Percussive

Bird by Snow – Sky

Style: Avant-Folk, Experimental Singer/Songwriter, Dub Folk, Weird Americana

Vibes: Animist, Forest, Existential, Elemental, Intimate, Introspective, Earthy, Journeying, Observational, Poetic, Raw, Reflective, Restrained, Rhizomatic, Winter

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Air – Air Time

Henry Threadgill, Fred Hopkins, Steve McCall

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Creative Music

Vibes: Spontaneous, Responsive, Knotty, Passionate, Exploratory, Intertwined, Open, Airy, Playful, Elegant, Abstract, Complex, Eclectic, Mysterious, Suspenseful

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Los Gigantes Dormidos – En Los Jardines de Mis Abuelos

“he music contains mostly indigenous instruments such as flutes and ceremonial percussion instruments, as well as classical guitar, electric bass, a persian Santoor and one small keyboard. The song texts are improvised prayers in English, Spanish and Nahuatl. Every recording session started with a guided meditation and ultimately turned into a spiritual journey. A psychedelic trip telling of holy lands, the great spirits that inhabit it and a newborn, yet ancient brotherhood.”

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Gayle / Graves / Parker – WEBO

Recorded live on Jun 6 & 7, 1991

Style: Fire Music, Free Jazz

Vibes: RItualistic, Kinetic, Fiery, Entropic, Raw, Searching, Cathartic, Ecstatic, Spiritual, Healing, Energetic, Exploratory, Mysterious, Multi-Directional

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Dense, Dynamic, Polyphonic, Polyrhythmic, Dissonant, Instrumental, Live, Heavy

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Maurice Louca – Bariy (Fera)

Style: Progressive Shaabi, Chamber Jazz, Arabic Psych, Arabic Folk

Vibes: Dreamy, Aquatic, Flowing, Hypnotic, Elegant, Intertwined, Spiritual, Searching, Passionate, Intricate, Surreal, Uplifting, Transcendent

Instrumentation: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Drums, Percussion, Upright Bass, Oud, Violin, Theremin

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Exploding Star Orchestra – Live at the Adler Planetarium

featuring Rob Mazurek, Jeff Parker, Nicole Mitchell, Damon Locks, Gerard Cleaver, Craig Taborn, Angelica Sanchez & Mauricio Takara

Style: Cyber-Jazz, Cosmic Big-Band, Jazz Fission

Vibes: Futuristic, Communal, Triumphant, Cosmic, Surreal, Exploratory, Anthemic, Colorful

Musical Qualities: Dense, Collective Improvisation, Polyphonic, Percussive, Progressive, Rhythmic, Spoken Word, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Suite

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Musique Fragile 02

Screen-printed box set which includes 3 different albums from Constellation Records [CST089, 090, 091]:

Kanada 70 – Vamp Ire [CST-089]

Pacha – Affaires Étrangères [CST-090]

HangedUp & Tony Conrad – Transit of Venus [CST-091]

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Embryo – Zack Glück

Style: Psychedelic Fusion, Abstract Groove, Jazz-Rock, Krautrock, influenced by Funk and Arabic & African folk music

Vibes: Journeying, Surreal, Passionate, Communal, Intertwined, Groovy, Colorful, Playful, Epic, Mysterious, Confident

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Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly – Mestizx

Style & Influences: Latin Jazz, Bomba, Cyber-Jazz, Plena, Trip-Hop, No Wave, Cumbia, Experimental

Vibes: Ritualistic, Ancient, Futuristic, Introspective, Brooding, Sensual, Intertwined, Grimy, Psychedelic, Moody, Eclectic, Healing

Themes: Decolonization, History, Ancestors, Alienation, Roots, Tradition

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Electro-Acoustic, Percussive, Progressive, Uncommon Time Signatures

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Meril Wubslin – Faire ça

Styles: Slowcore, New Folk, Trip-Hop, Neo-Psychedelia

Vibes: Brooding, Hypnotic, Haunting, Cryptic, Focused, Shadowy, Sombre, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Repetitive, Dub, Percussive, Beats, Loops, Rhythmic, Atmospheric

Instrumentation: Vocal Harmonies, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Keyboard

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Batsumi – Batsumi

Style: Cape Jazz, Afro-Jazz, Spiritual Jazz

Vibes: Warm, Communal, Groovy, Spiritual, Sunny, Warm, Uplifting

Instrumentation: Group Vocals, Tenor Saxophone, Percussion, Flute, Multiple Drummers, Jaw Harp, Upright Bass, Organ, Bongos, Guitar

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Keiji Haino / Jim O’Rourke / Oren Ambarchi – With Pats on the Head, Just One Too Few Is Evil One Too Many Is Good That’s All It Is

On their twelfth live recording, the electrifying power trio continues to expand the vocabulary of their improvised sonic sorcery. One LP of mysterious duo invocations, followed by two LPs of primordial free rock. Through concentrated force and harnessed chaos, the trio patiently pushes primordial riffs to their noisiest, most visceral limits, striving to become the sound itself.

