1. “Narcisos” - Caco (2018). The first track’s clarinet is mighty fine, guitars carry later songs, and the rest of this EP has some urban electronica/hip-hop and doesn’t feel like it was made by just one group of musicians.  Cohesive and quite mellow overall.  An interesting case to examine why some EPs are 99 cents and some like this are $1.49.   

2. “Alimpatakan” - Bombo Pluto Ova (2019).  Noise rock that’s more noise than rock from the Philippines.  Not relentless but still pretty overpowering.  Will clear your mind, the dancefloor, or your house of all current inhabitants in no time flat. https://bomboplutoovaph.bandcamp.com/releases 

3. “Burn to Grow Greener” - Dès Vu (2019).  If you’re like me, your collection could use more experimental music by women of color.  Distant, distorted vocals under rather than over lurching synths just barely melodic enough to make this one distinctive and engaging, but feel free to take your pick of Alabama’s finest experimental music on the Step Pepper label.  Note this 99-cent eMu album is extended over https://desvumusic.bandcamp.com/album/burn-to-grow-greener

4. “Vietnam” - Revolutionary Ensemble (1972).  Classic, free jazz on strings on—where else?—ESP-DISK for 99 cents.  Never noisy or grating like a lot of experimental music can be, and each instrument gets its proper showcase at some point over two long tracks.

5. “Vardo” - KUSHT (2019). I really wasn’t sure what to make of this 40+ minute, five-track, 99-cent album for a long time.  Given the length of each songs, there’s a long build to most of them, and while the label is Latin, multiple other world music elements are featured.  Vocals and accompaniment seem to shoot for entrancement and come close to achieving it, with more electronics involved as the album progresses.  Add a beat to the imagined caravan of your choice.

6. “Fears” - Hawk of the Low Hills (2014).  Electronic dub working with a lot of spoken word vocal samples, especially on the third track about jazz which talks time signatures while sounding more like rockabilly.  Worth the extra 50 cents over most EPs as the only semi-sound collage entry on here.  I’d love to know if anyone knows more like this, whether on eMu or not.  https://hawkofthelowhills.bandcamp.com/releases

7. “Héroe Anónimo” - Prinz (2003).  Had been on my wishlist for ages, and the high price was admittedly a deterrent.  Zappaesque in terms of fusion-y composition or like an acoustic Nobukazu Takemura, from Spain given the lisping, course language but often with Latin salsa elements.  There are some weak tracks on here like the electric piano “Para Inma,” and in ten+ minutes the best ones also have highly questionable moments.  Laid back lounginess won’t be to everyone’s taste.  One is likely to prefer either the instrumental or explicit tracks, but having both makes for quite an uneven epic.  If only the guy on the cover had successfully whacked Dubya with a frying pan at the turn of the century, he’d truly be my hero. 

8. “Costuras Que Me Bordam Marcas na Pele” - Paola Kirst (2018).  A fantastic bargain at 99 cents, as are many on Escápula Records, I don’t know any Latin jazz I’d prefer over this.  Vocal experimentation sometimes reminds me of Zap Mama on David Byrne’s Luaka Bop as well as Sheila Chandra.  Fun guitar work on the second track’s intro, pretty wild piano throughout, and other surprises abound.  This album will keep one guessing what’s next.   

9. “The North” - Sergei Zagny (2013).  To call this stark and uninviting would be a great understatement.  Woodwinds take turns evoking a Siberian landscape in a mild blizzard that threatens to clear but never does.  

10. “Abstractions” - Europa 51 (2003).  The lineup of a supergroup, mostly instrumental and mixing unusual genres like bluegrass in surprising ways, with occasional vocals from deceased Stereolab member Mary Hansen.  Universally given 4-star rating by eMu & AMG.  https://lorecordings.bandcamp.com/album/abstractions-lo38

11. “Sacred Vacation” - Lexie Mountain Boys (2008).  Ironically named with apparently all women in the group, this is a cappella and somewhere between chanting, rounds, and general moaning. This one is every bit as polarizing as the ratings suggest.  Sample before dropping $6.50 on it, or pay the price.  

On other lists:  “Dislalia” - Carlos Marks.  “Beneath the Waves” - Seacircle.  “Milk” - PeroPero.  “V” - Senko.  

On wishlist but haven’t afforded yet:  “Jumpcut” - Man Jumping (1985).  XIU XIU.  

Formerly on the site but gone:  Masayoshi Fujita https://masayoshifujita.bandcamp.com/album/apologues 

; Cheval de Frise; The Books/Zammuto/Paul De Jong; The Evolution Control Committee; 

I think I need to take a break from experimentation but will come back to ambient and dronescapes later.  Promise.  

1. “Delta” - Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet (2018).  A straightforward acoustic string jam with basic percussion work that belies the actual rhythmic complexity, this one sounds pure and simple.  The fourth track, “Miserlou,” must be a standard.  Fully instrumental.

2. “Balkantron” - Sarakina (2017).  Wearing its heritage in its names and the bloody-looking album art, I don’t know if this is the best of Sarakina’s whopping six albums on the serpent label, but I’m trying to err on the side of newness on a list with nothing from the current year.  She sings occasionally, and I don’t know what led to the “-tron” suffix, as there’s nothing electronic or sci-fi robotic about this music other than it being pretty danceable.  

3. “Uno” - Zoobazar (2011).  A Middle-Eastern folk pop album by way of a fine and varied Hispanic label (Ojo Música), without the aid of electronics, but still very much oriented toward the dancefloor.  I say it’s pop in the old, not new sense, not because of singing but as there’s an electric guitar, bass guitar, and a drum set on some songs.  Vocals come and go seemingly at random on the first song, but the rest of the album is instrumental.  Mostly strings but plenty of woodwinds also.  

4. “Negro Es El Poder” - Mohama Saz (2017).  More psychedelic rock than others here, and I had it on an earlier list.  It goes well with the next one, also electrified.  Gitano singing and a variety of unusual instruments make this quite a unique overall sound, and apparently the arrangements have Turkish roots.  It’s also worth a reminder that its label Humo has a wide variety of full length albums for 99 cents (or “name your price” on Bandcamp).  https://mohamasaz.bandcamp.com/album/negro-es-el-poder 

5. “Tikmawen” - Timasniwen (2018).  Is this the world folk rock version of calling oneself Jefferson Starship or Smashing Orange?  Very closely in the style of Tinariwen, also Tuareg, but a bit mellower.  This link explains the propinquity:  https://sw-ke.facebook.com/EthnoCloud/posts/new-album-tikmawenartist-timasniwen-tikmawen-is-the-first-album-of-timasniwen-fr/1910982435672955/  The question of whether folk music can have electric guitars and a drum set looms large over this one.  Desert blues will definitely not get its own list, so enjoy the beat and amplification even if you don’t think it belongs here.  https://timasniwen.bandcamp.com/album/tikmawen

6. “Resonance” - Zephyr Quartet (2018).  Boldly strung without percussion, you could call it Middle-Eastern and classical fusion, but done very tastefully on a $2 EP I wish were twice as long.  There’s a very deliberate pace to these compositions, lending each more heft than its run time would suggest.  The last two tracks are decidedly more uptempo and lose the regional theme, though they’re in no way inferior.  https://zephyrquartet.bandcamp.com/album/resonance

7. “Albanian Gypsy Music” - Albanian Gypsy Ensemble (2018).  Thanks to @Idiotprogrammer for the rec on this, a 99-cent album that has no business sounding this genuine given its cover, generic title, and price.  Guaranteed not a trash compilation.  Delivers exactly what it promises with good sound quality and no off-putting attempt at frills, bells and whistles, or dreaded Casio new age accompaniment.

