lockdown : vinyl find #12.

It starts like in a movie. You're walking in a lobby, hearing a very light melody, then the door opens and the music gets louder. Time to enter in a different world... 

This album is about Brittany. The sleeve is written in Breton, the songs are sung in Breton, and apart from the address of the record label, there's no clue of a French origin. This tells you a lot about the motivations of the authors. 

Although labelled as the work of Kristen Noguès, this album seems to be a real team effort, under the wing of the label Nevenoe, which apparently promoted Britanny's culture (if not more).. They were activists. And this album is an artistic and political statement. 

I found it in a second-hand store in Brussels (again). I wasn't particularly attracted by the burdungy colour of the sleeve. I didn't know who Kristen Noguès was (but a guy is making a thesis about her), nor did I know the language used on the cover. But I noticed the address of the record label, located in Brittany. I could connect the dots... There are a lot of Celtic records in France, due to the fame of Dan Ar Braz, Tri Yann and a few other bands, and I usually don't buy these records. But something looked different about this one. And oh boy, I was right... 

The B side, for example, starts on a almost Arabic note... there's a sense of tenderness all along the album, which shouldn't be a surprise, with Noguès' background as a harp player. But strangely, despite being a prominent harpist, and photographed with a harp on the cover, she's not credited as playing any harp on the record. 

When diving into the credits, the oriental touch (though Persian and not Arabic) makes sense, as a zarb, an Iranian drum instrument, is used. No other drum is used, mostly strings and horns, but nothing like a common Celtic record ; don't expect bagpipes and binious, there's none. 

And that's what makes this record different. Sweet and comforting. 

Kristen Noguès - Marc'h gouez.

 
Here's this (too) short album, in full.

lockdown : vinyl find #11.

This is a small one. A 45rpm. I don't buy many 45's, as I don't have the same pleasure listening to them as I have with a 20-minute side. But from time to time, when I fall on a good piece, or something that reminds me of a good time, I can buy. 

As I was touring in Turkey, jumping from one bus to another along the southern coast, I didn't stop for records in most towns. I only did it in the last one, which was Izmir. Rain was pouring, and a cold one on top of it. Cats and dogs. Izmir hosts so many good record stores that I had to spend more than the usual one or two days there ; I stayed four days. Several stores are located within the bazar ; it's a maze, but they're pretty well known, and located next to the jewellers, on the first floor of a building that is right next to a mosque. In those stores, you'll find the vintage Turkish rock you're looking for, although they're pricey ; they adjusted the prices to the high demand, both domestic and international. Baris Manço, Erkin Koray, Okay Temiz, Ersen, Alpay... you name it... I bought quite a few, and consequently spent a lot. Then, I visited other stores, outside the bazar. And even in the northern part of town. 

There, there was this book store, that also had a lot of records, mostly foreign records and new stuff from the current Turkish scene. I wanted to buy several records, but started lacking cash, as I bought too many (or too expensive ones) at the bazar. So, at night time, before end of business, I left the record at the store, and ran to the closest ATM, which was not very close to the store. The machine swallowed my credit card. Now, that's something you don't want to happen when you're abroad. Ever. But it did happen. And I was left, so to speak, with my dick in my hand. Fortunately, it was my last night in Turkey and I had enough money for a train ticket to the airport, and maybe have a tea there. But nothing more. 

So, I went back to the shop, and took advantage of it to find shelter from the heavy rain and call the Visa service, with nothing but my sorry face to show to the owner. 

But there were better moment of digging of course. In a very small shop, I found these two old guys, one without teeth, who were talking about music while hiding liquor behind the desk. I sat down in front of a turntable with a few records to listen to, and after a few minutes the owner started providing me with more and more records to listen to. I tend to think it was not oriented, he just wanted me to listen. Minutes passed by, then an hour, and the two guys were getting pretty drunk... As I started mentioning the names of the big stars, the owner went to his secret stash and unveiled treasures. Among them, was the 45 by Okay Temiz, with the track "Dokuz sekiz" on it. It's a tribal,  heavy psychedelic piece of music. And the A side is on the same level, though less crazy and more folk-ish. So it's a classic among diggers and can cost a small fortune. Although the owner insisted, I refused to buy it considering the high price, and also because the cover was a colour scan of the original. I went back to listening some other records, selected what I wanted to take away, and went to the counter... the bill was big again. As I was leaving with a big smile, the drunk owner slapped Temiz' 45 on top of my pile of records. As a gift. 

