Ferhat Enjoying “Turkish Delights”
The Swiss-Turkish musician and actor Ferhat mixes traditional Turkish bouzouki riffs with electronic beats aimed squarely at sweaty dance clubs, and lyrics that carry a clear message. His new EP “Turkish Delights” is one passionate plea for rainbow tolerance wrapped in six songs. The video for the track “Pehlivan”, for instance, is a beautifully executed […]
Eurosonic – 19 – 22 January 2022 – Groningen, NL
Eurosonic 2022 goes digital once again. Everything had been in place for a return to the real, analogue live version of our beloved ESNS in Groningen. SME had been hugely looking forward to the trip. Annie Taylor, Dino Brandão, Evelinn Trouble, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Kety Fusco, Mehmet Aslan and our shooting star of 2021, Priya Ragu, were […]
Danitsa Drops Her “Sycle”
26 November 2021 sees the release of “Sycle”, the new album from Geneva-based singer Danitsa. It is her first under a new deal with Island Records/Universal. Still working with her usual Evidence Music crew, it features guest spots from soft-voiced British rapper Maverick Sabre and from the singer, Deva. Born in Paris into a music-loving […]
Namaka Inspired by Break-up
After a handful of atmospheric and possibly Björk-inspired EPs, Namaka have at last managed to get round to an album. Entitled “Restore”, it is released on 26 November 2021 via Mouthwatering Records. According to Wikipedia, Namaka is “the smaller, inner moon of the trans-Neptunian dwarf planet Haumea. It is named after Nāmaka, the goddess of […]
Muthoni Drummer Queen Following the “River”
Entitled “River”, the new album by Muthoni Drummer Queen was released on 19 November 2021 by the French indie label Yotanka Records. Following on from the remarkable “SHE”, “River” is the fourth album from a super busy artist whose formidable presence has enriched countless festivals and recordings over the past few years, including a stunning […]
Dino Brandão Bounces into Solo Action
Released in April, Dino Brandão’s first solo single “Bouncy Castle” has already notched up half a million Spotify streams. Now follows an eponymous EP, released on 12 November by Two Gentlemen Records. With a father hailing from Angola and a Swiss mother, Brandão’s music draws inspiration from a unique set of influences. “Bouncy Castle” is […]
Cégiu Revelling in “Glowing Goodbyes”
It is most definitely an intriguing title that cellist Cégiu has given to her new album, her third: “Glowing Goodbyes”. It was released on 19 November 2021 by Musicbox Entertainment in collaboration with Irascible Music. “A parting of ways isn’t a unique and abruptly ending process for me”, she explains. “A parting always leaves an […]
“Sponsored Post” from Messina
Concept albums rarely come more expansive than “Sponsored Post” by art-rock quartet MESSINA from Winterthur. Winterthur is a smallish town a 25-minute train ride away from Zurich with a surprisingly vibrant music and art scene. “Sponsored Post” certainly reflects that fact. Released on 19 November 2021 by Lauter, the album is accompanied by a videogame […]
Long Tall Jefferson Has His Head in the Clouds
Exactly one year ago, Long Tall Jefferson aka Simon Borer surprised us all with his new album, “Cloud Folk”. Hitherto a troubadour of quietly ruminative songs cast in a predominantly acoustic and folky setting, he had discovered autotune, laptop beats and all sorts of synth tricks to come up with a style he called “Cloud […]
Evelinn Trouble’s Extended “A Blue December Calendar”
Fresh from the release of her fantastic new album, “Longing Fever” (Mouthwatering Records), Evelinn Trouble has returned to something that could almost be called a tradition by now – the musical A Blue December Calendar. Launched in 2018, like a conventional Christmas calendar, it starts on 1 December and ends on Christmas eve, theoretically, with […]
