The Queen of N13 returns with a new track that is what it says on the tin. “Ethereal” drifts and soars like the breeze through autumn trees.
Track of the Day
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.
The latest single to be lifted from Page’s excellent album, En ny våg, “Frusen” features a contribution from Rrussell Bell. The Dramatis man and former member of Gary Numan’s touring band adds a touch of the OG Synth Britannia sound to Eddie Bengtsson’s reimagining of the spirit of 1979.
Arielle Andersson and Fredrik Lundvall Kindsäter are Octolab. Another act from Sweden’s West side, they do elegant pop with influences from the electronic underground. For this track, they have produced a sleek video with some masked guests and masses of strings.