Okay Temiz - Dokuz sekiz / Denizalti Rüzgarlari.

Here are the two tracks.

Turkish kindness. Or drunkenness.

lockdown : vinyl find #10.

Back in 2009, I spent a few months in a confined area with a few guys. One of them happened to be obsessed with a French singer, Jean-Jacques Goldman. See, Goldman, now almost reclusive and not producing anything, seems to have lived many lives. First a band member, capable of playing several instruments as well as singing, he then acquired fame as a solo act, before launching a pop trio, and wrote and produced for others (Céline Dion anyone ?) to be successfull thanks to his talent. A true genius. 

This Goldman-loving guy had no preference about his career, and he talked a lot about Goldman's days among the group Taï Phong. Of course, I knew about Goldman (I mean, who wouldn't know him in France ? He's often ranked as the favorite French personality even though he almost disappeared from the news radars), and vaguely knew he had been a member of a band called Taï Phong. 

Little did I know about the type of music Taï Phong played. Well, it was progressive rock, in a very good and refined fashion ; think something like The Moody Blues. The vocals are not memorable, as Goldman's voice can turn to be unbearable at times (but he wasn't the only singer), but the quality of the music remains. Although not the frontman of the band (Taï Phong was founded by two Vietnamese brothers, Khanh and Taï), Goldman was a key member of the band. 

In December 2017, I was digging records at the Brussels Records Fair, held at the Ravenstein Gallery. The fair happens every 6 months, and it's a very good one. I used to have my little habits over there, always going to the same booths and knowing what I could find and for how much. On this day, I bought Taï Phong's first album, released in 1975, out of curiosity, because I remembered what that old friend had told me almost a decade before. The cover, displaying a samurai in a cartoon way, was pleasant, and the info inside the gatefold sleeve was straight to the point. It confirmed Goldman's role in the band : vocals, guitars and a bit of violin.

The influence of British pop and prog rock is obvious. There's nothing about the Vietnamese roots of the band founders. The arrangements are great though : the guys know their stuff on the guitars, and Jean-Alain Gardet brings some well crafted keyboard parts, especially on the organ. The production has everything you would expect from a mid-1970's record in terms of effects and sound. 

Did I mention that they sing in English ? The record is indeed intended at a wider audience than the usual French pop (which is also why Goldman left the band later on). With only three songs per side, including the hit "Sister Jane", songs are long enough to mentally escape, with long instrumental parts... the ideal record for lockdown. 

Taï Phong - Taï Phong.

Here's the album, as a YouTube playlist.

On that day, at the record fair, I did not only found records. I also, and above all, found love. 

lockdown : vinyl find #9.

In 1999, I was in high school, living in Toulouse, France. The band Zebda was at the peak of their career, and their fame made them natural ambassador of the city. So, when they made a concert at the newly built Zénith room, the whole town wanted to be there. My father managed to get three tickets. 

Zebda displayed their usual energy on stage, playing songs from their latest successful album "Essence ordinaire", as well as songs from previous albums (the seminal "Le bruit et l'odeur" mostly), which contributed to make them a big name in the French rock scene ; 1998 though was the year of the breakthrough, as they took the French music industry by storm. 

In 1999, an Algerian (Kabyl actually) singer named Idir met success with his album "Identités", which saw him sing his old songs with others such as Maxime Le Forestier, Manu Chao, Karen Matheson, Dan Ar Braz etc. 

The three singers of Zebda (yes, a rock band with three singers is unusual) have always been keen on using their North African roots as influences. So it was only normal that they would invite Idir to open for Zebda on their tour. 