8. “Koneh Hawaran” - Kayvan Mirhadi feat. Amirhossein Tafreshi (2016).  Very nice to hear sparse, traditional Middle Eastern strings backed up by the more orchestral kind.  It lends an epic feel to these generally longer songs on this $1.49 EP.  One of my favorite finds on this list, and it has slightly more vocals than others despite the usual instrumental passages.

9. “The Tel Aviv Session” - The Toure-Raichel Collective (2012).  A surprisingly varied collection in styles that sound Sub-Saharan as well as Middle Eastern, and sometimes entirely unique to the collective.  One of the best world albums still available on the site.  Mostly instrumental (they sing lyrics on “Alkataou,” “Ane Nahatka,”  and use voices elsewhere as another instrument), with other instruments peeking in between the guitars and piano that take turns leading the songs.  This has been on a few previous lists, but it’s so nice I see no reason to stop reusing it.  I know I really should just get the other “session” already, but Paris is a bridge too far.  https://store.toureraichel.com/album/the-tel-aviv-session

10. “Dislalia” - Carlos Marks (2013).  A very challenging acoustic, experimental album made in Mexico but closest in instrumentation and sound to gypsy music.  Proof that noisy folk is entirely possible but far less unpleasant than other kinds of dissonance.  https://carlosmarks.bandcamp.com/album/dislalia

I really want to try a full album on WPM Co., but they’re all $6.50.  :-[

Find the labels from the region on these posts:  https://np.reddit.com/r/eMusicofficial/comments/d2jqjl/african_middle_eastern_studies_on_emusic/

The impression I get from the forum is that the African music remaining on the site is basically this Tom Wardle album:  https://www.emusic.com/album/206379275/Tom-Wardle/Pantsula-Africa   Fortunately, that’s not the case, though I could listen to that second track again and again.  Really brings a tear to the eye.

Many of these don’t show up until about the 17th page of browsing for Africa, after the site has pushed a zillion Afrobreakers compilations at you.  Some don’t appear at all.  Sorting for Middle East yields a whopping two titles on the same, non-Middle Eastern label.  We can do better. 

Central Asia and Pakistan might creep in a couple times.  These are not easy places to travel and buy CDs, so let’s all bow down and pray to eMusic, shall we?

Aamizeh (Iranian hip-hop); Africantunz Records & Promotions (bottom of the barrel pop); Africha Entertainment (Afriug) Limited (world); Afriug (pop singles); Agadir Vision (Middle-East world pop); Ahmed Almusawi (Omani pop); Amashinga (African world); Amimoun (Middle-East pop); Arab Nights (pop singles); Arsivplak (very odd Turkish vintage); Assay, Assay Records (Promind) (Mid-East Pop); Attay (Middle-East world); Ayouz Vision (Middle-East world); Byrd Out Limited (electronic); AvAie Entezar (Middle-East devotional); Bani Musique (Middle-East world pop); C.P (Iranian pop singles); Cho Cho (world, Christian); Chtouka Vision (Moroccan world pop); Clermont (world); CM Records (old MId-East Pop); Cumbancha (world); Destiny Records Nigeria (world); Disco Shahrazad (cheesy electronic pop); Disco Vision (old Mid-East pop); DIXTRIT.media (Gospel, African world, pop); Dvarim e crew (Israeli hip-hop); Gentle Soul (house);  Gimac Music Prod (African world); Gwo Bout Mizik Group (pop); iaZawan (Moroccan world pop); Íllegal Records (Turkish? hip-hop); Imim Vision (Ethiopian? world); Israel Music (oldies); Jungle (pop); JTV Digital (French African pop); Kingdoz Studio (Turkish hip-hop);  Labaco Productions Link (African world); Lahocin El Baz & Salh El Bacha (moustachioed world); Lamlan Digital Limited (new African pop R&B singles); Made in Turkey (electronic singles); Maestro Production (Central Asian pop, hip-hop); Mbwana (long African tracks with sketchy recording quality); Mox Flex Entertainment (hip-hop); Nesma (Egyptian?); Nile Valley Entertainment (reggae); NPRS (African synth-pop); Nulu (house); OLDshqip (Turkish pop, rock, hip-hop); OUKA MEDIA (Middle-East pop); Parisienne Plus (Middle-East pop); Pelak (Iranian hip-hop); Premier Records Africa (world); Rebeldigital (general pop); RivaNovaUZ (Uzbek pop singles); Saada Music (world & cheesy electronic pop); Several (mixed with Spanish, world); Shango (house); Sierra Connect Entertainment (African pop); Silent Roar (Pakistani, world, folk, rock, pop); Sisonke (hip-hop, soul); SonStyLa Official (Turkish hip-hop); Soulful Horizons (house); Sounds of Asia (vintage Middle Eastern pop); Studio 31 (home-produced Middle East pop singles); Sublime Frequencies (call & response African); TehRap (Iranian hip-hop); Uganda Performing Right (Kandogo Kamu) Society (world); UPRS (African pop, world, Christian); Vinzomusic Ltd. (traditional Mid-East); Vizeeble Entertainment (African house, pop); We Are Young (deep house & “Nu Disco” from Turkey); Woofits (electronica from Turkey); WPM Co. (very serious traditional Persian music); X.Protocol (Middle-East pop); XGD (pop with African elements); YEARNING (pop); YMR NIG (African hip-hop, pop).

My personal top five from above for exploration are Cumbancha, Mbwana, Gentle Soul, Premier Records Africa, and Arsivplak.  Most labels in the list I would not consider downloading anything for more than 99 cents per LP.  Like other regions, there is no shortage of music from 2019 here.

More detailed but still brief label descriptions and evaluations are here:  http://www.omnifoo.info/pages/eMusic%20Labels.html

Individual favorites:  The Touré-Raichel Collective; Mashrou Leila; Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band; Ajate (Afrobeat on Japanese percussion); AFRIK & Smiling Orchestra; Afrokil O Di Go; Mohama Saz; Soweto Kinch; Fatima Al Qadiri; Gigi; Timasniwen; Waleed Ahmed; Olariche and His Guitar Band; Abstract Afro Vibes (Nite Grooves); Mohammad Abdu (acoustic folk); Bahardirhan Koçer (Turkish composer with huge body of work in new classical, world, electronic); 

In sum, if Dvarim e crew could just have a rap battle with TehRap to settle things, Middle East peace might well be possible, now that Trump kicked John Bolton to the curb.  Ding-dong, the warlock’s dead!

I think these play w/ different styles most intriguingly and wouldn’t try to pigeonhole any whole album definitively.  Some could also be genres unto themselves.  They’re just nicely different, and part of the fun in listening is finding identifiable pieces of styles from rock to jazz to electronica and deciding whether vocals make a particular song “pop” or not (usually not here!).  

As much as overall style, I think mixing unusual instruments in unexpected ways is the key to keep the proceedings from devolving into a bad-tasting smoothie, but of course it’s easy to go overboard with that principle.  Maybe you’ll think some of these could use a few fewer guiros, zithers, and mouth harps.  I love ‘em.

