Spellbinding Music

Self - Cork University Press This book argues that we have got it wrong in the West with our belief in a ‘self’ that is autonomous and separate from others, exemplified by the entrep...

Reading this at the moment.
"We have got it wrong in the West with our belief in a ‘self’ that is autonomous and separate from others, exemplified by the entrepreneurial self: always on, always positive and always self-improving.":
www.corkuniversitypress.com/978178205487...

Arooj Aftab - Night Reign (2024)

New-York-based singer songwriter Arooj Aftab's "Night Reign" (2024) - Borrowing elements from ancient South Asian traditions, folk, classic jazz or hip-hop production techniques to craft a unique style that has no equivalent on the contemporary music scene: spellbindingmusic.com/arooj-aftab-...

Erik Hall - Canto Ostinato (2023)

[From the Archives]
Erik Hall’s "Canto Ostinato" (Western Vinyl - 2023) - Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt’s landmark minimalist composition revisited for three multi-tracked keyboards: spellbindingmusic.com/erik-hall-ca...

Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek: Dost 1 & 2

Berlin-based Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek’s “Dost 1 & 2” (2024) - A fascinating blend of Turkish folk songs and 1970s Anatolian rock with vintage psychedelia, contemporary pop music and a hint of jazz: spellbindingmusic.com/derya-yildir...

Cinder Well - Cadence

Irish-based Californian singer songwriter Amelia Baker aka Cinder Well's "Cadence" (2023) - A striking collection of new songs amplified by an arresting voice quietly soaring through layers of lulling bass, strings and down-tuned guitars: spellbindingmusic.com/cinder-well-...

Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View

Manchester trumpet player Matthew Halsall’s “An Ever Changing View” (2023) and “Bright Sparkling Light” (2024) on Gondwana Records - Capturing the magic of the Northern England and Welsh coastlines with a jazz ensemble and thumb piano loops: spellbindingmusic.com/matthew-hals...

ØXN - CYRM

Irish quartet ØXN and their new record CYRM (Claddagh Records - 2023) - Traditional and contemporary murder ballads through the prism of doom folk, post punk, drone and noise rock: spellbindingmusic.com/oxn-cyrm/

Shana Cleveland - Manzanita

Singer-songwriter, guitarist and visual artist Shana Cleveland’s “Manzanita” (Hardly Art - 2023) - A timeless collection of gothic folk songs informed by the beauty of the surrounding countryside, a serene lyricism and the “psychedelia of pregnancy”: spellbindingmusic.com/shana-clevel...

Laurel Halo - Atlas

Laurel Halo’s “Atlas” (Awe - 2023) - A hallucinatory collage of memories and dreams stitched together into one majestic continuous soundtrack via experimental abstraction, vocal manipulations, ambient electronic, modern classical music and jazz improvisation: spellbindingmusic.com/laurel-halo-...

Human Being Human - Disappearance (2023)

Danish jazz trio Human Being Human’s “Disappearance” (April Records 2023) - Combining a “traditional” melodic Nordic jazz tradition with a more progressive and minimalist approach on 8 new compositions: spellbindingmusic.com/human-being-...

Carmen Villain - Only Love From Now On (2022)

Norwegian producer and electronic musician Carmen Villain’s “Only Love From Now On” (Smalltown Supersound - 2022) - Enchanting ambient electronica combining elements of dub techno with earthly field recordings, folk and jazz: spellbindingmusic.com/carmen-villa...

Daniel Villarreal - Panama 77 / Lados B

Chicago-based drummer Daniel Villarreal's “Panamá 77” (2022) and “Lados B” (2023) - Magnetic sets of psych-rock, jazz & funk-inflected instrumental sessions for small ensemble & trio on the International Anthem record label: spellbindingmusic.com/daniel-villa...

Dom La Nena - Leon

Brazilian cellist Dom La Nena’s “Leon” (Sabia Records - 2023) - A flawless collection of elaborate instrumental compositions from a master musician living in the present and animated with a deep artistic sensibility: spellbindingmusic.com/dom-la-nena-...

Shida Shahabi - Living Circle

Stockholm-based Swedish Iranian modern classical pianist Shida Shahabi's "Living Circle" (FatCat Records 2023) - An immersive ambient opus featuring loitering piano chords pitched against strings, voices, drones and cello: spellbindingmusic.com/shida-shahab...

Afghan-American multi-instrumentalist and visual artist N.R. Safi’s new experimental project Naujawanan Baidar - A militant reinvention of Afghan street folk music enhanced with tape-saturated noise, lo-fi manipulation, drones and home-amplified instruments: spellbindingmusic.com/naujawanan-b...

Stephane Tsapis - Le Piano Oriental

Zeina Abirached’s moving graphic tale of two cities, two languages, two cultures and two musical modes put to music on a bilingual piano by Franco-Greek jazz pianist Stephane Tsapis on “Le Piano Oriental” (Cristal Records - 2019): spellbindingmusic.com/stephane-tsa...

Sessa - Estrela Acesa

Brazilian singer-songwriter Sessa’s sophomore album “Estrela Acesa” (Mexican Summer - 2022) - A superb collection of hushed sensual songs boasting a wealth of musical influences & featuring delightful orchestral and vocal arrangements: spellbindingmusic.com/sessa-estrel...

Sofie Birch - Holotropica

Danish sound artist and electronic ambient musician Sofie Birch’s “Holotropica” (2022) - A soothing and wholesome sonic universe bursting with life and spirituality: spellbindingmusic.com/sofie-birch-...

Martin Hayes & The Common Ground Ensemble - Peggy's Dream

“Peggy’s Dream” (251/Faction Records - 2023) by The Common Ground Ensemble is the latest iteration of Clare fiddler Martin Hayes’ perpetual quest for invention within the Irish tradition: spellbindingmusic.com/martin-hayes...

The Return of Pachyman

Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist Pachy García aka Pachyman - Reviving the classic roots dub reggae sound of the 1970s with a flawless collection of twelve original retro-futuristic instrumental compositions: https://spellbindingmusic.com/the-return-of-pachyman/

Lisa O'Neill - All of this is Chance

Cavan-born and Dublin-based folk singer songwriter Lisa O'Neill's "All of This is Chance" (Rough Trade - 2023) - a magnificent quasi-orchestral and visionary chef-d’oeuvre: https://spellbindingmusic.com/lisa-oneill-all-of-this-is-chance/

Brandee Younger - Brand New Life

Indebted to the radical vision of pioneering black female harpist Dorothy Ashby, Brandee Younger’s “Brand New Life” (2023) is a luminous and moving celebration of the concert harp as a solo instrument on the contemporary jazz scene: https://spellbindingmusic.com/brandee-younger-brand-new-life/

Brazilian singer songwriter Rogê's "Curyman" (2023) features an outstanding collection of samba-funk songs and soulful ballads:
https://spellbindingmusic.com/roge-curyman/

Nils Petter Molvaer Nordub

Sly & Robbie meet Nils Petter Molvaer. Jamaica meets Norway. Reggae meets Jazz.
A mesmerising fusion project.
https://spellbindingmusic.com/sly-robbie-meet-nils-petter-molvaer-nordub/

Leyla McCalla - Breaking the Thermometer

Folk singer and multi-instrumentalist Leyla McCalla's "Breaking the Thermometer" (2022) - A fascinating immersive and self-reflective journey into Haitian culture, memory and identity drawn from the archives of Radio Haïti-Inter: https://spellbindingmusic.com/leyla-mccalla-breaking-the-thermometer/