Children of The Drone is an Exeter based musical collective of musicians devoted to totally improvised music. They have placed almost all of their sessions on the internet. Their music is pretty much unclassifiable, using all sort of instruments, traditional and modern acoustic, while borrowing from all genres. If I had to classify the music I could throw around terms like ambient, psychedelic, and psych-folk but this is the kind of music that is best listened to with no expectations. It does tend to get under your skin. There are seven compilations of sessions to choose from simply numbered one to seven. The lower numbered albums are the earlier ones. You can also download a collection of even earlier attempts at improvisations called Opthalmologist Frogspawn and a set of dub based improvisations titled Sort-Of-In-Dub. Any of them make for adventurous listening.

The COTD web site has a music page from which you can access all of their albums or you can use the links below to access them separately from The Internet Archives. Enjoy!

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Compilation 1
Compilation 2
Compilation 3
Compilation 4
Compilation 5
Compilation 6
Compilation 7
Opthalmalogist Frogspawn
Sort-Of-In-Dub

I’m really not quite sure about The Juanitos. Their mixture of rock, disco, lounge, and Spanish music is odd but fun. The bottom line is that any music that makes me feel good is probably worth recommending. Their three free online albums, available Jamendo, certainly gives you a lot of music to help you feel good. This is essentially party music with no apologies and no strings attached.

Best of is not really a “best of” album as much as just their newest mix of fun sounds. The music ranges from funky to mariachi with a whole bunch of genres tripping over each other on the dance floor. I especially like the mariachi grind of “Do The Cobra” and the totally get-down-and -party “Latin Fever”. “Frankenstein in Shanghai” mixes a cheesy Chinese riff with reggae and funny vocals.

Exotica sounds a bit more balanced. The main thrust is Latin beats mixed with surf rock and lounge. Still a party album. Still a lot of fun.

It should not be a surprise to say you get pretty much the same thing from I’m Your DJ yet it is a bit different. It is the earliest of the albums and is more of a electronic dance album with some clever sampling on cuts like “Woman’s Liberation”, “El Loco Boogaloo” and “Pancho is a Bad Guy”. This is a straight forward dance affair that will appeal to many. But whatever album you choose to download, be prepared for some tongue-in-cheek amusement.

The albums are available in VBR mp3.

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Exotica
I’m Your DJ
Best Of

When it comes to odd music, I don’t shock easily but Diablo Swing Orchestra got even me off guard on its first listen. This Swedish ensemble has one of the freshest and most exciting sounds I’ve heard in a long time and they manage it through an insane combination of heavy metal, swing jazz, a traditional European music smorgabord, and a classical soprano voice that probably broke wine glasses in the studio. By the time I got through the first two tracks, I considered going to the emergency ward for the possibility of impending head explosion. There is an operatic feel throughout the tracks and an intensity that hold up marvelously through every musical twist. There are actually two vocalists, male and female, and these two work to good effect on “Rag Doll Physics”, a weird cross between Wagner and Ozzy Osbourne. Just about when I thought my head might explode, soprano and guitar make love on the gorgeous ballad “D’Angelo”. However if you really want to get the sense of this album start at the first track with “Balrog Boogie”, a full-assault barrage of swing and metal that has to be heard to believe. Other tracks all have their surprises like the Raga influenced “Gunpowder Chant” and an epic “Zodiac Virtues”. Finally, in case, you haven’t received the message that no limits are spared, Diablo Swing exits with a marvelous “Pink Noise Waltz” that offers flute and violin solos among the metal barrage, swing overtones, and the operatic power of the vocal. This soars to the top of my best free online albums of 2009 list. Actually it may be one of the best albums of 2009 of any type.

The Butcher’s Ballroom is available in VBR MP3 from Jamendo. If you like the music, support the artists by purchasing the better sound quality CD or their newest release.

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Iranian-American composer and instrumentalist Dariush Dolat-shahi is adept at both contemporary electronic music and traditional Persian music. He is also a master at the tar and setar, which are Persian stringed instruments related to the lute. His five compositions on the album Electronic Music, Tar and Setar, released in 1985 and now offered as a free download from Ubuweb, is a fascinating amalgamation of both the contemporary and the traditional. The pieces are surprisingly percussive and somewhat minimalist yet has a strong folk influence that will appeal to many. I especially recommend a listen to “Sama” which I think brings the contemporary and traditional together in a most appealing way. Those interested in the setar can hear an exceptional performance of the instrument on “Shabistan”. This is an interesting album that will appeal to those who wish to widen their listening experience.