1. “Strata” - Oscilliard (2017).  Bongos, synths, and brass open onto a field of infinite possibility that definitely shouldn’t work or be half as groovy as this expensive LP iTunes calls “Dance” w/ few discernible elements of electronica.  Self-released and expensive, there is no conceivable way this shouldn’t be hot garbage, and yet I could listen again and again, always appreciating something new.  The rhythmic and bass variety alone are truly delightful.  The brass remind me of the oil and water of jazz and ska (and I don’t like ska), but somehow it works.  Unpredictable, crazy, maddening.  Builds to acoustic breaks on a rusty bicycle wheel.  It’s instrumental so I could read to it, but dancing is also a real possibility.  Obscure as heck, but that must change now!  https://oscilliard.bandcamp.com/album/strata 

2. “Solapa” - Carlos Libedinsky (2015).  I can’t tell whether the squeezebox he’s playing on the cover (and presumably throughout this 99-cent EP) is a melodeon or a concertina, but with it front and center I’ve never heard anything else like this mix of world and electronica.  The percussion actually sounds Indian on the first track, and the electronics are probably working on the accordion as well, but the effects are subtle. “Se Oia Fuerte” is indisputably the first vocal accordion drum & bass song I’ve heard.  The overall feel is kinda spacey, passing like a cloud of cyber-tango, but overall it’s quite impossible to categorize.  https://dandadarecords.bandcamp.com/album/carlos-libedinsky-solapa-ep

3. “Mother Shape” - Yusuke Yukuta (2015).  Vocal Japanese folk w/ toy instruments and other playfulness remind me of a much more laid back Shugo Tokumaru.  I’m a sucker for almost anything Japanese left on eMusic and have gotten lucky a few times entering random combinations of letters that appear often in Japanese.  The singing is soft and soothing w/out losing rhythm in a way that only Japanese can do.  He likes to layer “oohs,” “doos,” and Japanese scat vocalization over acoustic guitars.  Winding falsettos aren’t for everyone, but it’ll cleanse the aural palette as well as any noise.  https://naturebliss.bandcamp.com/album/mother-shape-krg-5

4. “Amber & Topaz” - Sami Abadi (2010).  Neither ambient nor new age tends to have much use for rhythm; too much of it would disqualify something otherwise claiming to be either of those, IMO.  Guitar and strings together with percussion on the second track of this expensive album push it into a world music category, but it’s all still very ethereal in the best way possible.  This is one of only a few examples I can think of to play for my “positive vibes” woo woo relatives but would also be content to listen to myself, probably while reading.  Yogis and meditators who want to spice up their background music, take note of this one.  I hear The Orb in “TEAL,” but it’s followed seamlessly with incredibly light guitars in a direction entirely Abadi’s own in “PRANCE.”  I don’t hear any wind chimes, but that doesn’t mean they’re not in here w/ everything under the sun in an exquisitely subtle mix.  https://naturebliss.bandcamp.com/album/amber-topaz-pana006

5. “Maleńka” - Dagadana (2010).  A Polish, self-described mix of folk, jazz, and electronica, their actual songs come consistently closer to pop than anything else on this list, though that’s not really saying much.  The female vocalist reminds me of another recent Polish favorite, Pustki.  I couldn’t say which I like more; both have their charms and are listenable through and through while high in variety.  Tango and other dance numbers pop up unexpectedly after unsuspecting build-ups, and the titular music box closer is a sweet, soothing one, with eccentricities like all that preceded.  https://dagadana.bandcamp.com/album/malenka

6. “White Moon” - Blue Midnight (2014).  Sampling this and not knowing what to make of it I was actually more excited than hearing the full album, unfortunately, but this is still a pretty interesting album.  Brass features prominently, as does harmonica, and a majority of songs have vocals, which unfortunately gives the album a feeling of just being a good bar band or somewhat eccentric blues combo at times.  It could be that this is just a blues album, and I haven’t heard enough blues to know these kinds of sounds are allowed in blues.  A vaguely British accent on the fast-delivered vocals over worldly, Middle Eastern-sounding accompaniment on “Basement Song”  (but again, lotsa brass) yields to a folksy chorus that might be about recycling is representative of the scattershot feeling of the album.  You can judge yourself how often the “spacey folk-dub brass fiesta” works (https://www.allthemadmen.co.uk/products/madcd003-blue-midnight-white-moon ).

7.  “All das kind kind war” - Totsouko (2019).  Tired of the usual samples of old soul and R&B over beats?  Apparently based on samples of old Greek music, this might be hip-hop, but there’s so little rapping I’d hesitate to call it that.  Not that there’s a lot of singing either, despite the prevalence of featured vocalists (Onward is the one who raps).  Each track has its own personality, splitting the difference between hip-hop and electronica (not just stand-alone beats), draped in darkness and paranoia, especially the ominous closing section of the final track.  It feels like some kind of didactic sound installation that just happens to be musical.  RIYL Prefuse-73, El-P, DJ Shadow.  Their 2020 release, also a 99-cent EP does not appear to have vocalists; I haven’t sampled it yet, but it’s on the wishlist.  https://topikaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/als-das-kind-kind-war

8.  “Jumpcut” - Man Jumping (1985).  Brian Eno called these guys the most important band in the world, and they were awash in critical acclaim, but I only really liked one track on their more electronic follow-up to this one.  Never knew it existed or to find it on late-period eMusic.  A whole lot of experimentation going on here, but I think the tracks hold together a lot better rhythmically.  Bongo drums and jittery patterns are the foundation for dated keyboards and brass that predated acid jazz while also being more complex.  The oldest album I’ve ever recommended here…until the next one.  I’d say this holds up a lot better today than most music of the mid-80s of any style.  https://guysegers1.bandcamp.com/album/jumpcut-1999-12-01-full-album

9. “Superground” - Sandro Brugnolini (1970).  The whole label Four Flies Srls is chock full of groovy old Italian film soundtracks from when Moogs roamed the cinemascape, so I can’t guarantee this one is the best of the bunch.  No collection is complete w/out some examples of these.  Luke Vibert’s Nuggets are also still available, taking music of the era into maximal impact.  With titles from right out of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” every track on this one seems determined to triangulate targets of cool, groovy, and either mellow or rocking tempos.  Anyone who doesn’t think an acoustic guitar fits with electronics is welcome to be proved wrong.  Electric guitar and organ carry several tracks in conversation.  And anyone who likes electronic elements to be backed by actual percussion instruments will be pleased. https://fourfliesrecords.bandcamp.com/album/superground 

10.  “Les Sourdes Oreilles” - Cosmic Analog Ensemble (2018).  This one I think from the name is striving to recreate the sound and feeling of the previous entry, and it succeeds with flying colors, right down to whatever pre-retro thing is happening on the cover.  Also fully instrumental. https://mybags.bandcamp.com/album/les-sourdes-oreilles

Rather than reposting repeatedly, here’s my lists of what’s left on eMusic:  http://www.omnifoo.info/pages/eMuReddit.html 

& by my evaluation http://www.omnifoo.info/pages/eMusic%20Labels.html

& by genre https://www.emusers.net/forum/discussion/comment/94512/#Comment_94512 

Glad for the positive reception of EAS last week.  Here’s a guide for navigating the overwhelming number of labels on eMusic from regions speaking Spanish and/or Portuguese.  Just like the previous list, I hope it show’s there’s still A LOT of interesting music on the site.  

This’ll be more dense and less country-specific b/c I don’t want to look up the individual countries involved.  Again, despite downloading from several of these, “Recommended for You” just keeps pushing the same 5-10 labels and artists, so I expect these will be new for lots of folks on the forum as well.  They’re in approximate descending order of my personal interest, except for the Overflow section (enter at your own risk), with main styles and specific recommendations in parentheses.  If your tastes align with college radio, I think you should be able to find something worth downloading from most of the “favorite” labels below 1. En español, 2. In Portuguese, 3. Overlap, or 4. Favoritos Individuales.  And for the monolingual, don’t despair!  This is decidedly NOT just a list of world music.  Not understanding the lyrics shouldn’t be a problem in your favorite genres or where there are no lyrics to understand, right?

