Colin Newman - Provisionally Entitled The Singing Fish (1981)

Love this on a Sunday. I've been listening to a lot of This Heat side projects lately (Camberwell Now, Gareth Williams/Mary  Currie), this is hitting me in that sweet spot, guess I need to go down the Wire rabbit hole now (any recs?). Not too many ideas at once, perfectly arranged, smart electronic pop songs. "Fish Seven" is my favorite at the moment, sounds like he's jamming with first-album-era Harmonia. Dig that provisional fish!

Gone fishin'

Brian Eno - Textures (1989)

Don't think I've ever posted Eno here before - huge oversight, I guess I assume most of his work is readily available. Heard about this one on the defunct-for-years Puzz1e blog. Wonder how Eno ended up releasing work for a music library label? Guess it makes a lot of sense... Anyway, seeing the asking price on discogs, I don't feel too guilty about sharing this.

This one is all over the shop: right now, I'm listening to "Evil Thoughts", a slow-burn funk number that wouldn't sound out of place on a Ned Doheny record. Some songs have caught my ear with their use of field recordings of animals/wind instruments (or simulacra of these), so buckle up, fourth worlders. Something for everyone! Maybe I've just been listening to a lot of that RVNG K. Leimer comp, but I'm hearing that in terms of the eclecticism on show.

Liner notes: 

...crisp surfaces with mysterious lumps...

Steve Kuhn - Steve Kuhn (1971)

For the first time in a while, as evidenced by some recent posts, I've been vibing with the '70's. This one's got it for miles - smooth post-bop runs on the electric piano, soulful vocals from SK reminiscent on occasion of bossa nova, a killer rhythm section (Ron Carter, Billy Cobham AND Airto!?!), some of-the-time spazz outs... get you some!

enjoy

Sigi Schwab, Chris Hinze, Jasper Van't Hof - Total Musik (1982)

File somewhere between electronic, jazz, classical and folk, with a little mbira on top. Sometime I'll get around to posting Schwab's album "Meditation", which is up there with some of Ashra's longform guitar workouts of the 70's. And Jasper Van't Hof's explorations of African music and collaborations with Archie Shepp, Markus Stockhausen, etc. will get their due soon too. Guitar, flute, woodwinds, thumb piano, acoustic piano, synths... give your ears a highbrow sound bath. 

enjoy

Bennie Maupin - The Jewel in the Lotus (1974)

Had the pleasure of seeing Bennie and his band recently at a music festival in Watts. They played some crowd-pleasers ("Butterfly", "Watermelon Man"), it was great stuff. This one's a bit beyond all that, free, alternating between the serene theme of opener "Ensenada" and the chilling incantations and drone of "Excursion". Herbie is in fine form here. I'd feel remiss if I didn't note that the title track is one loping, moody stream of a song. Gorgeous...

enjoy