Just read the short story "Yellow Coal" by Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky, in which a scientist invents a method of turning spite into electrical energy. It was written in 1939 but feels like a stinging critique of today's social media ecosystem.

I added tracks from VOŁOSI, Quinie, Obadu, Sooz X, and Maniucha Bikont to my Forward Folk playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/5uf...

Million-dollar idea: Flamin' Hot Neosporin

I woke up with this song in my head, for some reason. youtu.be/VMA0e5QhUhA?...

I added a few recent finds from Cédric Dind-Lavoie, Filkin's Drift, Odpoczno, Naaljos Ljom, and Krenadenn to my Forward Folk playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/5uf...

I'm loving this EP from Cédric Dind-Lavoie. It's new orchestrations atop old recordings of Quebecois musicians. RIYL Disintegration Loops, The Caretaker, and the Ravenous soundtrack. youtu.be/eR-vSZTKgUg?...

I added some recent discoveries to my Forward Folk playlist. Check out tunes by KJELTRING, @counivers.bsky.social, Janick Martin trio, @sataniquesambatrio.bsky.social, and Psygnozo. open.spotify.com/playlist/5uf...

I added songs by @revulvauk.bsky.social, Vaev, La Ciguë, crnds, and Fransy to the Forward Folk playlist. Have a listen, support the artists you like, and let me know if you've heard anything that should be on this playlist! open.spotify.com/playlist/5uf...

I just released another single in my series of Casio-inspired junky folk music. This time, I mangled a couple of English tunes: open.spotify.com/album/4OvmLZ...

I added tracks by OSSO (oscillateurs sonneurs), @tanxugueiras.bsky.social, Otim Alpha, Harry Gorski-Brown, and Skrekk & Guro to my Forward Folk playlist. Recommendations for future additions are always welcome! open.spotify.com/playlist/5uf...

I'm digging the new Gelbart: youtu.be/-qB7KztvtNo?...

Over the last 10 or 15 years, I kind of lost track of music coming out of Brittany, France. Anyone heard anything interesting from that region lately? youtu.be/dBSVFllE26M?...

Just made my first-ever call to my representative in Congress. Let's see if I can make this a daily habit.

Trying to push back against the darkness with some good music. I updated my Forward Folk mix with a few new tracks by Antonis Antoniou, Milkweed, @yokopwno.bsky.social, Fleuves, and OMIRI. Links to support these artists directly are in the comments below. open.spotify.com/playlist/5uf...

I think I need some King Ganam this morning. youtu.be/KmXitn-111g?...

For obvious reasons, we seem to be in a new golden age for really great doomy, droney folk music. I'm wondering, though, if anyone is also making any upbeat, dancing-on-the-precipice, party-at-ground-zero folk music.

I added songs by Super Parquet, MAZ, @heatherferrier.bsky.social, rhizottome, and KAIFO to my Forward Folk playlist. If you know of other artists around the world who are doing interesting things with their musical traditions, let me know! (Bandcamp links below.) open.spotify.com/playlist/5uf...

I briefly played in a band with the drummer from a Swedish rap metal band, and he introduced me to the incredible pianist Jan Johansson, who drew much inspiration from Swedish folk music. Here's a good one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2U2...

I made a mix of my favorite artists doing interesting things with world folk traditions, with tracks by Le Mange Bal, Kosmos G, Remorae, Frankie Archer, Synth Widow, Louis Michot, Turfu, Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles, Poolidor, Mark Dormin, and Hevelwood: open.spotify.com/playlist/5uf...

I just released some music into the world today. If you dig La Bolduc, Bellowhead, The Specials, and junky keyboards, maybe give it a listen. mrcathair.bandcamp.com/track/trashe...

Sometime in the '80s, a European colleague gave my dad a tape of music by Jean Michel-Jarre. I loved that futuristic synth stuff back then but ditched it when I discovered punk. I've been revisiting Jarre recently and just fell in love with this amazing bit of cheese: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YiC...

Loving Lucrecia Dalt's ¡Ay! It's like she filtered a '50s exotica band through a late Tom Waits album. youtu.be/7go4E689iJw?...

Amazing Turkish guitar twang in 9/8! This song was an entry in the Silver Microphone contest, a music competition held in Turkey in the '60s.

Shades of Perrey and Kingsley on this track by Gelbart: youtu.be/1ydtpNHXP6E?...

Amazing stuff from the Draytons Two of Barbados. Love that organ. youtu.be/1IOYxm0TNCk?...

When all of those early 2000s bands were mining postpunk albums for inspiration, I always wish some of them had checked out Empires and Dance/Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call-era Simple Minds. This recent song by Go Public kinda goes there (esp. around 1:17): www.youtube.com/watch?v=26xV...

Stuck on repeat since yesterday: Cardiacs - "Mare's Nest" www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr6m...

I'm digging this wave of French electro-folk music for dancing - Turfu, Le Mange Bal, Poolidor, and now OSSO: youtu.be/nXdz5THb0MQ?...

It would be nice to use those in-between moments for creativity instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media. Can anyone recommend any music-making apps?

Were there any Scottish dance bands or ceilidh bands from the '40s - '80s with unusual instruments? I know about the cornet in Jim Cameron's band, sax in The Olympians and slide guitar in the Wick band. Did anyone play with organ/synth/drum machine/electric guitar? www.youtube.com/watch?v=8myU...

Mr. Trombone - Psicosis. Heck yeah! youtu.be/aeBJABxwkKg?...

Remembering the time I got to join @aleckredfearn.bsky.social for an Eyesores West performance at Echo Curio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz-8...

Some lovely guitar from Buddy Truax: youtu.be/NQggH85rFc4?...

I love this tune. Been working on a tenor banjo version. youtu.be/h023HI8jNXQ?...

How do you listen to music that you buy on Bandcamp? Do you stream your collection on the Bandcamp app? Download the files and listen to them on some other application? Buy for peace of mind and then listen on streaming services?

Just now finding out about Jun Togawa via her Slapp Happy cover: youtu.be/n78YYThHZfE?... Definitely going to dig deeper. Her band Guernica looks like they'll be my kind of thing. Anyone have any other recommendations?

Tell me about some music you heard in 2024 that was new to you. I just found out about a trio of '70s releases by Brian Protheroe that remind me a bit of 10cc and The Bonzo Dog Band. I've also been digging La Sonora Mazurén's trippy tropical sounds.

Does anyone know if Aidan Smith is still making music? youtu.be/VY7YBubQqPQ?...

Mimis Plessas doing a cool Greek beat thing. youtu.be/IR9QSd7NShc?...

Are there any minor key tunes in the British/Irish/American folk music tradition that go from a minor i to a major V? I'm sure there must be but I can't think of any at the moment.

Glockabelle came up in a conversation with a friend last night, so I thought I'd share this. Whacked-out drumming, hardcore Casio action, and French vocals. youtu.be/tyqcJWKNN9w?...

Hauser Orkater - Zie de Mannen Vallen. So cool. youtu.be/O7m439uDTfM?...

Ah, Spotify Wrapped day - the day I get very judgey about the musical tastes of the people I follow on Instagram.

Recently heard this band, Patates Sound System, and really dug them. I couldn't find them on Bandcamp, so if anyone knows how to buy their album in a way that benefits the band, please let me know! youtu.be/XA3C3UJql_g?...

I think I'm mostly here to look at cute animal pictures and talk about weird music.