Keiji Haino / Jim O’Rourke / Oren Ambarchi – With Pats on the Head, Just One Too Few Is Evil One Too Many Is Good That’s All It Is Read More »

(Blouseusa) – Stimulus Overnclusion

Stimulus Overconclusion wastes no time in launching you into an otherwordly space where even familiar textures feel alien and mysterious. Throughout the first side, aquatic percussion loops on tabla or drums are submerged in strange electronic smears and warbly acoustic strings & flutes, suggesting a shapeshifting noise-folk beat tape. The flip side features overcompressed drum blasts, fractured noise rock and sci-fi electronics.

Recommended if you dig Nuke Watch, Fourth World, or This Heat

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Esmerine – Dalmak

Whilst in Istanbul for an artist residency, the adventurous Montreal chamber rock group recorded Dalmak with an ensemble of Turkish musicians, augmenting their core sound of cello, marimba, and drums with the saz, darbuka, bendir and several other instruments used in Turkish and Arabic folk music. Epic, modal themes emerge from watery beds of minimalistic polyrhythms and suspenseful string arrangments. While often sombre, mournful or foreboding, the musi seems driven by a collective sense of spiritual determination and hope.

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Autechre – Confield

Style: IDM, Glitch, Experimental Electronic, Generative

Vibes: Metallic, Wet, Mechanical, Cold, Woozy, Disorienting, Surreal, Abstract, Spectral, Complex, Futuristic, Hypnotic, Mysterious, Suspenseful, Monochromatic, Detached

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Glitchy, Digital, Percussive, Dissonant, Dense, Instrumental

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Scalpy + Meanstreetz

Style: Free Improvisation, Experimental, Noise Rock

Vibes: Ecstatic, Visceral, Hypnotic, Somatic, Abstract, Passionate, Cathartic, Liberatory

Musical Qualities: Noisy, Percussive, Repetitive, Improvisation, Dissonant

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Embryo’s Reise

Recorded September 1978 – May 1979 in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, & Germany

Style: Free-Psych, Krautrock, Prog, Jazz-Rock, Raga Rock, Arabic Folk

Vibes: Adventure, Communal, Triumphant, Exploratory, Warm, Psychedelic, Bluesy, Playful, Energetic, Spiritual

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Third Ear Band

Style: Psychedelic Chamber Music, Free Folk, Neo-Medieval Folk, Dhrupad

Vibes: Mystical, Medieval, Nature, Alchemical, Flowing, Meditative, Ritualistic, Mysterious, Earthy, Occult

Instrumentation: Cello, Oboe, Percussion, Violin/Viola

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Autechre – Exai

Style: Glitch, IDM, Experimental Electronic

Moods: Futuristic, Mechanical, Cold, Urban, Hypnotic, Surreal, Anxious, Dystopian, Mysterious, Cinematic, Suspenseful

Musical Qualities: Digital, Generative Software, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Glitchy, Repetitive, Dense, Complex, Sampling

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Marion Brown – Duets

Compilation of two duo records:
“Creative Improvisation Ensemble” recorded with Wadada Leo Smith in 1970
“Soundways” recorded with Elliott Schwartz in 1973

Style: Creative Music, Free Improvisation, Avant-Garde Jazz

Vibes: Open, Suspenseful, Abstract, Deconstructed, Intertwined, Restrained, Searching, Spontaneous

Musical Qualities: Dynamic, Poly-Free Improvisation, Atonal, Percussive, Slow, Sparse, Instrumental

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75 Dollar Bill – Wood / Metal / Plastic / Pattern / Rhythm / Rock

Style: Desert Blues, Psychedelic Trance Rock, Tishoumaren, Post-Minimalism

Vibes: Hypnotic, Desert, Earthy, Psychedelic, Communal, Driving, Ritualistic

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Riffs, Improvisation, Instrumental, Repetitive, Microtonal

Instrumentation: Homemade Percussion, Plywood Crate, 12-String Guitar, Shakers, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Upright Bass, Viola, Trumpet, Saxophone (Baritone & Alto)

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Alabaster DePlume – Come With Fierce Grace

