Genre-bending & spine-tingling music
Spellbinding Music is an independent blog based in Ireland curating contemporary, modern classical, ambient, roots, electronic, jazz and folk music…and everything in between. Read More
Dhafer Youssef: Les ondes orientales
Time Out provides an excellent introduction to Dhafer Youssef: “…the Tunisian vocalist and oud virtuoso juxtaposes the ancient, mystical, hypnotic music of Islamic Sufism with the textures of electric jazz.” While Dhafer Youssef’s electronic side is more evident in older recordings like Divine Shadows (2006)…
Antony and the Johnsons feat. Björk: Flétta
This exquisite collaborative track comes from Antony and the Johnsons’ 2010 recording Swanlights. The track was originally composed in 2006 during the recording sessions for Björk’s album Volta which includes two duets with Antony Hegarty. In “Flétta”, Antony and Björk sing to actual Icelandic words…
Steve Cooney: O’Farrell’s Welcome to Limerick
Steve Cooney is an Australian guitar player, arranger, composer and poet who has been a towering influence on the contemporary Irish music scene ever since moving to Ireland from his native Melbourne in 1981. A rock and blues musician originally, Steve Cooney first joined seminal…
Alela Diane: White as diamonds
Alela Diane is a young singer songwriter from Nevada City, California now living in Portland, Oregon. She is usually associated with Mariee Sioux, another Nevada City native, or with English singer Vashti Bunyan. While she has now changed over a more Folk-Rock sound with her…
Nomad Soul Collective: Murmuration
“Murmuration” is an uplifting and unusual track with a 7/8 time signature by Nomad Soul Collective, a young London-based British band. Influenced by The Cinematic Orchestra, the collective came to prominence in late 2011 when the tune was used as the soundtrack to a short video which…
Daniel Martin Moore: In the Cool of the Day
Daniel Martin Moore is a Kentucky-born singer songwriter who grew up immersed in the Southern Baptists’ musical traditions of spirituals, hymns, gospel and choir music. In 2011, the musician set out to record In the Cool of the Day, a collection introducing a personal and…
Ibrahim Maalouf: Questions and Answers
“Questions and Answers” is another song from Ibrahim Maalouf taken from Wind (2012), his latest release. Once again, the quarter tone trumpet allows the musician to create a lovely hybrid music that spans across several genres: I have with me an instrument that reflects exactly…
Andrey Dergatchev: The Return
I must have watched The Return three or four times now, several years apart, and each time I am left with a very strong impression. Set against the backdrop of the desolate wilderness of Northern Russia, The Return is an arresting film by first-time director Andrey…