Idir's voice and the crystal sound of his guitar were enchanting, and songs such as "Tizi Ouzou" and "A vava inou va 2" either give you chills or make you want to cry. It's emotional. 

So, in 1999, many people suddenly remembered that they already knew the songs they were hearing : "A vava inou va" had some success in... 1975. But the new version was equally good. 

After the concert, my father bought Idir's album, which meant something : he didn't buy so many CD's, unless it really moved him. 

Fast forward. We're in 2011, I had started collecting maybe a year before. I had decided to go on a city trip to Istanbul, the first of several trips I've made since to Turkey. As a fairly new but dedicated collector, trying to find records was mandatory. And I wasn't disappointed by what Istanbul had to offer (I wrote a "diggin' guide" back then, which is outdated now, since there are so many new shops now in Istanbul). 

I think I bought this one at a store called Plakhane. Stumbling upon a French record was quite odd at first, but I quickly learned it should not be unusual. The name Idir instantly reminded me of 1999, and even if the record wasn't cheap, I made my mind on buying it. I knew what to expect : Kabyl music and lyrics, a gentle voice and soft guitars. Plus, I knew the names of two of the musicians credited : André (as Dede) Ceccarelli on drums and Jean Musy on Moog. Can't go wrong with this line-up. 

Sweet melodies is what you get here, in a smart mix of Western and Kabyl arrangements. I still hear those swirling flutes floating in the air...

Idir - A vava inou va.

Here's the full album : YouTube.

It was only after I bought the LP that I realized it's not even that difficult to find in France. It's actually pretty common. But this is how one gets knowledge, and stories are born. 

lockdown : vinyl find #8.

I will be cheating with this one : I bought it on internet. 

Earlier today, I was reading a great interview of Jeff Dominguez, a prominent recording engineer who helped shape the sound of French rap in the years 1990's and 2000's. Dominguez mentioned working with the late DJ Mehdi and how he fitted in the rap scene back then, how Mehdi used to interact with his friends and crew mates. 

To me, Mehdi is the one who built the bridges between rap and electro, rap and world music. I know he didn't, at least he wasn't the first one ; he "only" contributed to this movement. But he did it when I was able to understand and capture the moment. Him and Imhotep, the producer of IAM, did it for me. They helped me understand there could be a gangway between genres, that samples can come from anywhere and could be cut and filtered in many different ways, that personality was a major, if not the most important, element in music, even if machines were involved in the process. 

Later on, when I started collecting, I wanted to own some of Mehdi's pieces on vinyl. They were/are pretty difficult to find in stores, so I decided to look for them on internet. I purchased this one, that I already knew from "Espion Le EP" (or at least two out of three tracks), which is according to me, a masterpiece. 

Owning the music Mehdi composed and assembled as side projects to his career in hip-hop is still a goal of mine. I must confess I'm no so hyped on the music he made for the Ed Banger label. 

On this maxi, Mehdi, under the The Cambridge Circus alias, gives his rendition of the classic hip-hop cut "Wild Style". But for me, the peak of this record is on the B side, with two joints that represent the essence of Mehdi : "Ulysse" and "Spanish Harlem". These two tracks are the ones who introduced me to the softer yet energetic side of Mehdi, so I hold them dearly in my heart. Strings and a unique way of blending fast beats and basses with samples are Mehdi's trademarks ; they're here. 

The Cambridge Circus - Wild Style. 

A few weeks ago, before the lockdown, I went to the Père Lachaise cemetery with my girlfriend, and while looking for the exit, we stumbled upon DJ Mehdi's grave. Simple, with touches of Tunisian blue. It moved me.

lockdown : vinyl find #7.

I did not think of Helsinki as a digging destination. I went there because a friend of mine was living there at the time, and he could offer me some lodging. It was the perfect plan for a city trip. I've always liked cities opened on the sea. Another friend, who owned a small boat, gave me a tour of the bay, and it was a grand experience. 