Style: Spiritual Jazz, Progressive Jazz

Vibe: Polyvocal, Communal, Uplifting, Warm, Triumphant, Flowing, Driving, Groovy, Raw, Hypnotic, Reflective, Colorful, Spiritual, Rebellious, Compassionate

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Thematic, Polyphonic, Dub, Suite, Loose, Rhythmic, Percussive, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Analogue Recording

Instrumentation: Tenor Sax, Electric Guitar, Synthesizers, Electric Bass, Multiple Drummers, Tabla, Upright Bass, Cello, Group Vocals, Piano, Percussion

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Califone – Villagers

Style: Weird Americana, Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter

Vibes: Cryptic, Autumnal, Warm, Rural, Sardonic, Observational, Apathetic, Mellow, Peaceful, Playful. Twangy

Musical Qualities: Lush, Loops, Electro-Acoustic, Percussive, Melodic, Lyrical, Studio-as-an-Instrument

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Exploding Star Orchestra – Lightning Dreamers

featuring Rob Mazurek, Jeff Parker, Nicole Mitchell, Damon Locks, Gerard Cleaver, Craig Taborn, Angelica Sanchez & Mauricio Takara

Style: Cyber-Jazz, Cosmic Big-Band, Jazz Fission

Vibes: Futuristic, Communal, Triumphant, Cosmic, Surreal, Exploratory, Anthemic, Colorful

Musical Qualities: Dense, Collective Improvisation, Polyphonic, Percussive, Progressive, Rhythmic, Spoken Word, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Suite

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Steve Tibbetts – Yr

Style: Progressive Folk, Jazz Fusion, ECM Jazz

Vibes: Mystical, Pastoral, Ethereal, Ancient, Pagan, Earthy, Exploratory, Smooth, Spiritual

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Atmospheric, Complex, Instrumental, Uncommon Time Signatures, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Progressive, Shred, Technical

Instrumentation: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Congas, Drums, Kalimba, Synthesizer, Tabla, Electric Bass, Bongos

Steve Tibbetts – Yr Read More »

Mandingo Griot Society

Styles: Griot Music, Mande Music, Afro-Jazz

Moods: Uplifting, Earthy, Sunny, Communal, Dance, Joyful, Passionate, Peaceful, Playful, Ritualistic, Spiritual, Warm, Tribal, Utopian

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Acoustic, Melodic, Technical

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Sunburned Hand of the Man

Style: Free-Rock, Ritual-Psych, Group Therapy, Abstract Groove

Moods: Spontaneous, Communal, Groovy, Ritualistic, Exploratory, Primordial, Abstract, Meandering, Mysterious, Cathartic, Primal, Kinetic, Spacey, Eccentric, Stream-of-Conscious

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Propulsive, Rhythmic, Percussive, Spoken Word, Dense, Droney, Lo-Fi, Repetitive

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Mako Sica – Ronda

Style: Psychedelic Jazz, Free-Psych, Post-Rock

Moods: Ritualistic, Mysterious, Serpentine, Nocturnal, Exploratory, Desert, Moody, Spiritual, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Thematic, Collective Improvisation, Atmospheric, Rhythmic

Instrumentation: Drums, Tabla, Electric Piano, Chants, Trumpet, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Electric Bass, Harmonica, Gong, Cello, Upright Bass, Flute, Organ, Piano, Bells, Teponaztli, Tambourine, Viola

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Cecil Taylor – Indent

Style: Free Improvisation, Free Jazz

Moods: Passionate, Kinetic, Complex, Ecstatic, Dramatic, Energetic, Angular, Exploratory, Meditative, Focused

Musical Qualities: Solo Improvisation, Dense, Acoustic, Progressive, Dynamic, Percussive, Atonal, Active Listening, Instrumental, Technical, Rhythmic, Live

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Aa – ZebrAa

Style: Neo-Psychedelia, Noise Pop, Experimental Rock

Moods: Chaotic, Anthemic, Mechanical, Hypnotic, Surreal, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Noisy, Melodic, Percussive, Polyrhythmic, Dense, Repetitive

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Dengue Dengue Dengue – Zenit & Nadir

Styles: Digital Cumbia, Organic Beat Music, Psychedelic Electronic

Moods: Brooding, Earthy, Intertwined, Shadowy, Dancing, Determined, Tribal, Complex, Mystical, Hypnotic, Mechanical, Ominous, Rootsy, Haunting, Dark, Knotted, Mysterious, Ritualistic, Futuristic

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Loops, Progressive, SpokenWord, Electro-Acoustic, Sampling

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The Art Ensemble of Chicago – Bap-Tizum

Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Creative, Spiritual Jazz, Free Jazz

