what are SteamGifters listening lately?

Blackbriar - Until Eternity

2019 album of psychedelia from Thailand. This is essentially "freakbeat" i.e. music that invokes some of the Beatles' more druggy moments (Sgt Pepper...) while keeping the straightforward song structures, no proggy bits or fifteen-minute jams here.

Khana Bierbood - Strangers from the Far East

This sound has an interesting Asian quality to it. Ad hoc historical link - in the sixties there seems to have been an active freakbeat scene in the neighbouring country of Cambodia. The new album above reminds me of that sound although connaisseurs will probably shudder at this statement as there are differences, in particular Cambodian female singers have a very particular intonation to them that Khana Bierbood do not in any way emulate. 1960s Cambodian rock is documented in particular through the compilation

Various Artists - Cambodian Rocks

and makes for a very interesting listen indeed. Unfortunately the Khmer Rouge deemed rock musicians (among many other population subsets) unworthy of existence in the socialist paradise they were building and pretty much all of the artists on the compilation above, along with much of their music, vanished during the seventies.

More recently, the tradition has been revived by at least two bands fronted by female Cambodian vocalists, Dengue Fever and Cambodian Space Project. For samples of these, see e.g.

Dengue Fever - Seeing Hands

Cambodia Space Project - Whiskey Cambodia

Unfortunately, the CSP singer recently died in a car accident and so that band no longer exists.

Acidic Vaginal Liquid Explosion Generated By Mass Amounts Of Filthy Fecal Fisting And Sadistic Septic Syphilic Sodomy Inside The Infected Maggot Infested Womb Of A Molested Nun Dying Under The Roof Of A Burning Church While A Priest Watches And Ejaculates In Immense Perverse Pleasure Over His First Fresh Fetus - XavlegbmaofffassssitimiwoamndutroabcwapwaeiippohfffX

Ham by Mr. Oizo aka that guy who had a hit because of a jeans commercial 20 years ago.

Here's one interesting concert I have just remembered through the link-stumbling process described above: a different culture not necessarily in space, but certainly in time. This is some "Germanic tribal ritualistic" music where the (excellent quality) video really contributes to the experience. One adjective I dread in the context of music is "shamanic" but I have to admit it is definitely applicable here. I guess Dead Can Dance were perhaps going for a similar effect (see e.g. "Krigsgaldr") although, to my taste, they always ended up drowning it in New Age kitsch at some point between the idea and the record shop.

What is most remarkable to me is that the songs actually work and have recognisable set pieces (female vocal melody, warrior chorus...) rather than just adding up to a curiosity you briefly look at once. I imagine seeing this live after a few magic mushrooms must be strong stuff although it might be scary as well! In fact my only complaint is that there are passages in English - to me this seems like actors breaking character in the middle of a movie and it rather hurts immersion.

Heilung - Lifa

I posted an Erkin Koray track before. Here are a few more great 70s and 80s Turkish rock songs. This ("Anatolian rock") style generally uses interesting tonalities and instruments to deliver an effect not comparable to anything else played elsewhere during that period.

The 3 Hürel were a family band made up of three brothers from the family Hürel. The guitarist Feridun´s gimmick was a two-neck guitar/saz combination instrument. It is shown off in the following "nostalji klip" (hey! I can understand Turkish), which also offers huge quaintness value. And the sequential solos on saz then guitar are great. Regrettably no effort is made to make the playback look believable but that is how most TV performances looked - I believe the TV stations often forced the artists to playback and many may have felt annoyed about it, and reacted accordingly.

3 Hürel - Sevenler Ağlarmış

Here is another great single of theirs from the early seventies.

3 Hürel - Ağlarsa Anam Ağlar

Another nostalji klip shows the mighty Erkin Koray playbacking to a very laid-back and psychedelic number. Look at those flares! And the bassist's platform boots! Wow.

Erkin Koray - Cemalim

And a suitably druggy video for this one.

Erkin Koray - Mesafeler

The group Bunalim played in a more conventional fuzzy hard rock style but they, too, would often break out the local instrumentation:

Grup Bunalım - Başak Saçlım

Moğollar were on balance slightly more in the direction of what would later be called world music, and are yet another band that is delightful to listen to.

Moğollar - 7/8 9/8

Finally, here is a track by Hardal, which I have included because it shows the style alive and well in 1980, by which time Western European and American progressive and psychedelic bands had either died a horrible death at the infected syringe of punk, or were recording the most cringeworthy sell-out music imaginable in order to "keep up with the times" (Gentle Giant in particular, how could ya do it?)

Hardal - Bir Yağmur Masalı

In fact, the channel from which the latter three videos are taken offers lots more artists to discover, with a usually lovely piece of art to go with each song.

Moving to Japan, here is a great album in the heavy psych jam style. This is in the tradition of Mainliner / High Rise / Fushitsusha... but more, dare I say it, listenable than any of those. It flows effortlessly and the three long pieces do not seem boring to me.

Dhidalah - No Water

I copied and pasted my comment from another thread.

Mahmood, this guy here won a music contest here in Italy.
Usually, in Sanremo, they vote for love song and more "old fashioned" music, so this is a really unexpected twist.

Also, unfortunately, there were lots of controversies.
There's lot of racism here, and it doesn't help at all having a far right party in the government. Salvini tweeted against him, Idiots where pissed off because he's half egyptian, despite being born in and raised in Milan by an italian mother.
I found an article in english, if you want to read more

Currently i have 5 albums on my playlist :)
Heltah Skeltah - Nocturnal
Kendrick Lamar - GKMD (in my top ten albums ever btw)
Jay Rock - Redemption
Nate Dogg - G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2
Big Daddy Kane - Veteranz' Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izBbP2kro-c

Ken Muramatsu

Hmmm, been listening to a lot of EDM sub-genres, but at this exact moment this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fE7c5mlioY

I've been watching Vinesauce Joel and discovered Lonely Rolling Star (I've never played Katamari before) from one of his videos/stream
Have played it a bunch of times to cheer me up, especially this version.

Toracha - The Void https://open.spotify.com/track/4WLPfy6ultahyENLv2DDiK

Currently on repeat <3

(Hmm, we have two song threads and I dunno which I like better ... ah well I like you both, I'll post in both ;))

Right now: https://www.twitch.tv/relaxbeats

If you like rock that has some pop vibes in it (or vice versa) and pretty girls I'd suggest this group. They released a new song today and I'm in love with it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq_mbTSR-a0&t=0s

Blood Ceremony - Daughter of the Sun - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5j7xAWmj3w&index=14&list=RDEM4cOyOcbqxoTXVnVXCDmkjg

Final Fantasy OST - Castle Cornelia
https://youtu.be/kT5eDP-r8vo

Sometimes There's a Way

I've been listening at this for days:

Let's go!

Crosby, Stills, and Nash

Judy Blue Eyes (from the album So Far)
Marakesh Express (from the album Replay)

Ricardo Shock (WARNING: mild Gachimuchi)