santur, Upright Bass, Piano, Saxophones, Vocals, Percussion, Drums, Clarinet, Flute, Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello), Keyboards, Synthesizer, lap Steel Guitar, Electronics, Harp

Strunz & Farah – Mosaico

“World Music” is often a cheap umbrella term for non-Eurocentric music, but when acoustic guitar shredders Jorge Strunz and Ardeshir Farah, from Costa Rica and Iran respectively, bring together a Cuban rhythm section, South Indian violinist, and Kuwaiti guitarist, the music they create truly does have a sense of cultural unity deserving of the term.
For fans of flamenco, Arabic folk, and acoustic guitar virtuosity

Esmerine – Dalmak

Whilst in Istanbul for an artist residency, the adventurous Canadian chamber rock group (featuring past members of Silver Mt. Zion and GY!BE) recorded with an ensemble of Turkish musicians, augmenting their core sound of cello, marimba, drums, and tenor banjo with the saz and several other instruments used in Turkish and Arabic folk music.

Jerusalem in My Heart – If He Dies, If If If If If If

Style: Arabic Folk, Avant-Folk

Vibe: Mourful, Passionate, Political, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities/Instrumentation: Electroacoustic, Buzuk, Vocals, Prepared Guitar, Field Recordings