Besides, Helsinki turned out to be a paradise for record diggers. The sea-loving friend explained it by the long cold nights of the 6 month winter that require some kind of entertainment. And even if I dug in a oven baked city, the hunt was satisfying.

It started with a disappointment though. Closed shops were due to the summer vacations. Then I found Digelius Music, home for jazz and ethnic grooves lovers, in both original and reissued pressings. The owner was a knowledgeable guy, and was very talkative, keen on sharing his tastes. Do ask him about the legendary Finnish record label Love Records (by the way, the greatest logo ever), and he'll fill up your next 30 minutes or so with stories. The owner played for me some nice Finnish psych and prog rock, initially issued on Love Records and recently reissued by Svart, a label based in Turku, an historic city of Finland. Later on, another record dealer booed at me for buying these reissues but whatever, the music was nice and maybe the perfect audio system helped. And when you know the originals are pretty rare, as well as the very limited reissued pressings, one (tourist) can't be too picky. Overall, Digelius was a nice way to start.

Apart from Digelius, I think I shopped in four or five other stores, and most of the times, I found talkative record dealers, who would be glad to share knowledge and information. Interestingly enough, those shops stored many genres, from the local jazz and rock to Bollywood soundtracks, Asian stuff, Brazilian records, and the main attraction of the place : the deep crates of records from the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.  

I've never been to Sweden, so Finland was the closest logical place to purchase a record by Bo Hansson. I think I bought it at a shop called Redhill Records (or RHR), whose owner had an interest for samples, and labelled records with small notes on (potential or known) samples which can be found. This one album, "Ur trollkarlens hatt" is indeed filled with potential samples. A guy called akabrownsugar used it on several occasions. I can't think of any beatmaker who wouldn't exploit this one. 

The atmosphere set by synth wizard Bo Hansson on this album is supposed to be inspired by The Lords of the Rings and the world created by Tolkien. Get rid of the musical references you may have acquired from the Peter Jackson's trilogy. Instead, expect instrumental progressive rock, jazz, ambient and experimental. And again, who doesn't love a flute solo ? A musical bliss.  

Bo Hansson - Ur trollkarlens hatt. 

Here's the album, as a YouTube playlist. 

lockdown : vinyl find #6.

As I was driving accross New Zealand back in 2015, I made a stop in Christchurch, and witnessed how difficult it is for any city to recover from an earthquake, let alone three. Since then, the city has suffered from other calamities, unfortunately. 

I remember a damaged town, but with a wonderful light. And I spent a few hours browsing in a couple of record stores, as I did in other towns accross the country. Travelling by car surely helped, and the trunk slowly got filled with records. 

When it was time to leave the country, I was carrying the result of my hunt in a 15kg-heavy trash bag in my arms. At my arrival in Europe, my bags were nowhere in sight and all I had left were my recently acquired records.

I remember one of the stores had a sale, so I took advantage of it and snatched this album by The Stylistics, because I knew it was filled with classic hip-hop samples (think "You're a big girl now", "You are everything", "People Make the world go round" for example). I knew I would find pure soul music from the 1970's, with sweet vocals and well composed songs, most of them I would probably already know from compilations. I knew a friend of mine, Pi-Pol, had already sampled some of their songs in his beatmaking endeavours. 

When one mentions soul music, the obvious names Stax and Motown comes in mind. Even Atlantic sometimes. But very few think of Avco, although the label produced notorious soul stars Della Reese and Van McCoy, for instance.

For this album by The Stylistics, their first one, all praises go to the duo that shaped it : Linda Creed on lyrics, and Thom Bell on music. Impeccable melodies, landmark drums, even a flute solo, are some of the elements you'll find here. 

So, today, absolutely not a rare record, but an essential one. 

The Stylistics - The Sylistics. 

Here's the full album, as a Youtube playlist.

lockdown : vinyl find #5.

