Asmar, Yara
Home Recordings 2018-2021/synth Waltzes (2lp)
Yara Asmar's first two cassettes ('Home Recordings 2018-2021' and 'Synth Waltzes & Accordion Laments') are released in a deluxe remastered double vinyl gatefold package featuring all new art and design from Yara herself. Both albums were originally released on Hive Mind Records in 2022 and 2023 and received critical acclaim around the world, with praised words describing them as melancholic drifts sound through the overcast skies of synth waltzes and accordion laments, infusing ageless melodies with a sense of falling backward through time. And the combination and contrast of highly familiar and highly alien elements give Asmar's music a quality not quite like anything else I can name. The way she channels found voices into her surreal mix of sounds is particularly striking.