Black Clouds

Vladi Strecker, DJ Maretimo, Bar Blue, Jazz Connection, Pascal Dubois, Noise Boyz and more.
Includes continuous mix by DJ Maretimo.

This set of 3 cds, comprises the complete works of Armenian composer Parsegh Ganatchian, one of the most illustrious pupils of Komitas, the father of Armenian music. This collection is the product of a long and painstaking effort to collect and showcase all of his choral compositions, solo songs and childrens's songs. The recordings took place in Yerevan with the participation of the Armenian State Radio and Television Chamber Choir, the children's choir "Little Singers of Armenia" and various well known professional soloists, under the artistic direction of acclaimed conductor Tigran Hekekian..

The Sentimental Drift sees the return of Black Swan. His music – described as ‘drones for bleeding hearts’ – has always contained within it a ton of emotion, personal in its expression and deep in its significance. And The Sentimental Drift has most definitely been worth the long wait. At first, smooth synths help to give off a white heat, radiating a warmth like that of overheated metal, hot to the touch, and almost radioactive in its ability to sizzle and burn the flesh. This opening sits in contrast to Black Swan’s cooler discography, and it’s a welcome change. Since the opening is entitled ‘Birth’, the warm apricot hues could represent the comfort of the womb, becoming the first chapter as the tones emerge into the world. The drone-work is similar, which is a good thing, and the music is just as refined as it ever was. Punctured fragments of sound later decay in front of the listener, adding a dull bronze and a nostalgic side to the music, a classic film noir in which all the stars have now moved on. The reels continue to revolve, though, pouring out a selection of sober melodies with long tails of delay and the trailing echoes of a memory growing fainter by the day.