Warm

Shirley Collins and the Albion Country Band – No Roses

LP, Antilles, US Pressing, 1971 / 1976 reissue Style: English Folk, British Folk Rock Vibes: Bittersweet, Rootsy, Communal, Folklore, Pastoral, Passionate, Intertwined, Storytelling, Medieval, Rootsy, Poetic, Energetic, Warm Musical Qualities: Lush, Melodic, Dynamic, Vocal Harmonies Instrumentation: Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Fiddle, Melodeon, Hammered Dulcimer, Electric Bass, Concertina, Accordion, Hurdy Gurdy, Northumbrian Small Pipes, Ophicleide, […]

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National Health – National Health

National Health was a continuation of Canterbury supergroup Hatfield & the North, bringing over essentially everyone from that project, except Hatfield’s bassist Richard Sinclair (Caravan), including Pip Pyle (Gong), Dave Stewart (Egg), Amanda Parsons, and Phil Miller (Matching Mole). Unsurprisingly, the LP is packed with warm, playful virtuosity. Overdriven bass takes the helm for most of the themes, locked in with propulsive grooves and shifting time signatures of Pyle’s drums. The space fills out quite colorfully with harmonious waves of electric piano, woodwinds and Moog synthesizer. When things need to be taken up a notch, Miller comes in with some triumphantly energizing guitar solos. What really makes this album special though are Amanda Parson’s vocals, which work both as a wordless instrument within the polyphonic arrangements, and as a unifying, lyrical force during the album’s most epic moments.

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Bruce Cockburn – In the Falling Dark

LP, True North, 1977, Canadian Pressing Recorded September-November, 1976 Style: Singer/Songwriter, Jazz-Folk Vibes: Uplifting, Nocturnal, Spiritual, Personal, Passionate, Reflective, Romantic, Christian, Compassionate, Contemplative, Mystical, Triumphant, Conscious, Intertwined, Poetic, Intricate, Autumnal Instrumentation: Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Upright Bass, Flute, Drums, Dulcimer, Percussion, Trumpet Musical Qualities: Lyrical, Progressive, Melodic, Technical, Polished

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SML – Small Medium large

Anna Butterss, Jeremiah Chiu, Joshua Johnson, Gregory Uhlmann, Booker Stardrum

Style: Abstract Groove, Cyber-Jazz, Post-Minimalism, Organic Beat Music

Vibes: Hypnotic, Warm, Colorful, Squiggly, Intertwined, Exploratory, Playful, Groovy, Soothing, Uplifting, Surreal, Aquatic, Futuristic

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MV – Blazing Grace

featuring Meg Baird, P.G. Six, MICK Flower, J. Mascis, Erika Elder…

Style: Weird Americana, Country Psych, Dream-Folk

Vibes: Hazy, Relaxed, Introspective, Stoned, Rural, Uplifting, Dreamy, Warm, Psychedelic, Raw, Cosmic, Earthy, Reflective, Peaceful

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Massive Attack – Blue Lines

featuring Tricky, Horace Andy, Neneh Cherry, Shara Nelson

Style: Trip Hop, Bristol Sound, UK Hip Hop, Downtempo, Street Soul
Influences: Dub, Hip Hop, Soul, Jazz Fusion, Film Scores, Electronic

Vibes: Moody, Hypnotic, Urban, Mellow, Sensual, Heartfelt, Melancholy, Communal, Uplifting, Nocturnal, Smooth, Psychedelic, Warm

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Oren Ambarchi – Shebang

eaturing Joe Talia, Jim O’Rourke, Chris Abrahams, B. J. Cole, Julia Reidy, Johan Berthling, Sam Dunscombe

Style: Post-Minimalism, Post-Rock, Electro-acoustic

Vibes: Iridescent, Blooming, Hypnotic, Focused, Psychedelic, Shimmering, Propulsive, Flowing, Soothing, Intertwined, Warm, Intricate

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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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Pentangle – Basket of Light

Style: British Folk Rock, Folk Baroque, Blues-Influenced

Vibes: Uplifting, Intertwined, Romantic, Flowing, Sentimental, Rootsy, Intricate, Responsive, Spring, Warm, Energetic,, Groovy, Traditional

Musical Qualities: Melodic, Polyphonic, Lush, Uncommon Time Signatures, Improvisation, Acoustic

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Vocal Harmonies, Upright Bass, Drums, Glockenspiel, Sitar, Banjo

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Led Zeppelin

Style: Hard Rock (Blues & Folk-Influenced)

Vibes: Confident, Rebellious, Passionate, Energetic, Hedonistic, Bombastic, Raw, Complex, Psychedelic, Summer

Musical Qualities: Riffs, Groovy, Melodic, Dynamic, Bluesy, Heavy

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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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Rex – C