En español:  Terrícolas Imbéciles (rock, pop…Juana Molina, Austin TV); Jabalina (pop); Potoco Discos (hip-hop, electronic); CVRA LVDORVM (rock, pop, world, hip-hop, experimental); Humo (99 cent bargains); Enchufada (electronic, pop); El Templo ReKords (prog rock, jazz, fusion); Artesa de Arte (folk, rock); Hueso (electronic…TV on the Radio fans see “Oido”); CHT Muzik (world, jazz, rock); Beast Discos (rock); Raiz Discos (pop, rock…far-out stuff from Bubu labeled “industrial”); Orion (electronica…favorite is Prototipo);  FOL Musica (folk); Matraca (electronic); Ground Control (synth-pop & rock EPs…try The Parrots);  SubmarinoAtomico (rock, jazz, blues, reggae, world); Discos del Saladillo (rock); Discos de Kirlian (rock); Bost Espacio Creativo (jazz, flamenco); Kuai (jazz); Balaio (jazz); Calle 54 (jazz); Armatoste Brazo Discográfico (rock, pop…all titles only 99 cents!); El Dromedario (gitano, rock); Red Poncho Producciones (rock, pop, jazz); Esmerarte (rock); Merca (folk, rock, jazz, pop); Sello Azul (folk, pop); Severalia (Spanish folk); That’s All Music (pop, rock, jazz, folk); cdcopiadvd (folk); decimulabs (novelty, experimental); musicadelsur (folk, pop); LOWFREQMX (drum & bass); Mass Records (pop); Ouvirmos (folk, new classical…try Zoar albums); Oveja Negra (oldies, jazz, rock); Sello Fisura (hip-hop, rock…try Arias); Roof Cat (punk, metal, pop); Vir (regions of Spain, with attitude…hip-hop, punk, folk, jazz); Áureo Rex (Hard rock but also try Gallo Lobo, La Perra); Rootsound (Eskorzo & Los 300); Little Red Corvette (pop, hip-hop, jazz, rock, electronic); Cassette Alternativo (alt. rock… try Vallow, Liz Unphair) A NEW LABEL (hard rock, metal, punk); Monqui Albino (indie rock); El Genio Equivocado (alt. rock); Triquinoise (hard and older rock); Flor y Nata (rock); Dragora (rock); Chavalote (lots of folks comparing Niño Mercurio to MBV); Mascarpone (experimental); Gandula (rock); Suite Soprano (hip-hop); La Vendicion (hip-hop); Chilevision (folk, rock); Arrhythmia (electronic); Sello Misisipi (blues); Takeo (jazz, folk, and assuredly the only label that’s on both this list and the East Asian one)

In Portuguese:  Sagitta (pop); Groovie (vintage tropicalia…I don’t know why fans of Os Mutantes aren’t raving about this one constantly); Rock It! (synth-pop, pop, and yes, some rock though on the softer side); Dan Dada (dub, electronic, rap); Audio Porto (jazz, rock, electronic); Music in My Soul Portugal (pop, rock); Kimahera (folk, pop, hip-hop, rock, electronic); Tradisom (traditional folk from Portugal problematic for the “world music” versus folk divide); Dope Muzik (rap); Miranda Records Brazil (pop, rock); Music for All (rock, pop, world); Monstro Discos (hard rock, nu-rock); Toca Discos (hard rock…mostly singles); Música Global Discográfica S.L (pop); Big Bit Música (hip-hop); Elemess (pop, rock, electronic); Cultlabel.pt (jazz, folk)

Overlap (en ambas o varias lenguas):  aCentral Folque (folk, world, jazz); Barbes (world); Cambra (world, pop, rock); Microscopi (rock, folk, world, pop); Several (world); Arcadia (pop, rock); Thot (hip-hop)

Favoritos Individuales (Still on the site in Aug.’19, either alone on their “label” or not on a Hispanic/Latin label…I know this the internet, but all you white supremacists out there need to cool it with the “invasion” language y abrazar la música already!):  “Unbalanced:  Concerto for Ensemble” - Moisés P. Sánchez, 2019 [jazz].  “S/t” - Atropolis, 2011 [electronic]; Los Amigos Invisibles [electronic]; Gilberto Gil (lots out there) [folk]; Manu Chao [synth pop/folk]; “No Podemos Volver a Casa” - Mirafiori, 2006 [soft rock]; “Mono Y Toro EP” - Son of Run, 2012 [lounge/electronic]; “Vozero” - Phil Manzanera (rock); “Dulce Compañia” - DJ Python, 2017; 

Overflow (Alphabetically, with tons of titles—easily over 10k—which aren’t my favorites but could be yours, while sustaining long exploration…please report back your findings!):  Abdel la Esencia TRES (dancehall); Abstract Mechanisms (techno); Ace Music (pop, reggae, rock, electronic); Alberri (oldies); Altafonte; Alvo (rock); Analaga (folk, pop, hip-hop); ANAOH (techno); ANDINA INC. (oldies greatest hits); Antequera (oldies); Astro; Astro Discos; Athens of the North; Atresmusica; Autoproducido (a bit of everything); B9 Records (hip-hop); Beastiful (country, folk, electronic); Beathey (house); BeToYou (pop, hip-hop); Blanco Sur (rock); Boa Musica (hip-hop, pop); Bringing Music to Life; Capitan Simio (rock); Caribe Music dos (oldies); CHR (pop, mariachi, rock); Cinquillo; Clap Clap (alt. rock); Cobo; Colombo (pop); Conalmusica (Mexican pop salsa); Cuatro Vientos (new age); Dbn; Deepna (house); Dinastia Inc. (oldies); Discos de la Bahia; Discos Fuentes (oldies, pop, salsa orchestras); Discos Humeantes (punk rock); Discos TRUS (oldies); Discos Walden (rock); Discotoni (old salsa); Don Juan Global Market (salsa, pop, hip-hop); Dora Black (hip-hop); 829Music Mundial LLC (pop, salsa); Eclesiastés Studio (Christian punk); El Segell del Primavera; EO! Música (soft rock like Matchbox20); Ernie; ESPANTAPAJAROS (rock, pop vocalists); Esongs Entertainment (mariachi, oldies, cheesy stuff);  Estudios Multitrack; FAK; Fono Astur; Globomedia Musica; Great Touch-Pow (old salsa); Guarida Sónica (pop, folk); Halcon (old salsa & mariachi); Hall of Fame; IFO Producciones (pop, hip-hop); Imagenes (funk, R&B); Illegal Alien (techno); Independiente/Independiente Music; Indigo; Indie; JBC (metal); Jesus Manuel (pop); Jose Luis Alvarez-Svetlana Novojilova Shulguina (oldies, winner of “worst record label name” here: https://www.reddit.com/r/eMusicofficial/comments/cnnq8j/sample_of_610_remaining_labels_as_of_aug19/ ); Karen (oldies, pop, salsa); La Cupula; La Vanguardia (pop, electronic, rock); Lanzadera; Limbo; Media Music; Miami Moon (pop); Mojo (salsa, hip-hop, pop); Moon Records Lisboa (pop); MTM Ltda; Multitrack (adult contemporary); Mundano (rock, punk);  Names You Can Trust (Salsa, Cumbia); no label (punk); Nubenegra (world); P.M. Productions (folk); PencilBoy (house…but try Poltamento); Phorminx (oldies); Picap (1k titles with unusual amount of jazz); Pirca (rock, fusion); Puzzle Heads (house); Produlam (hard alt. rock);  Right Here Right Now; Producciones Colibrí (jazz, world, pop);  PSM (jazz, rock); Quemasucabeza; Regio Norte (Mexican salsa oldies); Renzhow Productions (pop), Rock Indiana (alt. rock); Rock y Reggae Ediciones S.A.; Santo Grial Producciones (de España in almost all genres); Secret Family (hip-hop); Semifusa Studio (alt. rock); Seres Producoes (house); SG Music (1970s-1980s pop); Sin Anestesia (pop, hip-hop); Subterfuge; Super Discos; Tañidos (classical); Tatun (house/techno); Terror Negro (electronic, hip-hop); TOV Productions (oldies); Trafalgar13 (cortometraje soundtracks); 300 Producciones (rock); TRRR Discos; Tyrell (new age, exp. elec., pop); Ultrapop; Um Passo (techno); Unicornio (oldies, world, rock); Vende (hip-hop, reggae); World Music Factory; YT Rocket (salsa, pop); Zepedabros (rock singles); Zero (rock, hard rock).

