Sorry to be a day tardy. The in-laws are in town and we were off experiencing the magic of the Hoosier state yesterday.

Miho & Smokey / mp3

Miho Hatori, of Cibo Matto, has also worked with the Beastie Boys and Gorillaz. Although Smokey Hormel’s name conjures images of smoked pork loin, he is not a hickory flavored hog log but has been a guitarist for Beck, Tom Waits, and Johnny Cash, as well as scoring the David Lynch film “The Straight Story.” Now these two artists can add each other to their impressive résumés. Miho & Smokey have combined their love of brazilian music to record an EP of Baden Powell and Vinicius De Moraes interpretations as well as an EP of their own tunes. The music is still very reminiscent of Cibo Matto’s forays into smooth lounge. Miho and Smokey stay true to the flavor of the songs they are covering, but when they write their own material, the drum-machines come out and so does the real Cibo Matto flavor.

Recommended tracks:

• Consolacao
• Ocean In Your Eyes

Yoshimi & Yuka / mp3

Yuka Honda was the other half of Cibo Matto and has worked with the likes of Arto Lindsay, Caetano Veloso, Yoko Ono, Los Lobos, Luscious Jackson, and Medeski Martin & Wood. Yoshimi P-we has been involved in UFO of Die, the Boredoms, Free Kitten, and OOIOO. In another Cibo Matto-esque collaboration, Yoshimi & Yuka have released an album they recorded partially while driving up Mt. Ikoma in a small pick-up truck loaded with instruments. They then took these recordings back to the studio for some mixing and overdubbing. The result is “Flower with No Color.” More ambient and less danceable than Miho & Smokey, “Flower with No Color” is a more casual, experimental album. Perfect for kicking back on the front porch in the evening.

Recommended tracks:

• elegant bird
• SPY said ONE