Folk /
Ancient Court Raga Traditions
** 2025 stock. ** Ancient Court Raga Traditions: The Pathak Gharana unveils the legacy of Ashok Pathak, torchbearer of a centuries-old musical lineage rooted in expressive sitar and surbahar artistry. The album channels the introspective eloquence and technical invention unique to Pathak Gharana, honoring classical forms while revealing a spirit of fresh musical interpretation through deep alap, intricate meend, and rare court compositions.
Lost Sounds Of The Tao
** 2025 stock. ** Lost Sounds Of The Tao (Chinese Masters Of The Guqin In Historic Recordings) reveals the refined artistry of Lo Ka Ping, presenting rare archival performances that mirror the spiritual depth and cultural resonance of the guqin tradition. The album’s historic recordings capture an intimate sonic landscape rooted in Chinese philosophy and poetic subtlety, honoring both instrument and legacy.
Flyin' Shoes
** 2025 stock ** This is another stalwart collection from Townes Van Zandt, and not a dud in the bunch. The melodies here are strong, the lyrics full of Van Zandt's razor sharp insight, and the production is sparse and to the point, bringing to mind the inconspicuous polish of High, Low and in Between. The feel here is a balance between folk and country, with Van Zandt's voice and guitar up front, letting the songs speak for themselves. The tunes are full of heartbreak and hopelessness, making i…
Jokes And Trials
What a pleasure it is to bring you the first vinyl version of Jokes and Trials, the 2006 solo debut by Melbourne's Ned Collette, whose incredible song cycle Old Chestnut (FTR 362-2LP, 2018) and brilliant instrumental album Afternoon-Dusk (FTR 468LP, 2019) have been widely and correctly lauded as classics. As Mark Harwood explains in his excellent liner notes, Ned emerged from the Melbourne improv underground along with people like Will Guthrie and Joe Talia. Indeed, it was Talia who turned Ned o…
Life Is Spiritual
2025 stock "It's fair to say that what the world needs now is love. And not just a drop here or there. Enter the Hurricane. This latest offering is a high point in a career that is all about being high and impossible to put a point on. Life is Spiritual -- it's an evocation, a flowering of a singular vision. There is nothing static in Hurricane's world, even if he is drawing on more recognizable forms than in the past. He's mastered the elusive art of being in the moment. His car is a character,…
Kwantu (LP)
Kwantu brings together Madala Kunene and Sibusile Xaba for a powerful dialogue across generations. Fusing deep Zulu roots, evocative improvisation, and spiritual storytelling, the album transcends genre. Here, ancestral echoes and humanistic creativity merge in soundscapes alive with cultural energy and intimate connection.
Syncreticl (LP)
Fusing classical Indian traditions with contemporary sensibilities, Syncretic unites Bhairavi Raman and Nanthesh Sivarajah in a vibrant dialogue of melody and rhythm. This release bridges cultural and musical worlds, offering listeners an intricate tapestry of artistry defined by nuance, texture, and emotional depth.
Solo at Cafe Oto
*Edition of 300* Melodies are alive, remolded and reshaped in each performance. Guitarist Shane Parish embraces this continual evolution by transcribing songs from across musical genres, instruments, and eras for solo guitar. Recent albums like 2024’s Repertoire, which features 14 songs across jazz, folk, and electronic music and played on acoustic guitar, showcase his skill in transcription, as does his work transforming Bill Orcutt’s Four Guitars from a multi-tracked solo project into a quarte…
Orange
*300 copies limited release* Originally released in 2010 on limited edition CD, Orange is a singular, kaleidoscopic statement from Vermont-based Kurt Weisman – multi-instrumentalist, hermit mystic, and founding member of cult supergroup Feathers (with Kyle Thomas/King Tuff, Asa Irons, Ruth Garbus, and Chris Weisman). “If a homesick alien were to fall to Earth, meet a girl, pick up a guitar, and retreat to a cabin in the woods, it’s possible his first record would sound a lot like Kurt Weisman’s …
And Then Perhaps
Charming atmosphere & dreamy twin female vocals, mixing traditional tunes with interesting covers and superb original songs featuring a slight psych/folk edge. Named after the fabled ghost ship, Wolverhampton folk group Marie Celeste left behind just one rare recording: the 1971 private-press album And Then Perhaps. Pressed in only 200 copies without a proper picture sleeve and recorded live in a single session, it has since become a collector’s treasure – a haunting message in a bottle from the…
Les Ya Toupas du Zaïre
Les Ya Toupas is a band formed in 1976 by Bopol Mansiamina (Bass - Success Mode, 4 Stars ..), Manuaku Waku (aka Grand Zaiko Wawa) and Ray Lema (Piano, Organ and Guitar). In 1978, they recorded this unique and unclassifiable instrumental album, Les Ya Toupas du Zaïre, produced by Gérard Akueson (founder of Akue Records and Abeti's producer). The LP is composed of minimalist Afro Jazz rhythms and Deep Funk grooves that are close at times to a tropical trance, all played by musicians who used to of…
Songs of Tomorrow
Years later, revisiting this performance through the album still leaves me gasping in awe—she reads minds, she hypnotises, a celestial sprite blessed by the heavens. Her solid grounding in classical and folk music, extraordinary technique and control, boundless stage presence, and our own beautiful yet bittersweet memories all converge to create this timeless recording.