Another album titled Otashgah is available. It was released in 1986 and is a more modern work with little sign of the traditional. It appears by my ears to be written for an ensemble that include some acoustic instruments but is primarily electronic. It is an atmospheric piece that easily keeps your interest for its 35 minutes. Both albums offer a look at the two sides of an unique instrumentalist and composer deserving of more attention.

Both albums are available in 192kbps MP3.

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Balkan traditional music meets American swing in this infectious album titled No Money No Honey All We Got Is Us. The Underscore Orkestra is a light-hearted romp of a band that will keep your foot tapping. Some of the tracks are traditional folk dance, other are old-time jazz / swing and others are a clever combination of both. Fun and bouncy.

The album is available from the amazing Free Music Archive in 320kbps MP3.

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Taraab is a form of music out of Zanzibar and coastal Eastern Africa. It uses African rhythm and Swahili lyrics but is heavily influenced by Arabic and Indian popular music. The New York based Sounds of Taraab placed their debut album Zanzibar, New York on the Free Music Archive and it is a virtual downpour of exotic rhythms and sensuous lyrics. The five person ensemble uses such instruments as accordion, percussion, and oud, along with a good vocalist, to offer up a tantalizing blend of African and Mid East sounds. Highly recommended to anyone interested in world music.

The album is available in 256kbps MP3.

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Trio Argentino de Bajos (The Argentine Bass Trio) is an unusual Latin jazz group for the fact it consists of three electric bass guitars. I expected a rather narrow sound but instead I was surprised by the range and the fluidity of the playing on their online album titled El orden de los bajos no altera el producto. “Baile del sol Mediterraneo” sounds as if it is two guitars and a bass rather than three basses. “Domino” is a nice jazz track while “Utopia” uses a string bass and relies on a more post-classical approach. My favorite track is the boogie jazz “Como Rata por Tirante”. By the time you listened to all 12 tracks you will have heard pretty much any type of bass and any possible way to play it. This is a talented trio that deserves more recognition.

The album is available in 320kbps from the Clinical Archives netlabel.

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The free and legal album Lost Memories is a showcase for the talents of Serbian singer / composer / guitarist Daameer Stone. I use the triple description deliberately as this talented artist is attempting to display all of these attributes in this recording. Unfortunately it ends up somewhat uneven. Hip-hop influenced pieces are paired with cinematic soundscapes. Acoustic folk music is mixed with more modern pop oriented material. While Daameer is equally adept at all, the album becomes a bit muddled and doesn’t really focus on what is his particular strength.

And that strength is found in those acoustic tracks that focus on traditional and world music influences. Songs like “Home” and “Munin’s Flight” are calming fancies between new age and folk/traditional. “Diffused Bursts” starts out voice only but melds into a successful electronic fusion hybrid. From “Runnin’ in The Wood” and on, the tracks take on a more pop music stance but Daameer’s quality songwriting and Serbian influences are still evident. Only in the last two tracks on the album do the electronic element totally take over and they seem out of place. For the most part though, Stone’s blending of folk, pop, and electronic generally work. I would love to see two albums, one of folk acoustic numbers and the other being a more world/pop fusion set. For now, the artist has given us a taste of both and that will do for now.

The album is available from the artist’s web site in 256kbps MP3.

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The Kyoto Connection plays chilled out electro-pop mixed with a generous amount of Japanese sounds. Their 2008 release titled The Kyoto Connection II is now free and online. While the Japanese influence was not quite as dominant as I expected it to be, their music is still full of unexpected surprises in the engaging electronic arrangements. I find “Painting With Lights” especially intriguing for its trip-hop vocals and Oriental background drones. “Voyage I - Let The Light In” is the kind of pretty new age track that is both delightful and soothing while “The Prisoner” has a dance-pop quality that is infectious. All three of the “Voyage” tracks are quite beautiful. I played this at a gathering of people who had very different tastes in music and almost everyone was asking me who it was and where they could get it. This is very engaging music that should be enjoyable to a large audience. The album is available from Jamendo in VBR MP3 format.

