Skank - Brazilian contemporary music

Skank (pronounce like Skãk) is a Brazilian multi-style pop/rock band from southeastern Brazil, from Belo Horizonte. They were formed in 1991 and have since then released 9 albums (this figure includes the '06 release 'Carrossel'). They can easily be named one of the best selling Brazilian acts still producing music.

Skank - Dois Rios
I am still wondering why this is the first Brazilian act to be featured on here.
I don't know an answer. Brazil is definitely an interesting place musically. And I am already listening to a lot from Brazil, but more classics like Seu Jorge etc. anyway, I won't bore you with that. Here's another video below (it's a bit tricky to get to see some Skank stuff on youtube because of their name obviously)

Skank - Uma Canção é pra Isso
Their official website is not very interesting.

Fanfare Ciocărlia - Brass sounds from Romania

Fanfare Ciocarlia is a Gipsy brass ensemble from Romania. The band is very famous, has toured every continent and lately won the BBC World Music Award for Europe in 2006.
Following the links given you will encounter some sound samples, and here's another one. Below is the video clip for Manea Cu Voca.

For additional information see the wikipedia article

Mahmoud Ahmed - Ethiopian Rock

Another great classic off the Ethiopiques series. Ethiopian music is really the best promoted one from Africa. I'm glad that with the French label they get quite some audience. I didn't post for some days that was because of christmas. Now I want to feature Mahmoud Ahmed in one post only for him. Born in 1941 in Addis Ababa, he's one of the most important musicians, having been featured in 3 Ethiopiques volumes already. (6, 7 and 19). Here's a video of him performing in Paris, I think it is. He grew old over the years making music but he didn't lose his energy :)

Little Kazakh music jukebox

here

ละอองฟอง (La-Ong-Fong) - More Thai pop

La-Ong-Fong is a Thai pop band, formed in 1994. It seems, though, they have practised two years until finally releasing their first album "Volume 1" in 1996.
In their official Biography they claim they have been influenced by Swedish pop.
I don't know, judge for yourself.

พรู (Pru) - Thai pop

Enjoy Pru from Bangkok and sing along thanks to latin translit. Check out their website.

Trivia: Pru won the MTV Asia Music Awards 2002

Frank Boeijen - 80s pop from the Netherlands...yeah

Don't you think I only put "normal" music up here :)
I love this song, and I am not ashamed!
Think of it what you want, it's a classic!
"Zwart Wit" by Frank Boeijen.
And the song is about a serious issue, btw. It's about the murder on Kerwin Duinmeijer for race hate in Amsterdam.
That's why the lyrics go: "denk niet zwart wit", don't think in black and white, "maar in de kleur van je hart" but in the colour of your heart. :)

Laïs - Belgian folk pop

Lais is part two of this days presenation of music from Belgium. Their myspace has got some samples. Read about them on their official website.

Eva de Roovere - Flemish pop

I am really happy about this more recent discovery. Eva de Roovere. As some of you might know, unfortunately it's not particularly easy to find good music in Dutch (except for Nederhop). Most young bands in Dutch-speaking Belgium and especially in the Netherlands clearly prefer the English language for whatsoever reasons. This trend is stronger in the Netherlands than in Belgium in my opinion, I want to praise Belgium as a highly creative place with many new bands. (DAAU from Antwerp)

Having already lent her voice for some other smaller projects (Kleine Blote Liedjes, Kadril, Oblomow...) she has now started a solo project with that very album you can listen to on her website.

Pierre Lapointe - Quebec Pop

Pierre Lapointe is a Canadian singer from Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. That I labeled his music pop is not meant to be contemptous in any way. Most of the music here presented is pop more or less. The world still has got to come to terms with this label. Pop can be anything. And this Pierre Lapointe is really an interesting appearance. He won two Félix Awards in a row (2005/2006). The two albums he's released so far are a self titled one and "dans la forêt des mal-aimés". The latter one is which one I've just got so far but I'm completely in love with it :)
The atmosphere to it is fascinating, a bit gloomy of a sound to it when you're listening to it and then the lyrics..
Here's a song off his first album:

"tel un seul homme"
yeah, watching that video you can understand why Wikipedia says about him: "Lapointe has created the persona of an egotistical dandy on stage, [...]"
But it's good. By the way, there's two more videos to watch on his website. His website sucks, but that's just because he's so popular. Big artists very rarely have got good websites. Anyway, at least some music is streamable to get a first impression.