As ever, for more detailed label descriptions, see my personal site:  http://www.omnifoo.info/pages/eMusic%20Labels.html Per the sections on the remaining label survey a week ago, more geographic lists are possible with continued gratitude.  And again, dígame the labels I’ve missed!  Every time I think I’ve found all my favorites, a few more pop up in a search, so this’ll be a work in progress like any list.  I expect Latin music enthusiasts on eMusic must outnumber East Asian fans by orders of magnitude.  In no way does the unavailability of music anyone’s heard of on eMusic resemble this classic Simpsons scene:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWxcnl8PL_o   Were everything still available, we’d never have reason to search out these hidden gems!

I like bells & vibes.  Grateful to have gotten Mulatu Astatke albums before they disappeared, vastly prefer The Dylan Group to Bob Dylan, and I need to track down the vibraphonist who toured (tours?) with Les Claypool.

These are still on eMusic and, I daresay, bellísimos:

13 Year Cicada - almost no guitars, but still prog rock w/ a female vocalist (unusual!).  Both albums (2017, 2019) are nice and newish.

“S/t” - Viiste (2019) - short and Nordic, somewhere between rock, jazz, and classical music that’s pretty upbeat.

“Tan” - Foliba (2015) - African world music from Poland.  What could be a safer bet?

Much less obscure are the several albums by Aloha, for which the previous three could almost be a RIYL.  Almost.  Let’s hear it for Polyvinyl hanging in there!

If you’re really enamored and digging the resounding resonance, try the old easy listening from Lem Winchester on the vinyl reissues of TP4.  There’s some old Latin bell jazz albums somewhere, too, but I forget the label.  I admit I haven’t bought any and am less sure that I will.  I did spring for the not-so-creatively named Grupo de Percusión U.C.’s “Kai Kai FiLú” based on the album art and don’t regret it.

Anything else you know of and like (doesn’t need to be on eMusic)?

Not on eMusic but maybe formerly:  tense instrumental rock “S/t” - Glorie (2011), instrumental chamber pop with very fitting title “Flying Fantasy” - Alexander Turnquist (2014); “Ambit” - The Cellar & Point (2014); 

Finally, wholly unrelated to eMusic and steel drums rather than bells, but less a remix than a percussive, acoustic rendering of one of my favorite Aphex Twin songs is one of my favorite songs of all time, and I’m pretty sure I won’t make a steel drum list, so here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XlTjeNHv-8

Maybe I’m biased from regional roots, but as good as the labels are on the previous entry, Eurocentric Studies, I like the offerings here even more, although the catalogs tend to be smaller.  I personally think the entire population of Iceland must be issued a 4-track recorder on their fourth birthdays with the interesting musicians per capita up there.  See if you don’t like these labels a lot more than lutefisk…

Sweden - WU PÆGNE (pop, hip-hop), Kongsvinger Sound & Records (jazz), Tack För Igår (synth-pop), Emotion (synth-pop); Bakery Allstars Recordings (synth-pop, rock); Highspeedart (electronic, experimental, prog rock); Anton Thoursie (rock); Borginihayam (synth-pop); Sigourney (punk); Kamelritt (punk), Rec Rec Records (pop); Popcorn Production (pop); Turpiini (pop); Softakofta (children’s); Hansam (pop); MoeCoe (folk) Wic Mack AB (folk); Majeva, Sväva, Mohlavyr (folk & synth pop); WMWL (electronic);  Margit Studios (blues rock); Gycklargruppen Hyckel (?); Close Enough, Chimären; Floridaz; 

Finland - Eclipse Music Digital (jazz, prog rock); Petsamo Industries (hip-hop), 3rd Rail Music; Urbaanilegenda (hip-hop); Measured Malice (darkwave industrial?); Skies Ablaze (rock); Kalevan ääni; Vaarin Pojat (metal); Urban Hane; Kirahvi nimeltä Tuike (synth-pop); FILIPPA. (pop); Valassaaret (folk); Metronomi (folk rock); Sepikka (pop); Roots Up! (blues); 

Norway -  (jazz, electronic, experimental) Dugnad Rec; (hip-hop) PsykeRecords; Emmsje ehf; Blackstone; vagg&velta; GOP; Ni Tusen; (folk rock) Tjernqvist; AIK Trubaduren; Bart Clavier; Lars Enggard; Art Music; Psych Aid Kit; (electronic) Walking Disco; Oyhopper; Ogaard Music; NATTEN; (pop) Local Heroes; seksten millimeter drøm; Viken Music; Remo Munkeboe; (rock) Betty Records; Redder Records; AlligatorX; (Christian) Nina Dunseth; (experimental) Romtid Musikk; Trygve Saather; (classical folk soundtrack) Norge Productions; (folk) Sadhna; Sophie Kvam; 

Denmark - (rock) Ramberg med Band, RUMKLANG; (hip-hop) Lille Høg; MUKAFUKA; Farda; (punk) Dwarf Records;  (pop) Dansktop Powerpop; seksten millimeter drøm; 

Baltics - Sentimony (light trance from Latvia); ICE Audio (Estonian electronica); Musikinė Partija (children’s, pop, rock); Saulės Muzika (folk); Zemer (old folk music);

Iceland - (electronic, synth-pop) Moller, Raftonar; (hip-hop) Nolem, SXSXSX, Bjartr; (hip-hop, folk rock) Basement Studios; 

Somewhere Nordic (maybe should just lump most in here to avoid errors) - (light metal) Redder Records; (electronic pop) GBR, Elephantomime Production; Hr. Larsen, Rosengren (soft rock); Borgersen, Bølgan (rock); Kalle.P, Glyggi, Ethyone (hip-hop); Svenssen (rock) Prosject: 2G (rock); Svarta Moln (metal); Brenna Records (synth-pop); Lyskestrekk (wannabe disco synth-pop); Turning Tool (electronic punk); Falth Production (warped synth-pop); Erik Svendsen Lausten (jazz); Bjørn Svin, Svartkonst (electronic); Bergolf (soft rock)

Given that record labels in English-speaking areas don’t always trumpet where they’re headquartered, this section is a bit half-hearted, since looking up each individual label on my master list (http://www.omnifoo.info/pages/eMusic%20Labels.html) to see if it belongs here would take an even longer time.  I looked up the top four tiers at least.  I’m sure veterans have some that I missed.  I welcome comments for addition/revision as ever.

