Four years since their debut and now without KT Tunstall, adventurous London-based Jewish band Oi Va Voi (Yiddish for “Oh dear god!”) apparently faced a difficult task in replicating the success of Laughter Through Tears. But for this reviewer, their crazy quilt of klezmer, electronica and rock was an agreeable surprise. Referencing Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagaran, the opener “Yuri,” with its mashup of outer space imagery and oom-pa-pa horns, signals from the outset that musical boundaries are to be disrespected. More introspective moments come courtesy of singers like Hungarian Agi Szaloki, whose contribution to “Dissident” gives it a delicious world-weariness. DG

Electro duo Motor’s sophomore effort, Unhuman, is similar to last years debut Klunk, having been cut from the same high-tempo, full-blooded template. Vocals on Unhuman, though, are clichéd, perhaps in an attempt to be fragmented and disturbing but instead sounding like Anthony Rother done badly. It’s the sparser territories that save this disc from being another Alter Ego rip-off. Desolate and sinister synths in “Night Drive,” warping 303 acid riffs in “20 Volts of Steel,” and crisp high-hats are eminent throughout, and overall the soaring and pounding rawness swells against the current techno scene’s minimalism. Motor are capable of head-bending sonic creations, and Unhuman is overall a dark, eruptive and relentless ride. James Coulson

For some, it’s an egotistic venture to emulate their own heroes. For others, it’s a chance to kick back and have fun playing songs that can endure any interpretation. The covers on this album by Japan’s acid jazz pioneer (and daughter of jazz empress Toshiko Akiyoshi) are firmly in the latter, and for all her eclectic choices, Monday Michiru has sewn a seamless and highly satisfying whole. Blondie’s “Call Me” is remade for lounging in a high-rise hotel jazz bar, while virtuoso sax and superlative percussion on Milton Nascimento’s “Vera Cruz” exude the experience and ease with which Michiru and her band apply their magic touch. Robert Poole

Twin-brother Techno unit RyukyuDisko are still relative newcomers, but by producing “The Sound of Okinawa,” their star is rising fast. Nice Day sees the duo collaborating with punk-popsters Beat Crusaders, with each striving to have their pulsating styles emerge victorious. But it’s the DVD accompaniment that’s of real note, consisting of RyukyuDisko’s entire Wire ’06 set. Folk sounds combine with shuddering techno rhythms while the pair bounce in neo-traditional garb, and it’s hard not to feel the enthusiasm that feeds into the crowd. On tracks like “LequLickDub” and the nod to Kraftwerk, “Trans KOZA Express,” RyukyuDisko clearly know how to work an audience. For those who weren’t there, the release is a Nice Day indeed. RP


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