Zazou, Bikaye & CY1 – Noir et Blanc, 1983

One of the most organically freaky records I’ve ever heard. Totally serendipitous experimental pile-on of traditional Congolese singer Bony Bikaye; Algerian-born French producer Hector Zazou; and Claude Micheli and Guillaume Loizillon, mechanics of a massive wall of early 70s analog computers who called themselves CY1. Calling this “east meets west” is totally reductive; this thing is man meets machine on another planet.

Deutsche Wertarbeit – Deutsche Wertarbeit, 1981

The only solo record from Dorothea Raukes, ex-singer of krautrock band Streetmark. Really tasteful and meditative synth textures, and melodies that feel oddly familiar even on first-listen. “Auf Engelsflügeln” is a narrative high point; “Der Grosse Atem” is a shimmering cosmic closer. Definitely an on-repeat record.