Their first release from 2006 titled The Kyoto Connection I is also available. In fact you can get both of these albums from their web site. They ask that you register first but you don’t have to. Just click the download button. You can also get the first album from The Internet Archive. Both of these albums are Creative Commons licensed. It’s pretty much the same formula, relaxing electronic music with a dash of world groove but it is a great formula. “Fly” and “From Earth to The Sky” are stand-out tracks. The album is available in 192 kbps MP3. If you like the music, support the artists by buying their CDs in higher quality sound .

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The Kyoto Connection I
The Kyoto Connection II

I’m not sure how to describe this album. Sitarist Mender Banah is an excellent musician and appears to be quite versed in Indian music. However the six tracks on Bab Rag Terra, despite the alluring sitar lines and contagiously foot-tapping tablas, sound a bit Western to me. Since I am nowhere near an authority of Indian music I may be totally off base but Mender Banah seems to be playing a Western/Eastern hybrid. But this is just an opinion and it no way diminishes the quality of this album. The catchy beat and hypnotic sitar melodies remain enjoyable throughout this 20 minutes sound fest. I especially like the upbeat tempos of “Dome” and “Baetulus”. Whether this music is traditional or global fusion, world music fans of all kinds will enjoy this album.

The album is available in 128kbps MP3 through the Mastertoaster net label.

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Very beautiful Japanese music can be freely downloaded from the somewhat cryptic Shsk’h web site. Etsuko Chida plays koto and sings with a delicate voice that makes this traditional music quite pleasing and relaxing. There are three tracks at approximately 12 minutes each. This is a good introduction to both the koto and Japanese music in general.

The album is available in 256kbps MP3.

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La Nueva Guardia is from Argentina. La Nueva Guardia plays tangos. Aside from that, this fresh sounding group is exploring new territory in their chosen genre. While the artists are using traditional instruments and vocals associated with the tango, there is a fine mixing of electronica and rock elements that make this music unique. Their album, El Melancólico Sueño Del Niño is a delight from start to finish but it really gets out of the starting gate in fine form with “Milonga Triste”. “Mimi Pinson” is as wistful and romantic as you would expect a love ballad to be. “Excusa” has a nice little James Bond riff working as it interacts with Juan Pablo Jofre Romarion’s excellent work on the bandeonon. All through the album, Mariano Dalla Torre deserves special credit for his highly expressive vocals. Martín Rez Masud does an amazing job in balancing the electronic effects in this sensuous and all-so-human music. The ghost of Astor Piazzolla is highly present throughout. This is easily one of the finest net label releases in 2008.

The album is available in VBR and 320kbps MP3 or in Ogg Vorbis format from the Pueblo Nuevo net label.

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Urumqi, China holds the distinction as being the city that is farther from the oceans than any other settlement on Earth. The region is distinctly different in many ways from traditional China having a substantial population of Uyghur and Hui people, both cultures being Turkic and Islamic. This is certainly evident in their music which is proudly exhibited in the free online compilation Music Furthest From The Sea vol. 1. The album is presented by The Royal Occulus & Gramophone Company, whose curator resides in Urumqi. There are some fascinating podcasts and photos on the site but the album , hopefully the first of a series, is the best way for a curious internet traveler to capture the music of the region. Mostly culled from flea markets and stores, the collection is a joyous mix of both upbeat and romantic world pop music. The first track is one of my favorites. It is the kind of raucous song that defies you to remain seated while listening. The rest of the compilation is almost as good and should fulfill your quota for exotic music.

Music Furthest From The Sea is available in 192kbps MP3.

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I am still awaiting the WFMU Free Music Archive but my patience is wearing thin. I just noticed that the deadline has been moved from November to December. What is a poor aging music fanatic going to do? At least WFMU was kind enough to release a second volume of goodies to hold us over until the archive is unveiled.