Ireland - All City Dublin (hip-hop); WeGrowWax (downtempo electronic); Dublin Xpress (house);  

Canada - Multi Culti, King Deluxe, LOaF (electronic); Monkey Dub (dubstep); Light Organ (most genres covered); Infinite Machine (techno)

Australia & NZ- Feral Media, Provenance (pop); Deaf Ambitions; Green South (folk, Celtic); RKJ (pop singles); Midium (instrumental electronic & rock)

UK - (Welsh rock) Recordiau Cae Gwyn, Recordiau JigCal, Copa, Crai; (post-rock) Indelabel, Awkward Formats; (general rock) Gare du Nord, Unity Glasgow, All the Madmen, Hero Rhymes with Zero, Humble Soul, Fisk, Platform, Shinkansen, Song By Toad, Stolen Body, Stroll On, VRS; (hip-hop) Boot; (folk rock) Sotones, Tantrum; (electronic) Tape Club, Activia Benz, Astro:Dynamics, Burning Witches, Byrd Out Limited, Civil Music, Death Waltz, Downwards, Eglo, Exceptional, Ghost Box, Groove Butta, Hydrogen Dukebox, Illicit Recordings, Intellegenix, Just Music, Leng, Lo Recordings, Off Me Nut, Not Applicable, Passive Front, Quango/Pork, Romeda, Romlus Records, Rotters Golf Club, Skas, Uncharted Audio; (ambient) Focused Silence, Personal Escape, 3rd and Debut, Odd John; (punk, various) The State51 Conspiracy, Overground, Milky Bomb, Trashmouth; (electronic, rock, folk rock) Static Caravan, Accidental Records, wiaiwya, Peacefrog, Pedigree Cuts; (more Welsh folk, reggae, etc.) Rasal Records, Gwymon, Sain, Lliwen Foster, Al Lewis Band; (Scottish folk) Aaron Fyfe; (synth-pop) Moshi Moshi, Drums of Death; (world) Catapulte; (jazz) Gondwana, Jazzman; (avant garde) Bladud Files; (reggae, dub) Pressure Sounds, Yam & Banana, Nice Up!; (turntablism, urban electronic) Colony Productions; (hip-hop, Afrobeat, electronic, jazz, etc.) First Word

Individual favorites from cold places and Down Under:  Deadly Avenger, Adam Stafford, Jon Olafsson & Futuregrapher, Julian Haugland, Andi Otto, Spongebob Squarewave, Andy Fosberry, Metamatics, Global Goon, Aphir, 

I guarantee I’ve got some of the countries wrong and welcome corrections.  Almost none of the labels for the Nordic countries would qualify as “significant” in the number of available releases, but they generally make up for it in quality.  

Just had to remove a couple of beloved Finnish jazz labels (We Jazz, Sähkö) before posting today and haven’t double-checked all of these since starting to compile weeks ago.  Anything of quality on this list should be considered critically endangered, so check them out while you can!  Winter is coming.  I’m pretty shocked they let Merge go so unceremoniously, but all these do soften the blow for me…whittling my wishlist below 400 has been an ongoing and unmet goal for months now.

Thus concludes the eMusic geographic label list tour.  Notably left unexplored are India/Nepal/Pakistan/Bangladesh and SE Asia, as most all I’ve found there have been film soundtracks, sketchy world stuff, and a few interesting Indonesian rock and pop labels.  If anybody wants to try a thorough search of those regions, consider the torch passed.  Still hoping these will be springboards for sustained dialog and recommendations.  I’m going to switch over to genre lists, starting with rock…maybe next week.

If you browse eMusic’s “world” section by these three countries, you get less than three pages worth of repetitive, worthless titles, and virtually none of these labels show up at all.

French Labels - Alpha Better (pop, hip-hop singles); Because Music (rock, synth pop); Faites Leur Des Disques (house); Hope Music Group (pop singles);  JTV Digital (French African, pop, electronic); Kamal A La Prod. Inc. (hip-hop singles); La Musique du Beau Monde (house); LEPM DIGITAL (accordion folk); Nuit Blanche (pop, hip-hop); Patch Work Production (reggae, cafe music); Petrol Chips (synth-pop, rock, hip-hop, lounge); PGD/Titanium Digitals (1980s, pop); Pschent (synth-pop, house, disco); SIX SARL (pop, rock); Swish MGMT/France (R&B); vietnam (pop); Y&W (hip-hop);   Too small but maybe worthwhile, mostly in pop/rock:  Apolon Music France, Capitol Music France, ICI, Opulence Clique, Circus company, Popzer Music France, Edge of Town, Touche Francaise, CDQP, Pour Vous (electronic EP singles).

Italian Labels - AEROSTELLA (rock); Arision (jazz, electronic); Bacci Bros (film soundtracks); Bagana Edizioni Musicali SAS (metal); Bordello A Parigi (pop); Cantieri Sonori (pop); Edizioni Leonardi Srl (cheesy oldies, pop); Egea (light jazz, classical); El Segell del Primavera (rock, pop); ELETTRONICA ROMANA (tech house EPs); EMI General Music srl/EMI Music Publishing Italia Srl (Morricone, etc. classic film soundtracks); Expanded Music Srl (electronic, pop); Felmay (pop); Filibusta Records Srls (well produced pop with attitude); Flipper Srl (classical); Forward Music Italy Srl (prog rock, punk, blues); Four Flies Srls (vintage rock, pop); Grooviglio (pop); Hell Yeah (ambient, electronic, synth-pop); Jazz Engine (best source of new jazz on eMusic); Joe & Joe (pop vocalists); La Lumaca Dischi (pop, rock, hip-hop, dub); Look Studio Srl (jazz, electronic, world, classical); MBC Srl (folk, blues, R&B); Milk Snc (jazz); Monteverde (cheesy MIDI); Nota (jazz, classical, hip-hop); Novunque (pop, rock); Pirames International Srl (pop); Pizzico (house, techno); RadiciMusic (folk, rock); Relief Records EU Sas (hip-hop, reggae, pop); Rivoluzione Dischi (pop singles); Rupa Rupa (reggae, pop, hip-hop); Saar Srl (old jazz/blues, cheesy pop); Slow Motion (techno); Start Studios Srl (pop, hip-hop); Terre Sommerse (jazz, pop, classical);  Traktoria (tech house); Trepertre Srl (neo-disco, electronic); THEWEBENGINE SRLS (pop, cheese); Wiz Music Srl (proto-punk?, 1980s pop rock); WM Boxes Ed. (jazz); zyx/discomagic (disco).  Searching for labels with “Srl” at the end yields a metric ton that fail to reach a significant number of titles or are overrun by compilations; some might be worthwhile.

For a lot of these above, I can’t help but think of Italian Spiderman:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhHhXukovMU

German Labels - Amselcom (electronic w/ vocals); Bassukah (hip-hop); Berlin Aufnahmen  [ViP] (techno); Berliner Music (pop techno); Berlinist (tech house); Chrom (avant-garde, electronic); Complatt (house); Cosmic Disco (electronic); Frucht (house); Gallery (cheesy EBM); Grundsound (folk); Guesthouse Berlin (techno); Hamburg Aufnahmen (techno); Harthouse (techno); Jazzwerkstatt; Karo.Me (rock); Laika lebt (rock); Mind Field (melodic techno); Muller (techno); Naturmacht Productions (doom metal); O*RS (techno); Panda Bär (spoken word); stille (all Klaus Hoffman folk, all the time); Strange Ways (synth-pop); Trikont (folk punk, experimental, rock); Trocadero (industrial synth-goth?); Unknown Capability (East German Olympic electronica); Volume Berlin (techno);  Zeitstrafe (alt. rock, punk, metal, synth-pop); Zoom (cheesy synth-pop); Berlin Music Commission (v/a compilations).  There’s probably a fair bit more in house and techno, but I’m not going to go looking for it.