Style: Country-Slowcore, Grunge-Influenced

Vibes: Autumnal, Moody, Intertwined, Reflective, Passionate, Twangy, Contemplative, Rural, Drifter

Musical Qualities: Riffs, Dynamic, Lush, Slow, Vocal Harmonies, Climactic

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Gary Higgins – Red Hash

Style: Loner Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Acid Folk

Vibes: Autumnal, Alienation, Reflective, Warm, Melancholy, Stoned, Rural, Lonely, Mellow, Psychedelic, Loner

Instrumentation: Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Cello, Flute, Mandolin, Organ, Piano, Electric Bass

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Bröselmaschine

Style: Acid Folk, Kosmische Folk, Progressive Folk

Vibes: Pastoral, Flowing, Surreal, Dreamy, Warm, Psychedelic, Sunny, Fantasy, Mellow

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Progressive, Vocal Harmonies, Lush, Raga-Influenced

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Water Shrews – Widening Spaces

Style: Drone, Free Improvisation, Psychedelic Ambient

Vibes: Journeying, Amorphous, Introspective, Woozy, Exploratory, Earthy, Washy, Hypnotic, Psychedelic, Murky, Rhizomatic

Musical Qualities: Noisy, Improvisation, Lo-Fi, Loops, Slow, Pulse, Analogue, Atmospheric

Instrumentation: Keyboards, Electric Guitar, Electronics, Synthesizers, Field Recordings

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Off World – 2

featuring Sandro Perri, Eric Chenaux, Drew Brown, etc

Style: Alien Electronics, Tribal Ambient, Kosmische

Vibes: Spacey, Surreal, Imaginative, Exploratory, Impressionistic, Abstract, Cinematic, Meandering, Messy, Mysterious, Warm

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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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Bon Iver – 22, a Million

Style: Glitch-Pop, Art Pop, Singer/Songwriter

Vibes: Cryptic, Surreal, Mechanical, Mystical, Existential, Knotty, Warm, Alienation, Bittersweet, Futuristic, Anthemic

Musical Qualities: Glitchy, Catchy, Sampling, Distorted, Vocal Manipulation, Dense, Melodic, Electro-Acoustic, Lush, Vocal Harmonies, Digital Production

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Joseph Allred – Hoddmímis Holt

Style: Appalachian Folk Music, American Primitivism

Vibes: Rootsy, Spiritual, Warm, Passionate, Meditative, Religious, Storytelling, Sentimental, spiritual, storytelling

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Traditional, Lyrical, Droney, Open Tunings, Solo, Sparse

Instrumentation: Vocals, Harmonium, Acoustic Guitars (6- & 12-String), Autoharp, Piano, Banjo

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Arthur Russell – Iowa Dream

Style: Singer/Songwriter, Folk Pop, Americana

Vibe: Warm, Tender, Romantic, Reflective, Playful, Love, Compassionate, Rustic, Bittersweet, Intimate, Mellow

Musical Qualities: Catchy, Lyrical, Lush, Home Recording, Acoustic, Melodic

Instrumentation: Vocals, Cello, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Drums, Keyboards, Organ, Vibraphone, Tabla, Violin, Bongos, Horns, Flute, Bass

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Henry Flynt – Graduation

LPx2, Archival, Superior Viaduct, 2001 / 2013 Recorded 1975-1979 Style: Weird Americana, “Cowboy Raga”, Old-Time, Celestial Boogie, Back-porch Minimalism Vibes: Hypnotic, Warm, Rural, Summer, Energetic, Groovy, Playful, Psychedelic, Rootsy, Ecstatic Instrumentation: Fiddle, Tapes, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Saxophone, Drums Musical Qualities: Droney, Instrumental, Improvisation, Minimalistic, Modal, Repetitive Graduation by Henry Flynt

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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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Joanna Newsom – Divers

“But stand brave, life-liver, bleeding out your days in the river of time.
Stand brave: time moves both ways, in the nullifying, defeating, negating, repeating joy of life.
The moment of your greatest joy sustains: not axe nor hammer, tumor, tremor, can take it away, and it remains.
And it pains me to say, I was wrong. Love is not a symptom of time. Time is just a symptom of love”

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J.J. Cale – 5

Style: Roots Rock, Blues Rock, Singer/Songwriter

Moods: Confident, Laid Back, Sensual, Romantic, Mellow Swagger, Road Trip, Warm, Sunny, Bluesy, Sexual, Rootsy

Musical Qualities: Lush, Groovy, Melodic, Sleek

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Bobby Brown: Live

Style: Mystical Folk, Outsider Songwriter, New Age

Moods: Spiritual, Uplifting, Warm, Beach, Mystical, Nature, Summer

Musical Qualities: Homemade Instruments, Acoustic, Lo-Fi, Live Recording

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