Timpuri Noi - Industrial Rock from Romania

Timpuri Noi are a classic Romanian rock formation playing what could very well also be considered "industrial" rock. They have been formed already in 1981, that means in the Ceauşescu era. For obvious reasons they had to remain in the underground until 1991. Their lyrics were considered "subversive" and incidentally also their name is a pure sarcasm: New Times. That was how the time after the Marxist Socialist revolution was called in the Eastern Bloc. However there are also other voices saying that the name could also be a reference to either a central Bucharest metro station or to the Charly Chaplin movie of 1936 "New Times".

After their time in the underground however the band became unarguably one of the or the Romanian act of the early nineties. That makes it one of the classic Romanian rock groups.

Trivia: Timpuri Noi is the Romanian band that claims to have performed the most live concerts (over 150). Within Romania this is considered special as most singers choose to lip sync.


"Namol" (Lyrics/Versuri)
Check Videoclipuri on their website for more.

Omul cu Sobolani - Romanian rock

Omul cu Sobolani are a medium popular rock group from Romania.
The band consists of Kaizer, Mihnos, Nucu and Amariei.

Omul cu Sobolani - Moksha

Dorm cu ingerii din nou
Dorm dïn nou

Omul cu Sobolani - Ajutor

Ajutor,ajutor,
Nu ma mai pot uita la televizor
Lasa ca imi fac eu televiziunea mea
Iar tu te vei putea uita la ea.

Siavash Ghomayshi - Pop from the Diaspora

Siavash Ghomayshi (in Persian: سیاوش قمیشی) is a Persian singer, songwriter and composer. Having been born in Ahvaz, he left Iran in 1979 and is now residing in California.

Milad


Jazire


His official website has got an English language version and allows you to listen to all of his albums online (stream).

Ethiopian music online streams

As you most likely already know, the Ethiopian music scene is actually very diverse. I already feel very bad to have labelled all stuff from Africa with one tag. I don't know. I don't particularly like it anymore either but I will keep it, have mercy with my stupid western perspective. Anyway, this post is about some online streams. Check addislive.com and have a listen to whatever you like to. There's 10 channels (.m3u) plus one for new releases. It's pretty amazing. I will just list the channels here accompanied by the description (artists or style) given on that site.

Channel 01
Ambassel, Antchi hoye lene, Bati, Tizita, Wey Arada & more.
Channel 02
Aster Aweke, Gigi, Kuku Sebsebe, Fekereaddis Nekatebeb, Bitsat Seyoum, Hamelmal Abate, Netsanet Mellese, Hana Shenkute, Abonesh Adnew, Hebist Tiruneh, Tigist Bekele, Chachi Tadesse, Monica Sisay, Haymanot Girma, Tsedenia G/Markos, Kidist Ayalew, Martha Ashagari, Tigist Afework, Zeritu Kebede & more
Channel 03
Tilahun Gessesse,Bezunesh Bekele, Mahmoud Ahmed Alemayehu Eshete, Hirut Bekele, Muluken Melese, Tamrat Mola, Bahita Gebre Hiwot, Melkamu Tebeje, Ayalew Mesfin, Menelik Wossenachew, Teshome Mitiku
Channel 04
Muluken Melese, Neway Debebe, Ephrem Tamiru, Theodros Tadesse, Tsehaye Yohannes, Aregahegn Werash, Yirdaw Tenaw, Gosayie Tesfaye, Abinet Agonafir, Teddy Afro, Shewandagne Hailu, Dawit Mellesse, Tamrat Desta, Tibebu Workyie, Gedion Daniel, Mesfin Abebe, Desalegn Melku, Elias Tebabel, Gerawork Nekatibeb, Haileyesus Girma, Haileye Taddesse, Henock Mehari, Henok Abebe, Jonny Ragga, Michael Belayneh & more
Channel 05
Azmari, Cultural, Eskesta, Ethnic, Traditional
Bahiru Kegne, Shambel Belayneh, Rahel Yohannes, Genet Masresha, Gezachewu Teshome, Semahgn Belew, Yehunie Belay, Manalemosh Dibo, Setegn Atanaw,Gete Aneley, Mesrak Kebede, Chalachew Ashenafi, Endeshaw Kelemwork, Etenesh Wase, Tigabu Chernet, Eelizabeth Meshesha & more
Channel 06
Tigrigna
Modern & Traditional
Kiros Alemayehu, Seyoum Alemseged, Sofia Atsebaha, Reshan Gebre, Letay Mesfin, Haggos G/Hiwot, Berhane Haile, Yayne Abay, Abraham Gebere Medhin, Negesti Hayelom & more
Channel 07
Afan Oromo
Modern & Traditional
Ali Birra, Gabii Eda'oo, Getachew H/Mariam & more
Channel 08
Instrumental: Modern & Traditional
Mulatu Astatke, Ibex Band, Ethio Stars, Daniel Wolde Gabriel, Girma Wolde Michael, Elias Negash, Yared Tefera, Theodros Mitiku, Girma Moges, Yedenekachew Wolde, Tsegaye Hailu & more
Channel 09
Kirar, Masenqo & Begenna
Various Azmaris, Alemu Aga, Mary Armeday, Kassa Tessema, Asnaketch Worku Seleshi Demisse (Gash Abera Molla) & more
Channel 10
Rare Music
Tribal, Urban, Traditional Children's Songs & more
Channel 11
New Releases

Finnishing this post with a video.