Other or Mixed European Labels - Alter K (all genres), Amsterdam Classics (classical);  Arcadia (pop); Artist & Company (folk rock);  Aube (electronic); Barbes (world); Blowpipe (synth-pop, rock, electronic); Boumquer Edition (pop, hip-hop); Connected Records Holland (house EP singles); Deephouse Amsterdam; Detroit-Berlin (Belgian techno); Digital Distribution Netherlands (pop, electronic, jazz); Domestica (old synth-pop); DZV (Pater Moeskroen’s Dutch folk rock); Equipe (pop); Europe Black Ink (very short electronica); Flexrecords (pop singles); Ghoststyle Records (Belgium) (techno EP singles); Hans Mondial (darkwave industrial, drone, folk); Heidens Hart (Dutch black metal); Inbetweens (classic rock); Knekelhuis (electronic); Krishna Music Group (Italian & French pop singles); Le Fornia (hip-hop); Live in Europe-Amstel (jazz, world);  Mascarpone (experimental); Musiche Furlane Fuarte (rock, pop, hip-hop, dub, world); 1dayrecords Amsterdam (light techno singles); Sound Vision Studio (Dutch acoustic and folk pop); Stahlplatten (Swiss techno); Strange Life (electronic); Stroom (new wave, electronic); Thot (hip-hop); Under Pressure (Belgium) (techno EP singles);

Note that inclusion in these lists does not denote approval; it just means there’s a significant number of albums to browse.  Nobody needs to be told that a lot of what’s left on the site sucks.  Being more accessible than other lists, you can judge for yourself, and I will say that I find quality in Europe to be more consistent overall than the other regions I’ve posted.  I think there’s enough good stuff on these labels alone to keep the average music lover subscribed, assuming they’re willing to sample things they’ve never heard of.  I’ve probably missed plenty, so please help fill in the blanks.

From here, my top ten label priorities for exploration are currently Trikont, Alter K, vietnam, Petrol Chips, Knekelhuis, Hell Yeah, Chrom, Pschent, Storm, Filibusta.  Before beginning this label-hunting jag, I’d pretty much only downloaded from or browsed Jazz Engine, Harthouse, and Because Music (all still fine but no longer a priority) from this list.  A lot of effort goes a long ways, so I hope you’ll explore too!

Individual Favorites from the Heart of Europe - Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra, Le SuperHomard, Kid Francescoli, Christine and the Queens, Fitness Forever, Lazar (IT), Transfigure.  Admittedly, most of what I Iiked from countries on this list is no longer on the site.  With this list and knowing where to search, this list will assuredly grow.

Stay tuned next week for the geographic finale of Northern Europe and the UK.

From days of yore hosting a Sino-Japanese alternative music show on KUCI, I can recommend good albums and bands from StreetVoice, but the rest beckon starts from scratch.  My Chinese/Korean/Japanese alternative music subsites are works in progress but I hope helpful for exploring beyond the confines of eMusic.

Chinese - StreetVoice; WinGo Music Media; Icing Culture.  http://www.omnifoo.info/pages/Alternative%20Chinese.html  

(Recommended Mainland entry points:  Second Hand Roses - either the “Used Rose” LP if you’re feeling frisky or the 99-cent “Lover” EP offer rock that has been compared to Frank Zappa (if only b/c it’s wild and crazy in a way that doesn’t lend itself to easy comparison.  It’s not far off.)  Kawa - “The Route Out of Yunnan” offers a take on reggae that’s worth trying.  Wang Wen albums (there’s several on eMusic) are serviceable post-rock.  Not sure what Zhaoze (The Swamp) are doing on their live album, but their studio work alternates between alt. rock with synths to post-rock on traditional instruments.  The three albums by ITSOGOO are the Mainland’s finest in jazzy hip-hop.  I’ve got a loooong way to go before I can recommend stuff from Taiwan but it’s nice not to have to cross an ocean for the time being.  I at least can say Cicada of Taiwan could be called light new classical.)

Korean - Magic StrawBerry Sound; YOUNG,GIFTED&WACK; dingn\dnts; Greater Fools; Studio Broccoli; SUGARRECORDS; The Valiant; d3ip; Ruby Record; STEEL FACE; illoYlo; 2story; Cosmos Hippie; MODERNBOY ENT.; vomrecords; tearliner; ttoc; Casker; peripericompany; NHJO HYENRO; Diatology; YG Entertainment; Jarip; In the endless zanhyang we are; GMM; Cogason; B-Records; Oh Hee Jung; Night Riding; WISUE Music; Smalltown; Bluestream; LEEXLEE; Woozus    (Typing random HanGul yields results, though most are just one or two artists.)

Japanese - Chimera Music; Takeo; NATURE BLISS; Space Dog! ; S.C.S; Hypnotic Room Japan; DiY Gang Entertainment; White Paddy Mountain.  (Typing random katakana only seems to yield trash comps.  Japanese artists seem to be much better integrated into the catalogs of Western labels.  It could be because there’s no noticeable drop-off in quality, whereas I’d still give Korean and Chinese bands a bit of a handicap for rocking in hard places.)  http://www.omnifoo.info/pages/DSAonKUCI/Links%20Japanalt.html

If anyone knows more like these above on eMusic, please let me know!

Chinese pop singles labels (not recommended, but hear for yourself) - 酝星文化; 嗨库文化; 北京咚吧嗒文化有限公司; 成都塔堡文化传播有限公司

Poland (Keeping eMusic jazz alive!):

Approved- Kalejdoskop (wildly indescribable); Karrot Kommando (pop, rock); Thin Man (P indie rock, synth pop); VRS (alt. & prog rock); AGORA S.A. (pop, rock); Plexus of Infinity (jazz, metal, world, experimental); Astigmatic (jazz, electronic, experimental); MTJ (post-punk...Siekera, Klaus Mittfoch,Brygada Kryzis..., oldies, classical, jazz);

Hit & Miss (at least a couple titles of interest)- Polskie Radio (jazz); Lou & Rocked Boys (punk); Bartosz Leśniewski(krautrock); Step (hip-hop);

Questionable- MyMusic Group (pop, easy listening & cheese); Sound Art (blues); Aloha Entertainment (hip-hop); Aptaun(hip-hop); Asfalt (hip-hop); 83Nagrania (hip-hop); Embryo Nagrania (hip-hop); Biuro Ochrony Rapu (hip-hop); NNJL Jakub Gendzwill (hip-hop); New Media (hip-hop, pop);

Rejected- Luna (randomness); Agencja Artystyczna B.M. (Eurotrash discopop); Wydawnictwo Muzyczne FOLK (utter trash synth-pop);

Russia (Given its ongoing status as the original Napster on a national level, it may seem especially silly to pay money for Russian music, but hey, there’s a slightly greater chance of an artist getting paid if purchasing through eMu, right? I gather Russia must be a very hard place to avoid, let alone create, something other than pop.):

Recommended without reservation (I could imagine hearing/playing lots on U.S. college radio)- MARS Records(instrumental rock, folk rock, jazz, electronic); Свет и Тени (punk, post-punk, goth, Alt. rock, synth-pop, hip-hop…think Sub Pop & Polyvinyl); Bastard Boogie Tunes / Союз Мьюзик (electronic); Ledokol (electronica); Recordzman (some indie rock, pop); FANCYMUSIC (classical, jazz, electronica); I am sadly unable to judge which Russian hip-hop label is the best, so they’re all in sections below.

