Lil Sum'n Sum'n

Percussionist duo (and husband-and-wife team) Gilly Gonzalez and Lisa Wimberger have done it again with their latest offering, the seven-track Billowing Spires, which was recorded live at Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery this past December. Throat singer Matthew Kocel and vocalist Beth Quist are both featured in the set, and the sound quality is fantastic. Billowing Spires opens softly, with the hypnotic tones of the hang drum and Kocel's vibrating voice, but the energy rises quickly as the duo brings in heavier drums with deeper tones. Lil Sum'n Sum'n is renowned for showcasing the range of melodies available in the percussion world, and they display their insane drum collection to its fullest extent on these songs, which draw from Middle Eastern, Afro-Cuban, African and American influences to create a sound that can only be encompassed under the umbrella of "world music." That said, these aren't staid or sedate tunes, by any means: If you can listen to these rhythms without wanting to move your hips at least a little bit, then you need to get your ears checked.