Sorry I haven’t been posting much – I was busy with work and I also had to assemble my new desktop computer. My brother helped out (thank you!) and together we finished fairly fast, B”H.

My motherboard died after about 4 years of valiant service (sigh!), and this meant I had to buy new RAM and a new CPU to fit the new motherboard. A very annoying unexpected expense, but I really need my desktop computer to be able to work. I think we’ll be able to use the RAM in some of the office computers, but I have no idea what to do with the CPU – it’s in perfectly working condition, I just don’t have anything to fit it into. I really wish socket types wouldn’t change so often! Maybe I could sell it, but I kind of doubt I can find a buyer.

***

I thought I’d compensate for my absence by starting my brand-new series where I torment my readers with Youtube videos I like. Be afraid, be very afraid! I decided to embed the videos for convenience, but if this breaks your feeds or something, I’m OK with just hyperlinks, let me know.

This will be a weekly feature IY”H, on Tuesdays (because “Youtube Tuesday” sounds cool), but usually posted in the night because that’s when I have time, so actually on Wednesdays in my time zone.

I mostly listen to traditional and urban folklore from all over the world (especially Central Europe and Central Asia), industrial, and everything that features people screaming. So I thought people who come for the “diversity in SF” theme might stay and listen to a few weird songs from all over the world at least before we get to the screaming part.

Every update will have four videos, just because. First up is BeRosh Hashanah, a traditional Jewish song arranged by Eyal Bitton. (It’s an a cappella rendition, so you can watch it even if you are a religious Muslim. The video actually reminds me of Islamic nasheed videos, I wonder if that was intentional.)

Rosh Hashanah is coming up, so this is in the spirit of the season. The Jewish New Year is not a particularly happy occasion – it is more connected to the awe of G-d -, so this is not a party song either. The lyrics actually summarize the most important features of the holiday quite well, so be sure to read the English subtitles.

The second song is a great cover of Nina Simone’s Four Women by Madame Pepper, using only a loop pedal. I love loop pedal tracks and you will probably see more of this stuff… This is a heartwrenching song and Madame Pepper is a great singer who could use more exposure.

Next up is Karaván Família performing on a Swedish music festival – if you know me in person, you’ve probably been subjected to this video a few times

They are Hungarian Roma and they play urban folk. They are also 100% PURE AWESOME. In the first part of the video they sing their song Shej baxtali from the album Gipsy Crossroads, and the second part is a free-for-all jam with a Persian singer and a Serbian accordionist.

And finally we have Araatan by Altan Urag (featuring Naran), a Mongolian folk rock band. I wonder if I enjoy Central Asian music so much because I’m Hungarian and it’s kind of similar (except really different). This song even features a dulcimer.

I managed to keep the screaming to a minimum in the first instalment Though be sure to check out Naran’s falsetto above!