Time rewinds to a May evening in 2014, as the inaugural Tomorrow Music Festival unfolded. Czech musician Iva Bittová stood alon…
The Golden Voice of Phnom Penh, 1962-1974
Akuphone and The Cambodian Vintage Music Archive proudly present the first-ever retrospective dedicated to So Savoeun—one of the radiant voices that defined Phnom Penh’s golden age of sound in the 1960s and 1970s. In those vibrant years, the city pulsed with music: rock bands, crooners, and traditional ensembles blended East and West, shaping a uniquely Cambodian pop that shimmered with hope and modernity. Amid this flourishing scene, So Savoeun’s voice stood out—silken yet powerful, intimate ye…
The Albums: 1968-1972
2025 stock When they formed in 1968, Pentangle were hailed as Folk’s first supergroup, fusing elements of jazz and underground music and comprising the twin guitar/songwriting talents of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn with bassist Danny Thompson, drummer Terry Cox and singer Jacqui McShee.
Between 1968 and 1972, Pentangle issued six albums – five on legendary Folk label Transatlantic and a swansong release on Reprise. Their debut, The Pentangle (1968), was hailed as a Folk Rock classic and charte…
Imaginational Anthem vol. XIV : Ireland
Ireland has had its fair share of international breakout successes recently, including Tompkins Square’s own discovery, Muireann Bradley. Perhaps less known, however, is that the country continues to be a wellspring of extraordinary solo acoustic guitar talent—an undercurrent that thrives beyond the mainstream, echoing both tradition and innovation.
With Imaginational Anthem vol. XIV: Ireland, curated by acclaimed guitarist and composer Cian Nugent, Tompkins Square shines a light on this vibra…
On Beacon Hill
On Beacon Hill: at twilight we find Anthony Moore, roots winding backwards to the halcyon days of Slapp Happy and the ‘70s progressive art rock scene, at guitar and piano. With the atmospheres and accompaniments of AKA & Friends, he breathes infernal new life into songs from his six decades of multivarious music making. This new delivery system is unto a séance, a communal incantation, twining Anthony’s avant and pop traditions together in a darkly radiant coil of folky chamber music; a rope to …
West Virginia Snake Handler Revival "They Shall Take Up Serpents"
West Virginia Snake Handler Revival "They Shall Take Up Serpents" marks the arrival of a landmark record, documenting the last, snake handling church in Appalachia. Featuring hillbilly rock guitars, trance-like rhythms, and howling vocals, this album was recorded 100% live and without overdubs by Grammy-award winning producer and author, Ian Brennan (Tinariwen, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Zomba Prison Project). The first release of American music ever by Sublime Frequencies, Brennan states, "As much …
Tunggak Semi
“Tunggak Semi” is the third album from Indonesian musician and producer Bambang Pranoto. Originally released in 2000, it’s an exemplary slice of what has become his signature style, a dream-like meditation on aspects of nature, combining elements of accordion, acoustic guitar, flute and percussion. The compositions cross eastern and western notation to inhabit a world of their own, a world between worlds, where harmonies reflect the beauty and joy of nature.
Bambang had a rather atypical entry i…
Yenbett
Noura Mint Seymali's 3rd album Yenbett (her first since 2016) is a stunning explosion of contemporary Mauritanian griot music, and once again confirms her status as one of the world's most potent voices. Co-produced by Matthew Tinari (Noura's drummer) and Mikey Coltun (Mdou Moctar) the new album's approach is both raw and experimental; capturing the band's powerful in situ performances with taught clarity and adventuresome sonics. Reflecting her influence, and the acclaim that she's accumulated …
Angel
Acclaimed Welsh composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Cerys Hafana's third album Angel, is a deep exploration of minimalism, traditional and avant-folk music and Hafana's primary instrument the Welsh triple harp. The album alternates between vocal songs (all sung in the Welsh language) and instrumentals, often buoyed by a deft trio of sympathetic and exploratory musicians (drums, double bass, alto sax).
The uncommon breadth and innovation of Angel soundly confirms Hafana as one of the UK's …