Umberto - Prophecy of the Black Widow [Not Not Fun, 2010]

A1. Temple Room (07:08)
A2. The Psychic (04:46)
A3. Red Dawn (04:30)
A4. Widow Of The Web (06:59)

B1. Black Candles (03:13)
B2. Night Stalking (06:42)
B3. Someone Chasing Someone Through A House (06:40)
B4. Everything Is Going To Be Okay (04:02)



'Seeping out of the American underground on the always engrossing NNF label, Matt Hill presents his sophomore Umberto album. It follows on from the Giallo soundtrack style he brilliantly aped on 'From The Grave...' deeper into the bowels of the early '80s sound, leering creepily at John Carpenter and the more bewitching ends of Italo disco and new wavey bits. Many have tried this sound - step forward Zombi, Gatekeeper, Francesco Clemente, Anton Maiovvi - but far fewer have achieved it with as much grain and VHS-warped eeriness as this. It feels more like James Ferraro has locked onto a killer Giallo collection in his dream dungeon and authentically immersed himself in their soundtracks, recreating their mood, tension and gothic mise-en-scene with scary accuracy, from the witch disco of 'The Psychic' and 'Night Stalking' to the Eurozone emotions of 'Red Dawn' and the Goblin-esque 'Widow Of The Web', all the while keeping a sly sliver of knowing cheekiness tucked in the top pocket. By the time you reach the ascending end-title arpeggiations of 'Everything Is Going To Be Okay' it's time for another oversized pizza and 10 gallon bottle of cola. Sick record, limited to 485 copies, with wicked artwork from Seth Johnson. Highly Recommended!' source

buy or die

sss'port

i adored this fellas first offering & his latest effort is wicked sick as well. if you held a plasma gun to my dome, i might describe him as the mutated offspring of goblin & black devil disco club.  a very timely release that's been growing on me like a riboflavin flavored non carbonated polyunsaturated candy corn. 320 rips!

VA - Jamiila: Songs from a Somali City [Original Music, 1987]

OMA 107

Side 1

a1. Jamiila [5'37]

• Kusow Kurtunwaarey [vocal]
• Amin Xaaji Cusmaan [guitar]
• Cubdulaahi Iman Zamir [electric organ]

a2. Laac [6'14]

• Amin Xaaji Cusmaan [vocal & kaban]
• Xasan Xaaji Maxamed [taruumbo flute]

a3. Dakhtar [4'10]

• Amin Xaaji Cusmaan [vocal & guitar]

a4. Yaabint [4'31]

• Kusow Kurtunwaarey [vocal]
• Amin Xaaji Cusmaan [guitar]
• Nuur Maxamed Curuba [electric organ]

Side 2

b1. Muumina [4'04]

• Kusow Kurtunwaarey [vocal]
• Amin Xaaji Cusmaan [guitar]
• Cubdulaahi Iman Zamir [electric organ]

b2. Ma Korto [5'11]

• Amin Xaaji Cusmaan [vocal & kaban]
• Xasan Xaaji Maxamed [taruumbo]

b3. Laiilaaf [6'05]

• Amin Xaaji Cusmaan [vocal & guitar]

b4. Siina Miiri [4'11]

• Cabdulaahi Iman Zamir [vocal]
• Amin Xaaji Cusmaan [guitar]
• Nuur Maxamed Curuba [electric organ]

These love songs are recorded in 1987 in a southern Somali city called Baraawe [Brava], 120 miles south of Mogadishu. The instruments are interesting: a small Japanese made electric organ with mechanical rhythm machine, taruumbo flute made now a days of plastic tube, 6 string guitar and traditional string instrument Kaban, which is an ud-like lute. The music is wonderful mixture of different ethnique influences: the electric organ comes from India [previously the harmonium], guitar from Europe, the flute is African and the Ud comes from Arabic culture. And it works. The free use of the small electric Casio-type organ & drum machine give a 'video game' feeling to this rudimentary & totally unheard Taarab. A wonderful recording, many of the songs sounding as if the Residents invaded Somalia