Thanks to the inexplicable popularity of my Submit Music page, I always have a huge digital pile of indie albums and EPs awaiting my perusal. But at this time of year — after I’ve spent months consumed by the endless onslaught of major fall releases — the backlog becomes nothing short of insane. Thankfully, now that the holiday rush is finally over, I’ve got some time to play catch-up. Here’s a recent gem from the massive stack. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. If so, I encourage you to support the artist by buying it from their Bandcamp page — and be sure to tell them I sent you. And if you’ve got something you want me to hear, send it my way. If I think you’re half as good as you think you are, I just might include you sometime.
Bob Gaulke
Enka
HOME BASE: The Bronx.
GENRE: World Pop.
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Enka is named after the popular Japanese sort of country ’n’ western genre that can be heard in the speakeasies of Yokohama I wasn’t welcomed to visit. Anyways, here are eight songs that touch on a similar spirit of longing and regret delivered in a post-punk/dub/jazz sort of stylee. I’ve never felt laptop recording come out so well.”
MY TWO CENTS: It is world music? Is it jazz? Is it pop? Is it dub? The only real answer is: Yes. It is all of these things. And more. And very, very good.