Down in Tallinn, Estonia, there is this record store that looks like the perfect one. It's called Raamatukoi Grammofon. There's a decent amount of crates, ordered in a manner than I can understand, mostly by genres, but also partly geographically or even thematically ; you should find there a crate titled "weird stuff" or something like that. That's a go-to crate. Also, there's a couch, a chess board, some posters and postcards, tapes, and of course what should be in every record store : a turntable for customers to listen to potential acquisitions. 

The shop is run by Vadim. Vadim is not the owner, but he's pretty much the boss anyway. Ask him anything about the shop, he'll know. Ask about what you're looking for, he'll have something for you. 

I have been several times to Tallinn, so I have been several times to Raamatukoi. But there was this special time when I entered a few minutes before end of business. Vadim did not mind. We started talking. As we talked, time flew. With the lights on, more late customers wanted to come in, but he refused and locked the door. So there we were, two guys behind the windows, in a closed store, talking about music. Vadim does not push you into buying records, because he'll tell if something is shitty or worthy. But the more we were chatting, the more I realized Baltic music and especially Estonian music can be dope. Vadim acted like a professor and I thank him for that. It was only after 4 hours of a deep conversation that we decided to go visit some trendy places because I'd asked him about street art, then we grabbed a bite. All this time, we talked about music and life in Estonia. 

As I was looking into the local scene, both contemporary and vintage, I think Radar was one of the bands that Vadim strongly recommended, among others. I bought the two albums that the group issued in the second half of the 1980's. Labelled as jazz-rock or fusion, it's a perfect example of what Estonian bands could perform back then : mainly instrumental albums (it was dangerous to be a lyricist under the reign of the Soviet Union of course), with a clean and clear ability behind the instruments and arrangements that smell like the 80's. It's also a potential winner for beatmakers, as it's filled with ready-to-use samples. 

Not a cheap purchase per se, but definitely one I don't regret. 

Radar - Trofee.

Here's the full album : YouTube. 

lockdown : vinyl find #4.

For part of my childhood, I grew up on zouk, reggae and dancehall. 

Living in the French West Indies, music was everywhere and that's when I became a radio addict. The names I revered at the time were Bob Marley and Kassav, obviously, Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton, but also confidential local acts such as Metal Sound, Princess Lover, Daddy Pleen, Janik, Ralph Tamar, Tony Chasseur, Kali... 

At the time (the 1990's), one guy was everywhere on the radio with his kinky songs and naughty lyrics ; his name was Francky Vincent. Apparently, sex sells, and Francky understood it quite early. And his songs were broadcasted, without being censored. To me, it was fun. 

I bought this record a few months ago, in a second-hand store in Brussels. A word on the cover was familiar : "Tabou". I knew Tabou Combo, the legendary Haitian band. But here, the name was "Tabou n° 2". Naively, I thought this was an offshoot of the original Tabou Combo. But a few clues looked off. 

First, the record was published by Debs, a company founded by Henri Debs in Guadeloupe, who played a crucial role in spreading the music from the French West Indies (many Debs records display a very humble "Debs saved the music of the West Indies" notice). As far as I knew, Tabou Combo had never been published by Debs, as their records were mostly published by American companies, due to the large Haitian diaspora in the US. 

Second clue : the names of the musicians, and one in particular, the last one. Credited on vocals and tambourine, appears "Franky Vincent". He is also credited for the lyrics of some songs, or for the music of others. Most people who are used to his commercial hits spanning from the 1990's to the 2010's ignore that Francky Vincent is a true musician, with a background solid enough to have contributed to organic music on several albums. And yes, this is the same Francky that would sing later on about breasts, butts and farts. The kinky voice was already there in the middle of the 1970's (Francky Vincent was 19 at the time this album was released), singing in Guadeloupean creole on songs clearly inspired by the Haitian compas. The liner notes even confess the influence of Tabou Combo, claiming that the pupil (Tabou n°2) outdid the master (Tabou Combo) ! How bold ! 

I was glad I could own what is probably the first appearance of Francky Vincent on a LP, even if it sounds ridiculous to most people. The album displays the talent of a few youngsters from Le Raizet, in Guadeloupe, in the best manner. That is probably what counts : a fine example of early zouk and compas, with long instrumental parts and joyful bits. 