Found one or two interesting titles for the Wishlist- Embers (electronic); Ionoff (all genres and looks cool with v. large catalog); Lasmus (classical, electronic, experimental); Assist for Artist (solo piano, pop); A+ (hip-hop, pop); Content Chaos (various electronica); Monolit (pop); Russian Techno (pretty obvious); SELF Music Publishing (rock); Startup (pop, electronica); Treesare (rock); Moveton (techno); Новая Школа (hip-hop); Студия СОЮЗ (Soyusmultifilm…pop); Союз(pop, hip-hop); Первое Музыкальное Издательство (pop, hip-hop, rock); Выргород (rock, experimental); ООО «Национальный Цифровой Агрегатор» (rock); Flaxyz (hip-hop, pop); GMC (pop, metal...Nokturnal Mortum..., electronic);

Up to your ears in mediocrity- Triartum (electronic, pop); MALFA (pop singles); Siyah (hip-hop); NTA Electronic; OOO “Мэйнстрим Продакшн” (pop); Союз Мьюзик (pop, punk, rock, hip-hop); Борт номер один (RU) (Alt. rock); Diamond(electronic, pop); TAPOCHQA (hip-hop); Lavina (rock); Глория Медиа (pop singles); Stolica (darker hip-hop); Decent Rap (hip-hop); OneMuz (hip-hop, pop vocalists); AVK Продакшн (pop, hip-hop, rock); Стихия Мьюзик & Чудесаунд / Союз Мьюзик (two labels of hard rock); NBS (trance, hip-hop, pop); ООО "Продюсерский центр И.Матвиенко” (folk, rock, pop, church?); SHUFFLE RECORDZ (rock, ska, electronic, hip-hop); MAESTRIC music (pop, hip-hop, rock, acoustic pop); А+/Студия СОЮЗ (pop, hip-hop); Magic Cat (hard rock, metal); Blat (blues, punk, pop, hip-hop); AFERA (hip-hop, beats); Trend (pop); Издательство «Хорошая музыка» (folk pop, hip-hop); UMI & Microphone Global & Лаборатория звука (3 labels of pop); ActOrchestra (hip-hop, beats); Zeon (synth-pop); IVXX/A+ (pop, hip-hop); Idenline (pop); 42 (hip-hop, pop); ООО "Р-Концерт” (pop); KM Music Label (pop); SUTYXIVE (hip-hop); TuneCloud(trance singles); AVEC (pop, electronica); Brand Music Records (pop, solo piano); Digital Project (pop, hip-hop);EPIGRAFF (dubstep); General Hits (hip-hop); GFM (hip-hop);

Nyet. Just nyet.- Maxim (a lot of garbage and pop); RMG (R Eurotrash electronic pop); Recordsman (R pop vocalists, electronica); Dvamira (synth-pop); ООО "ВВВ.РЕКОРД” (old pop vocalists); ООО «Верго Мьюзик» (spoken word, pop); Meladze Music/Первое музыкальное Издательство (pop, pop vocalists); ООО "Медиалайн” (old pop); ООО "Издательство Монолит” (pop vocalist, pop, spoken word); THT-Телесеть / Первое музыкальное Издательство(singing pageant contestants); Greenstar (R Eurotrash synth-pop);

Eastern Europe neither Poland nor Russia or mixed sources (Identifying exactly where some of these are from proved too difficult.):

Approved- VIDLIK (Ukraine, pop); ECDC (Hungarian rock, pop, folk); Gusstaff (rock, electronica); Jimmy Jazz (rock, punk, folk); Michal Przerwa-Tetmajer (jazz); Prosto (hip-hop);

Questionable- Szpadyzor (hip-hop); Take It Or Leave It (rock, world, pop); Hood’G’Fam Entertainment (hip-hop); Musideco (EE classical);

More detailed but still brief label descriptions and evaluations are here: http://www.omnifoo.info/pages/eMusic%20Labels.html

As for specific recommendations, I’ll admit that I wouldn’t consider downloading anything from most of these labels unless it’s 99 cents, which incidentally is not in short supply. I’d hope the top picks have something even for someone with no regional interest at all (i.e. someone who just likes rock, jazz, or electronic music and doesn’t care where it’s from).

Individual favorites from the region (including Balkan stuff): Sarakina; Paul Lyytinen Magnetia Orkesteri; Arek Czernysz Trio; Nazar Kozhukhar & The Pocket Symphony; Balkan Paradise Orchestra; Onuka; Budka Suflera;

Found Mr. Trololo’s single, too: https://www.emusic.com/album/212890822/-/------- If you’ve been living under a rock, the internet sensation lives here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oavMtUWDBTM and is differently hilarious here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ78IlJs5JQ I presume Эдуард Хиль is his name, and I’ve seen interviews on Youtube, if you want the full story.

Many of the Polish labels, especially Kalejdoskop and Karrot Kommando, are at least worth sampling, as is the electronica on Ledokol. Hard rock fans should sample around in SELF Music Publishing and Thin Man for lighter, synthier stuff. Свет и Тени https://www.emusic.com/label/839089/--?sortField=POPULARITY&descending&pageNumber=1 has something for everyone, and from 2019, if you’re willing to sample. If you’ve got a particular interest in the region, language ability (I’ve a sneaking suspicion some of what I labeled Polish might be Czech or something else), hip-hop and electronica are pretty well served. Strike that. I’d wager that there’s now more Polish or Russian rap on eMusic than there is in English. Separately. Combined, it’s not even close. Much more likely I’ve missed significant labels here, as I lack the lingo skills. Go listen and comment, please!

La decimocuarta edición de Sonikas tendrá lugar en el Centro Cultural Lope de Vega que está situado en el barrio de Entrevías.

World premiere Landscapes of a Voice by Roland Kuit, 2016

Roland Kuit - Kyma | Karin Schomaker - Visuals

Sábado 3. [20h.] Elías Merino /// [21h.] Roland Emile Kuit + Karin Schomaker
Domingo 4. [20h.] Ann Deveria (Ángel Mancebo y José Tena) /// [21h.] Peter Kutin

Centro Cultural Lope de Vega. Madrid, Spain

http://madrid.carpediem.cd/events/1850498-roland-kuit-landscapes-of-a-voice-wereldpremi-re-at-centro-cultural-lope-de-vega/

Anders Koppel (born 17 July 1947 in Copenhagen) was a co-founder in 1967 of the rock group Savage Rose. Since 1976, he has been a member of the trio Bazaar. He also plays in the trio Koppel-Andersen-Koppel which includes his son, saxophone player Benjamin Koppel. Koppel has twice received the Robert for best film score (1994 and 1996).

Koppel has composed music for eight ballets for the New Danish Dance Theatre and music for more than 150 movies, 50 theatrical plays and three musicals. Koppel has composed over 90 works for classical ensembles, chamber music and 20 concertos, among them two saxophone concertos and four marimba concertos.

He played the piano as a child with his father, composer Herman D. Koppel and later clarinet with several television and concert appearances. He began playing the organ in 1966.

Mini Biography:
- Danish musician Peter Bastian is one of four children of opera singers Gert and Birgit Bastian. Following his high school graduation in 1962 he studied physics at Copenhagen University for about nine years, but found increasing interest in music. His main instruments were basoon and clarinet. From 1971 to 1983 he was a student of the conductor Sergiu Celibidache. Since then he has been a significant member of the Danish music scene, forming and playing in several bands in the folk and classical genres, composing ballets, and teaching at the Royal Danish Conservatoire. In addition, he has made great efforts to popularize music and its theories, especially through 1987's bestselling book "Ind i musikken" and several series of passionate lectures."
- IMBd