1980, Senegal. Three vocalists with different styles, backed by a hypnotic 13-piece band form Dieuf-Dieul De Thies and start performing and recording. These recordings never reach the pressing stage, remaining unreleased for 33 years. The – new to me – Teranga Beat label rights this wrong… lovely stuff. Available on lp, cd and digital – get at it!

Introducing the stars of this show: identical twin sisters Irene and Ellen Kossoy recorded this album when they were seventeen. They didn’t know that their second album would take some time – their version of “I’ll fly away” was featured in the now-classic “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Renewed interest in the now 64-year old sisters made them re-enter the studio.

This was all in the far future when they recorded “Bowling Green” with accompaniment from Erik Darling on banjo and guitar. The fourteen songs represent a sample of the traditional music from the Appalachian mountains in the south of the USA. Sparse, heartfelt and with a perfect balance of piety and pragmatism, this is a great record… and the first album I’ve posted in eleven weeks. Have at it!

First new material from Omar in seven years – album to follow – great start to the weekend!

Yearningly soulful rocksteady. Double lead vocal, nyabinghi drums and some occasional vinyl hiss… another great production by Sonia Pottinger.

This is something special. Want to know why? “Orange Mound” compiles Memphis rap cassettes from the early nineties. And these are not what you expect. At all.  Philadelphia store-owner/blogger/writer/etc Mark Francis Johnson probably named this compilation after this neighbourhood, and delivers some disorienting soul food in the process.

Tape hiss, crude samples, tracks like experimental drones and tons of atmosphere – Orange Mound has all that, and then some. People into last year’s “Personal Space” compilation, lo-fi experiments and gritty electro, dig in!

Pretty wasted and sublimely atmospheric song from an otherwise unknown artist. More than a little Lou Reed in the mix if you ask me!

Some things appear unavoidable – liking Townes van Zandt for instance. His name regularly cropped up at the perimeter of my musical landscape these last few years, but I never took this as a sign to investigate. One thing I did notice was the fact that people often spoke of the late Texas singer in revered tones. Since people do the same for music I’m not into, I continued going about my business.

Fast forward to 2013, the start of my later thirties and the release of “Sunshine Boy – The Unheard Studio Sessions & Demos 1971-1972“. One day I was clowning the genre of music for older men with friends, the next I was hopelessly into Townes van Zandt… and with reason. This double CD strips down the arrangements and production that were often used to dress up his (earlier) albums, leaving the listener with just Van Zandt, his guitar and a basic backing band. Check out the two tracks posted above and dive into the Cult of Townes if you take a fancy to it.

Seventeen years after its original release, I’m starting to believe those soles are studded with actual diamonds – this song refuses to wear out. Five years after Todd Terje turned it into a spacey disco dub, German duo Âme strip the song down for spare parts and use these to construct a stealthy 2013 version. Resistance is futile.

Learning something new everyday: a 1967 rock/pop version of the 1964 Baden Powell classic “Berimbau“. I’ve heard dozens of versions of this song – almost always excellent – but wasn’t aware of this loose New York interpretation. Nice!