Tabou n° 2 - Ambition.

Here are three songs from the album : "Ambition", "Flipper La" and "Allez Co". 

lockdown : vinyl find #3.

The time of good deals and bargains is over. Vinyl is bought by youngsters, not so young people, middle-age people with comfortable income, and old people who undusted their old turntable. We've hit that wall. Vinyl has value, again. When stores started increasing their prices for second-hand records, and news articles started spreading the word about the vinyl comeback, folks at flea markets followed the trend. 

But four years ago, people were still unloading their records for cheap. This is how I got my copy of "Brigade Mondaine - La Secte De Marrakech" by Cerrone, published on his own Malligator Records imprint. Once again, it was at the flea market of a small village in the rural part in the north of Paris. As usual, I didn't wake up very early, but when I arrived, there was still this baby waiting in a crate. Sometimes, flea markets in villages are as good as in bigger towns ; people sell the music they used to listen when they were teenagers, or the records that their kids had left behind. And most wanderers are not looking for records in these villages. Big records hunters won't be going to such places either. 

I don't especially have a thing for the work of Gérard de Villiers, the French writer behind "SAS" and "Brigade Mondaine", but Cerrone's music is something I can easily relate to. Being a teenager then a young adult when the French Touch wave flooded the Western world, I had to acknowledge that before the Daft Punks, the Airs, the Justices, the Mehdis, the Bob Sinclars, there was Cerrone, the godfather. 

With a feet in disco, another one in electronic music, Cerrone can talk to many audiences. And the mix of both is perfect for soundtracks. It is the sound of an era. 

This soundtrack is filled with nice instrumentation, especially fat basses, raging guitars and whirling synths, at least at the beginning and at the end. Of course, it's danceable sometimes, but at other times (ore... most of the time), it's hypnotic as it reaches electronic grounds in a Jean-Michel Jarre or even Tangerine Dream kind of mood. Almost meditative, which is quite unusual in the disco-filled world of Cerrone. 

Cerrone - Brigade Mondaine : La Secte de Marrakech.

Here's the full album : YouTube.
  

Radio I Have A Dream.

Rather eclectic is the motto of this blog. In my wildest dreams, I could have turned it into a radio. Now, I know I don't need to because this radio already exists ; it is called Radio I Have A Dream. 

No link (that I know of) with the great Dr. King. The online radio (also available on your mobile phone of course) was created by the great Jules-Edouard Moustic (born Christian Borde), a man known in France for being the anchor of a humouristic (some would say gross, but that's a point of view I do not share) TV show titled "Groland". 

Few knew that Moustic (yes, it means mosquito) is a huge record collector and have a true passion for music, almost any kind of music genres, and radio. 

So the playlist of the radio reflects the eclectism of the boss (or "dirlo"). Moustic spends eight hours a day selecting songs and tracks. In other words, he has the perfect job. Sure, it broadcasts in  shuffle mode, with no transition between one track and the next one. But it's dope nonetheless. And it airs nonstop. Without advertisements !

Here's to get acquainted with the "dirlo" : 

Here's to join the Facebook page : La Radio de Moustic.

Here's to browse the website : Radio I Have A Dream.

lockdown : vinyl find #2.

A few years ago, I was regularly going to flea markets/garage sales. I was living in a rural area about 70km north of Paris, France, and this seemed to be one of the few occasions for me to mix in with a crowd. I have never been the kind of digger that would wake up very early with the obsessive goal of browsing first in the trunk of an old car with my headlamp tightly nailed to my forehead. 

I was eagerly waiting for the weekends, and after a few months of practice, I knew how to discriminate between the interesting flea markets and the dull ones. Sometimes, I had a schedule, expecting to visit several markets within the same day. As a matter of fact, such markets happen within a short period of time, say between April and October. 