Hirut Demeqe - Tey Atbelegn (url)

Padi - Indonesian rock

Yea, we stay in Indonesia for now and devote ourselves to this band. Going under the name Padi and as a comment on youtube puts it "...like coldplay -- indon version". Yeah, I can agree on that. I like them! Nice melodic tunes as far as I know, I have just begun discovering their repertoire myself, too!

Padi - Ternyata cinta
Videos
Official web
mp3s streaming

Inul Daratista - Indonesian Pop

Inul Daratista is an artist from Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia, that interprets the Indonesian music style dangdut (Dangdut is a genre of Indonesian popular music which is partly derived from Arab, Indian, and Malay folk music. It developed beginning in the 1970s among working class Muslim youth, but especially since the late 1990s has reached a broader following in Indonesia.) in a way that made her nation-wide famous in Indonesia. Her dance moves seem to have been a little too seksi ("suggestive") that some conservatives in the society called for a ban and was the reason to draft some anti-pornography laws (which according to wikipedia have not yet been passed, though). Well anyway, controversy is always good. And I really wonder that I haven't written about her before, cause it's really a must. One of the highlights of this blog. Highly fascinating..

goyang inul.mp3
goyang dombret.mp3
a whole lot of other Indonesian/Malaysian songs (dangdut and others)

Bratři Orffové - Czech Electronica

Bratři Orffové is a nice neofolk/electronica band coming from a small town in the North-East of the Czech Rep., Krno. They just released their debut album (Bingriwingri) in this very year 2006 and became one of the biggest discoveries within the Czech scene of the year.
You can watch some videos of TV interviews etc. and some previews of songs on their official website, but I recommend you go to their myspace to watch the splendid video "Na hadím ocase" or listen to some other songs in full length, sadly download function is disabled. But there's one full mp3 download for you here nevertheless:
Tunel.mp3
This artist is a recommendation of Hedvika.

Update: embedded video (same as on myspace)

Smola a Hrušky

Smola a Hrušky is a band from the Slovak Republic which I'm really into recently. The music they play is sort of Ska-like sometimes Reggea upbeat merged with poppy melodies to make the music really positive joyful catchy tunes!
I love them, ľúbim ich!!

"Hit" (.wmv)
All videos and mp3s available completely free at their website's multimedia section. Enjoy it!

Budoár Staré Dámy

Budoár Staré Dámy is a Czech rock band from the second biggest town in the Czech Republic, from Brno.
Really worth trying. Melodic rock. There's some catchy tunes!

"Stříbrná svatba" (.wmv)
more samples and downloads on the website

Револвер - "Space rock" from Russia

"Марс-Марс, я - Плутон"
Revolver is an interesting group again. Call their music whatever you want. If it's not your cup of tea then so be it. But. Hey! It's not boring. I'd label them as some sort of strange psychedelic electronic pop rock. If that label doesn't crack you up yet, what does? Try them! There's a good amount of mp3s on their webpage. Although it seems some links are (temporarily?) broken, but, well, try yourself. You're the clicker champ! Additionally to the songs there's also visual data!

Троллейбус №5
If you can't access mp3s on their official website due to broken links or other problems I provide you with two links to songs of them now here.
15 роботов на тарелку марсианина
Марс-Марс, я - Плутон

Tartu Popi ja Roki Instituut - Pop newcomer from Estonia

The Tartu Pop and Rock Institute is a new pop group from Estonia. Doing some research online it seems they got relatively famous through SOMA.FM, an online web radio. Cyrus Farivar mentions this in his blog. I haven't found a website of these guys but I found some mp3 material online so I thought that's just as good and I have to show it to you! Here's some songs (full length) off their Madise margikogu album.

Маша и медведи - Russian Rock

The band маша и медведи is finally again a great example of how good and loveable Russian rock can be. They produce great rock music with a wonderful female lead singer voice and what makes them so amable is that --in good Russian tradition-- they offer all their songs on their webpage to be downloaded for free! That's music that is produced for you! Made to be listened to! For the love of music! Rock on!

בית הבובות Beit Habubot

Unfortunately there's not much online for this band from Israel--that means I haven't found any mp3s downloadable for free-- but at least youtube makes it possible to give you a little impression of this band.
Below the song סיגפו/Sigapo