South America

	1870: Mitos de una Ressureccion Code:CDLN-39 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
Completely uncategoriseable four man ensemble from Mexico with a radically unusual line-up: two tubas, cor anglais, oboe, theremin, real-time processing and collective percussion - who play an intense, rock-informed but far from any rock, thoroughly composed, complex, strange and sometimes scary music that is in a category of one. I saw them by chance earlier this year in Querétaro and waited for this CD. Now here it is. Mexican import, all texts are in Spanish.
	ALQUIMIA/LEDESMA: Dead Tongues Code:ReRALQ1 Price: £12.50 Quantity in Basket: none
Atmospheric, evolving, intricate and layered; a suite of fine compositions and carefully crafted sounds. Consistent creation of another place, another time. Listen to a sample of this release
	BRINGAS, GERMAN: Y El Engrane Amarillo (dbl CD) Code:BRINGASEngrane Price: £20.27 Quantity in Basket: none
A double CD documenting a day with Bringas' quartet and four guests, Fred Frith, Chris Cutler, Luis Flores (violin) and Salvador Cruz (piano strings). Extremely eccentric package design. There's a lot that's good here, though possibly a more critical hand would have been more ruthless with the scissors. Featuring some fine Mexican improvisers. This is a rare import and in limited supply.
	DECIBEL: Fiat Lux (3 CD Box) Code:MIO022-024 Price: £29.38 Quantity in Basket: none
Includes the great early Ô80Õs release El Poeta del Ruido - which Recommended took on at the time - and a heretofore unreleased live concert from 2000. Both are excellent and in what is now known as the ÔRIOÕ style: additive rhythms, extended techniques, twisting compositions, studio and/or performance experiments. With a lot of extra tracks.There is also a third CD of more abstract improvised pieces. Nicely packaged and presented, this is a fitting tribute to one of MexicoÕs generally unsung but most interesting experimental bands, a band who were not following a style, but helping to create one. (Individual CDÕs are available but cost 12 pounds each).
	LEDESMA, JOSE LUIS FERNANDEZ/MARGARITA BOTELLO: Sol Central Code:LEDESMA,JOSELUISFERNANDEZ/MARGARITABOTELLO:SolCent Price: £15.28 Quantity in Basket: none
Impressive release, densely written, imaginative and beautifully realised, with much advanced use of voices, layering of parts and rhythmic juxtaposition. If it helps, but don't take it too literally, there are occasional family resemblances to Magma and After Dinner, but in general this is a musical language owing few obvious debts. Electronic and acoustic instruments perfectly mixed. Guests Alquimia and German Bringas feature.
	LEDESMA, JOSE LUIS FERNANDEZ/MARGARITA BOTELLO: Sol Central Code:LEDESMA,JOSELUISFERNANDEZ/MARGARITABOTELLO:SolCent Price: £15.28 Quantity in Basket: none
Impressive release, densely written, imaginative and beautifully realised, with much advanced use of voices, layering of parts and rhythmic juxtaposition. If it helps, but don't take it too literally, there are occasional family resemblances to Magma and After Dinner, but in general this is a musical language owing few obvious debts. Electronic and acoustic instruments perfectly mixed. Guests Alquimia and German Bringas feature.
	LEDESMA, JOSE LUIS FERNANDEZ/MARGARITA BOTELLO: Sol Central Code:LEDESMA,JOSELUISFERNANDEZ/MARGARITABOTELLO:SolCent Price: £13.00 Quantity in Basket: none
Impressive release, densely written, imaginative and beautifully realised, with much advanced use of voices, layering of parts and rhythmic juxtaposition. If it helps, but don't take it too literally, there are occasional family resemblances to Magma and After Dinner, but in general this is a musical language owing few obvious debts. Electronic and acoustic instruments perfectly mixed. Guests Alquimia and German Bringas feature.
	MUSICA D'REPUESTO: AV abuC Code:CDLNO7 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
Somewhere between Progressive and a kind of Rock Jazz. Extremely well performed and recorded, mostly in Cuba. Described as 'Crimson-like' and as 'ranging from Rock In Opposition to Symphonic Progressive Rock'.
	NARANJA MECÁNICA: 1993-1995 Code:CDLN-16 Price: £15.28 Quantity in Basket: none
Extremely rare recording of Cuban progressive-influenced group (echoes of Stormy Six, Musica Urbana &c., but with a strong local flavour. Excellent performances and interesting music, especially for those with a feeling for so-called progressive rock.
	NAZCA: Estacion de Sombra Code:CDnn1002 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
	NAZCA: Nazca en Vivo Code:CDNN-1003 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
Nazca Live. Mexican Bassoon and Violin led Chamber Rock ensemble, more chamber than rock, pioneers in their own territory.
	NAZCA: Nazca Code:CDnn1001 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
Reissue of the 1983 LP by this most left field of Mexican groups. Close to Univers Zero and with Henry Cow influences, they avoid the jazz-rock aspects of what is called progressive music altogether. Their instrumentation- bassoon, oboe, violins, piano, bass and percussion already tells a lot. An interesting record.
	PARRA, ARTURO: Parr(a)cousmatique Code:IMED0264 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
Columbian Guitarist and electroacoustic composer with a set of impressive and imaginative pieces, all featuring guitar in some form and all conceived in sonic language that is at one unique and compelling. Fine work.
	PERFUME DE MUJER: El Monologo de el Caracol Code:CDLN-13 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
The only experimental Cuban band I know of. Odd time signatures, strange instrumentation, eccentric arrangements, recording experiments - and more abstract pieces. All composed.
	PERFUME DE MUJER: Pollos D'Granja Code:CDLNO6 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
Still active Cuban 'Progressive Rock' legends, employing some extended recording techniques and experiments, made both in studios and concerts in Havana.
	STEINER, ETKIN, LANZA, VALCARCEL: New Music from the Americas 1 Code:ESP9301CD Price: £15.28 Quantity in Basket: none
7 works. 3 by Gitta Steiner - for percussion trio, marimba, vibraphone; the other 4 by South American composers - making this already a valuable resource - Etkin and Lanza are from Buenos Aires and Valcarcel from Peru. This last particularly interesting. Some Tapework too.
	VARIOUS ARTISTS: Alma Latina Code:LNT113 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
Electroacoustic Music from Latin America. A useful and good - collection of pieces from Argentina, Peru and Mexico. Very varied and much excellent material
	VARIOUS ARTISTS: Southern Cones Code:EMFCD027 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
Collection of - one way or another - electronic pieces out of Africa and South America, leaning on rhythm and repetition, but with several interesting pieces.
	VARIOUS ARTISTS: Variaciones En La Cuedra Vol.1 Code:CDLN01 Price: £14.69 Quantity in Basket: none
A unique document of Cuban groups who follow an experimental path and are hardly visible at home; no officially available recordings. Volume 1 has four groups and four styles - between Electronic, 'Progressive and Experimental Rock (some phenomenal Bass/Drum parts).Contemporary and trying to find their own language, not copies. Recorded in Cuba, manufactured in Mexico. Good quality - and of interest. Limited supply of course.