Aurgasm

Jazz // Pop

An intriguing personality shows in the words and music from Bev Lee Harling. Songs about expectations, modern life & love are matched by a diverse production which is sometimes tongue in cheek, but always spot on in presenting the song eloquently. Don’t be fooled by the sweetness of her voice; she conceals a dark twist and wickedness underneath her cute appearance. “Private Life of a Puppet” sees a fine balance between innocent & dark, while “Barefoot in Your Kitchen” has you guessing whether it is a smart analogy or just a loving tribute.

Jazz pop with an intriguing twist.
Bev Lee Harling – Private Life of a Puppet (acoustic)
Bev Lee Harling – Barefoot in Your Kitchen
+ Purchase/Visit

jazz // thunder

Hopefully your speakers can fully embrace the percussive salvo of Bottom Rhythm Jam. Featuring Indigo Jam Unit‘s drummer, Takehiro Shimizu, and pianist Yoshichika Tarue, led by Kosuke Tsuji, with Gandhi on contrabass, this is the hardest hitting, relentless pounding jazz I’ve ever enjoyed. A ferocious and awesome Encounter binding earthly tremors to your body.

Explosive jazz from Japan.
Bottom Rhythm Jam – Crisis
Bottom Rhythm Jam – Core G
+ Purchase/Visit

acoustic jazz // world

Moroccan-born, Paris-based songstress and multi-instrumentalist Hindi Zahra is truly a world artist. Her debut album Handmade (2011) embodies the spirit of American jazz and blues traditions, Django Reinhardt’s gypsy guitar rhythms and North African beats. Sung nearly entirely in English with occasional Berber whispers, Handmade ranges from smoky ballads to soulful urban blues. In “Beautiful Tango” Hindi’s sweet vocals, acoustic guitar, light hand percussion, and overall easy jazz style steal your heart away.

Soulful grooves with a tinge of Morocco.

Hindi Zahra – Beautiful Tango
Hindi Zahra – Imik Si Mik
+ Purchase/Visit

swedish pop // cabaret-jazz

Swedish pop is flourishing and the world can’t seem to get enough. At Aurgasm, we always want to give you more. Chances are, you might have heard Miss Li & Amanda Jenssen’s adorably catchy “Bourgeois Shangri-La” featured in Apple’s iPod nano campaign back in 2009. Here’s another opportunity to enjoy the groove. Miss Li’s latest release Beats & Bruises (2011) certainly shares current Swedish pop tendencies with such artists as Hello Saferide, Maia Hirasawa, Veronica Maggio and Laleh. Yet her vocal delivery, particularly in the standout “Forever Drunk”, brings to mind the velvety torch-style of Shivaree.

Late-night bittersweet serenades, delicious pop melodies.

Miss Li – Can’t Get You Out Off My Mind
Miss Li – Forever Drunk
+ Purchase/Visit

Songwriter // Jazz // Soul

Stac (Stacey Dowdeswell) is signed to London based label Wah Wah 45s and her debut album Turn That Light Out was released June 21st 2010. This album is produced by label mate Scrimshire & engineered by previously featured Benedic “Nostalgia 77″ Lambdin. The album’s ten tracks have since been remixed into a pair of remix albums (vol.1 & vol.2) featuring versions by Bonobo, Kidkanevil, Hint, Ashley Beedle, Natural Self & TM Juke. Stac’s biggest influences are Lewis Taylor, Jamie Lidell, Erykah Badu and red wine, resulting in songs filled with emotion, subtle layers and an attitude that makes her an artist to keep an eye on.
See for yourself with original album track “Tip”, a mature, intelligent track and its remixed counterpart “Tip (Hint remix)”, taking all that maturity into the club and shakin’ it like there ain’t no tomorrow. All three Stac’s albums are available for download on the Wah Wah 45s shop, including two free tracks from the remix competition.

Blue eyed soulstress from LDN.
Tip
Tip (Hint Remix)
+ Purchase/Visit