Stream Aligning LP from Cats of Transnistria
For many of us, music is escapism. We wrap ourselves in our headphones and let go of everything around us. Perhaps no one is better at creating that sonic cocoon than Finnish outfit Cats of Transnistria, especially once you delve into the depths of Aligning. “Mountain High” opens things up, almost as an album itself, offering delicate touches and heavy notes to whet your appetite going forward. “Vampire” offers up the angelic beneath it’s brooding atmospherics, patiently bringing the vocals to rest atop. As you move into “Born Again,” a darker texture seeps in, though its still interrupted by the soaring vocal performance…if anything this only makes the song more haunting. In order to bring you out of that darkness, they offer up “Light” and “Wild Herbs,” sharing a natural warmth that provides the proper balance to the collection of songs; I think the latter is possibly my favorite track on this LP. The close of the album is much like the beginning, as “Aligning” seems very much like its own entity, book ending the listen with this exhilarating sonic exploration. If your one such listener looking for that other worldly experience, then grab Aligning from Soliti Music, out worldwide this Friday.
Somewhere in the 1960s, a group of friends gathered outside of a haunted house, deep in the hills, as the sun set, coating the world in darkness…or so the story goes. The soundtrack to that scene very well could be this tune from 
Be forewarned…the brand new Swan/Koistinen EP is a sobering four track collection. In the time of the endless scroll, we often talk about hyperbole and boost hopeful hyped artists. But, here we have two established musicians, Astrid Swan and Stina Koistinen crafting four songs that document their experience as cancer survivors; it’s four songs of these two women putting that experience on the table for all to see. Musically, I’m drawn to the throbbing pulse of “Hospital,” while I’m also growing to love the arrangements that accompany “Symptoms.” Honestly, it’s a tough listen lyrically, but perhaps one that provides many a fan with solace…ultimately ending in the joy of “Singing.” Just wanted to share it with you all; it’s available from our friends at 
This is a special song, written at one point for a special moment, celebrating and sharing the stories of two co-survivors and what it means to live as a sick woman. The two voices here are 
We’ve shared a couple of tunes off this