Andreas Catjar-Danielsson didn’t make it to see the release of Abu Nein’s third album, but his contributions are deeply impressed into this single. The band have described “Wir Leben” as “glow-wave,” after Catjar-Danielsson’s statement that the song is a manifestion of his inner light. It certainly has a tone that merges with eternity. With proceeds to his children, there is every reason to buy it on Bandcamp.
Track of the Day
The paparazzi linger near the entrance of the club, chewing gum and impatiently fondling their cameras while leaning against palm trees. Inside, the beautiful people mix at the bar, swapping glances and stories. They live the briefest of adventures on the dancefloor; catching the eyes of persons of interest. The DJ urges them on with the elegant new sounds of Julian Brandt and Marina Schiptjenko. Outside, the men with the cameras wait in vain for the party to end.
The Soviet Union was painted, for Western students, as a dull place full of tractor-driving babushkas and sullen men in old suits. For entertainment, they joined long lines to buy meat or ersatz coffee. The only music allowed was a politically-narrow selection of Shostakovich and lounge standards.
John Lennon knew better. There were elements of glamour and fun – and there were synthesisers. Disco had a place in the official playlist, and bands like Zodiac and Eolika were released by Melodiya in big numbers. Space from France was a big influence, and plenty of combine harvesters were driven to the sounds of Moogs and domestic versions.
Latvia’s glamorous popster, Katrīna Gupalo, has rescued one of the famous SovDisco classics and restored it for the modern ear. “Noktirne” is a song for Riga, and it works well as a post-Soviet driving song or a disco banger.
The original, Andropov-approved track is copied below for comparison.
There’s a classic line from the movie, Blues Brothers, when a bartender is asked about the music they play at the bar: “We got both kinds. We got country and western.”
So, welcome a new country-themed, star-spangled, rhinestone-encrusted, guitar-jangling group fronted by Kandle Osborne. Formed together with Jennie Vee, Leah Bluestein, and Rex Elle, The Midnight Cowboys have released their first single to acclaim by one of the Gallaghers from Oasis. And why not? The band might be half-Canadian, but it is all country.
The new album from Simon Fisher Turner, Instability of the Signal, comes out on Mute on 2 August 2024. Ease into it with this subtle track from the British composer with gentle strings from the Elysian Collective and whispered phrases added to his piano work and electronics.
Mute tell us:
The composer, musician and Zelig-like artist who has worked and performed in groundbreaking and underground music, film and art scenes since the 1970s has created a lush, soothing and intimate album, a landmark in his ever-expanding catalogue of projects. The 13-track album features Fisher Turner singing for the first time in many years, accompanying compositions built from tiny snippets of sound along with piano, classical strings, a detuned Fender Telecaster, and his field recordings.