Some markets were glorious, with a lot of people selling the records which used to collect dust in the attic. Some were completely without records. Most of the time, one could study, just by looking into the crates, the obvious bad taste which was a common thing in France back in the days. 

And sometimes, very rare thing, a gem would pop out. I quickly learned how to spot the families that would have interesting records, sometimes just one, sometimes a whole crate. The whole-crate situation could appear to be problematic as I would not carry a lot of cash with me. 

Back in 2013, I found this record in a rural town, Crépy-en-Valois, which happened to be one of the first clusters of Covid19 in France. It was sitting in a crate with almost nothing else interesting. As an admirer of Cesaria Evora, and facing the impossibility to get my hand on a decently priced record by the goddess, I had developped a taste for other Cap Verdian artists. After all, the recipe was close : bright guitars, mellow melodies, sweetness all along, saudade and funana. I'd heard the name Abel Lima before. I knew French producers had been instrumental in bringing Cap Verdian artists to the world stage. 

And this record popped out : not a beautiful cover per se, with a bit of French text on the front, and Portuguese liner notes on the back... it didn't make sense. Which made it worth of interest. Once again, the price (again 3€) would help me to decide : I had to own it. 

I was not disappointed. The record, the first from Abel Lima according to Discogs, is everything you would expect from a Cap Verdian artist. Add to what I already said before nice basslines provided by Bernard Brito, and you get a major record, very peaceful. The perfect record for the lockdown. 

Abel Lima e Les Sofas - Nos Bida. 

And here is the album in full : YouTube.

Plus, this is one of those lucky finds that you get for almost nothing but appear to be worth several hundreds of euros. But it is not the point. 

lockdown : vinyl find #1.

Now that the world is under lockdown (or at least a few countries, not counting on herd immunity), there's plenty of time to dedicate to writing, sharing stories, browsing the internet, learning things, doing nothing... all this beside working remotely.

Within the last months, I've been gathering quite a lot of records, some of them I will listen to only once, some others I will collect and store with love. I either bought them, or rescued them from the cold and rainy weather and from the broomstick of street sweepers, or was offered them.

So now that I have the time to listen to all this music (and non-music), I feel it's the right time to share some on these finds, and others finds from the past months and years. 

What I particularly like is to be amazed by a foreign language, a discarded record, a style I'm not used to hear. In other words, new sounds and dynamics. 

Recently, I purchased in a second-hand store in Brussels an album by Hungarian singer Koncz Zsuzsa, from whom I knew nothing. What did appeal to me ? The cover has nothing special, but displays an elegant woman sitting on a stone. The name was unusual. I knew the label, Pepita, for being home to some interesting stuff I had previously put my hand on. The year printed on the label, 1976, was a good sign, although it could have been the reissue year of something older... but judging by the clothes, the date was pretty accurate. Inside the gatefold sleeve, Hungarian words were of no help ; I couldn't even tell which instruments were used during the recording. Knowing only the big names of Hungarian rock music Locomotiv GT and Omega (I should have inverted this order), I was in for either traditional Magyar songs or innovative stuff regarding this one. 

The price (3€) convinced me to buy it. 

Verdict : Mrs. Koncz Zsuzsa reminds of the sweet Kim Jung Mi on some songs, of the rough Catherine Ribeiro on some others. And there's a variety of styles, going from choir vocals to solo acapella, accompanied by unsual strings sounds and some fair dose of audacity in the arrangements. All this allow this record to qualify for psychedelic, an adjective that is way too misused in reviews. The album feels even a bit too short, especially the B side... 

Discogs offers a perspective on the career of Mrs. Zsuzsa ; by the time she published this record, she had been on a solid streak of one or two albums per year since 1969. Her latest known album was released in 2016.

Here is my record of the day, the first of this particular period we're experiencing : 

Koncz Zsuzsa - (IX) "...Elmondom Hát Mindenkinek..."

And here is to have a listen : YouTube playlist.

Just allow yourself to be amazed by the unknown from time to time, and even more often when digging. Foreign stuff sometimes is just what you need to get out of your comfort zone.