Moods: Ritualistic, Passionate, Cathartic, Open, Colorful, Visceral, Warm, Communal, Free, Abstract, Chaotic, Exploratory, Responsive, Tribal, Spiritual

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Percussive, Suite, Live, Dynamic, Polyphonic, Group Vocals

Instrumentation: Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Kelphorn, Bass Drum, Percussion, Saxophones (Alto, Soprano, Sopranino, Tenor, & Bass), Clarinet, Drums, Alto Flute, Conga, Vibraphone, Upright Bass, Electric Bass, Log Drum, Gong, Whistle, Bass Marimba

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Ka Baird – Respires

Style: EAI, Post-Minimalism, Psychedelic Experimental

Moods: Earthy, Visceral, Hallucinogenic, Tangled, Hypnotic, Surreal, Knotty, Intertwined

Musical Qualities: Electro-Acoustic, Pulse, Experimental Vocalizations, Improvisation, Repetitive

Instrumentation: Flute, Vocals & Keyboards, all processed through stereo delay effects

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Helena Espvall & Masaki Batoh – Overloaded Ark

Style: Progressive Folk, Acid Folk, Psychedelic Chamber Music

Moods: Mysterious, Exploratory, Medieval, Mystical, Ancient, Brooding, Forest, Haunting, Serpentine, Ritualistic, Cinematic

Musical Qualities: Complex, Dense, Acoustic, Progressive, Percussive, Noisy, Improvisation

Instrumentation: Cello, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Organ, Sho, Banjo, Renaissance Harp, Rauschpfeife, Crumhorn, Cornamuse, Hurdy Gurdy, Electronics, Darbuka, Riq, Frame Drum, Percussion, Recorder, Piano, Vocal Harmonies

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Natural Information Society Community Ensemble – Since Time is Gravity

Style: Organic Music, Psychedelic Jazz, Ecstatic Minimalism, Gnawa

Moods: Ritualistic, Communal, Contemplative, Meditative, Earthy, Transcendent, Psychedelic, Colorful, Soothing, Spiritual, Peaceful

Featuring Ari Brown, Hamid Drake, Ben Lamar Gay, Mai Sugimoto, Jason Stein, Mikel Patrick Avery, Lisa Albarado, Kara Bershad, Josh Berman, and Nick Mazzarella

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The Futuristic Folk of The Tower Recordings [Vol. 1 & 2]

These ceremonial meanderings are the interrupted transmissions of campfire songs picked up by intergalactic satellites. Past and future collapse as old-timey banjo melodies fade into squiggly synthesizers and lo-fi electronics. Distant harmonicas sink behind thick fogs of ghostly whirring, while warped slide guitar, drone fiddle and echo percussion bubble through the folky primordial soup

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Seven Rivers of Fire – Way of the Pilgrim

“Way of the Pilgrim” unfolds as a 4-movement suite of dark acoustic summoning rituals, spiritually connected to a mystical lineage of wyrd-folk practitioners through the ages. That strangely familiar feeling of being lost in the woods, of venturing into the archetypal unknown, pervades the atmosphere right from the opening… [Click for full review]

Recommended if you dig Six Organs of Admittance, Fursaxa, Robbie Basho, Third Ear Band

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Medicine Singers

Featured Musicians: Joe Rainey, jaimie branch, Laraaji, Thor Harris, Ryan Olsen, Ikue Mori

Style: Algonquian & Pocasset Powwow Music, Neo-Psychedelia

Moods: Ceremonial, Communal, Cathartic, Colorful, Spiritual, Intense, Tribal, Ritualistic

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Chants, Collage, Electro-Acoustic, Rhythmic

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Joe Rainey – Niineta

Style: Post-Industrial Powwow Music, Experimental Electronic

Mood: Communal, Ritualistic, Cathartic, Spiritual, Passionate, Mournful, Epic

Musical Qualities: Chants, Manipulated Vocals, Distorted, Electroacoustic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Percussive, Noisy

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Širom – Uteko?injeni prestol preprostih (The Liquified Throne of Simplicity)

Style: “Imaginary Folk”, Ritual Folk, Psychedelic Minimalism

Moods: Mysterious, Ritualistic, Earthy, Tribal, Exploratory, Hypnotic, Mystical, Sombre, Surreal

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Microtonal, Polyphonic, Improvisation, Acoustic, Complex, Uncommon Time Signatures, Repetitive, Instrumental

Instrumentation: Guimbri, Banjo, Frame Drum, Viola, Hurdy Gurdy, Tampura, Balafon, Chimes, Lute, Lyre, Ribab, Mizmar

Širom – Uteko?injeni prestol preprostih (The Liquified Throne of Simplicity) Read More »