Like Vol. 1, it is a cornucopia of sounds all freely available under a creative commons license. There is some punk and alternative rock, some world music, some indie, and a lot of music that defies simple labels. The opening track by Kurt Vile is an addictive rocker in the alternative tradition and a bit more mainstream than most of the other songs. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti’s “Jules Lost His Jewels” is a sloppy but exhilarating bit of party rock. The Yolk’s “I Do What I Do” is so 70s garage rock I can smell the 30 weight oil. If you are looking for more experimental bits of music try the avant track by Mary Halverson & Weasel Waiter or Illusion of Safety’s shoegaze/ambient “I Could Be Wrong”. The global groove is represented by Fosboro and Getatchew Mekuria. I also like the contributions of Indian Jewelry, Ole Time Relijun, and Teeth Mountain. I am SO waiting for the archives!!!

This collection is available in 256kbps MP3.

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Here’s some lovely Spanish music from an acoustic trio featuring Susana Garrido Pombo on vocals, Pedro Ospina on bandola, and Jose Saura on quitar. Sonhos and its self-titled EP is a nice departure from the rock and electronic music that usually crowd the net label scene. Ms. Pombo has a sure but sensuous style that reminds me of Brazilian vocalist Luciana Souza while Ospina and Saura keeps up with her with equal virtuosity. Although the EP will mainly attract world music and jazz fans, this is a keeper in anyone’s collection.

The album is available in 192kbps Mp3 from the Aregueifa net label.

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The Voices of Paul Bowles is a very unusual entry in the Tellus audio-cassette series of the 1980s. Born in 1910, Paul Bowles was an American composer and author. He composed film scores and incidental music until the age of 40, then redirected his rather prodigious talent to writing innovative fiction until his death in 1999. I have loved Bowles’ short fiction for quite a while but did not realize he was also a composer. This 56 minutes album of stories written and narrated by the author, plus brief examples of his musical compositions, is the perfect introduction to this important literary figure. I especially recommend listening to the short story “Allal” which, like much of his work, is an eerie psychological allegory. There are two brief instrumental compositions by Bowles. The other musical tracks are field recordings of Moroccan musicians collected by Bowles in 1959. This audio project for Tellus is one the best in the series and is clearly a labor of love.

The album is available in 192kbps MP3.

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By their own description, Fosforo plays “punky reggae jungle music”. Bits of reggae, dub, Latin, punk and electronica all blend together in their free online album titled “Macondo”. What is impressive is that all these elements sound unforced and authentic when you hear the final result. Even more amazing for me is the fact that the group members went to Van Nuys High School, a school that is more known for having alumni like Marilyn Monroe, Robert Redford and Paula Abdul rather than guys who play multi-cultural socio-political music. Time have changed since I used to cruise Van Nuys Boulevard on a Wednesday night. But I digress…

Macondo is six tracks and over 30 minutes of addictive foot-moving music. Fosforo has a great range of moods. They can play reggae that sounds off the streets of Kingston, deliver an sweet Afro-pop “Desconocido” that would make King Sunny Ade smile then go straight into a heart pounding global rocker like “Guerra”. This is a fine band that should do well as long as they keep to their global vision.

The EP is available from Fosboro’s web site in 128kbps MP3. If you enjoy the music support the artists by buying their CDs.

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Muito Prazer sounds a bit retro. It reminds me of the jazz crossover music that was quite popular in the 70s and championed by artists like Al Jarreau and Jorge Ben. Brazilian guitarist and vocalist Haroldo Torrecilha has that same light and airy pace. Some of his songs are sweetly lyrical such as “Fulindo” while the opening track is funky to the hilt. “Quando meu voo e Libre” has a smooth jazz George Benson meet Al Jarreau quality. Those who prefer more traditional Brazilian pop will like “Morena”. All tracks have some very nice guitar work which appears to be dually handled by Torrecilha and Paulo Araujo. Some listeners may criticize the very commercial feel of this music but it is hard to disagree that this is a very enjoyable and virtuoso display of Brazilian jazz and fusion.

The album is available from Jamendo in VBR MP3.

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The Croatian band 2227 appears to have been around for most of the 90s inhabiting their own bizarre corner of the rock n’ roll universe. They are (were?) decidedly hardcore but with more than a little sense of the artistic and outrageous. There is also bit of traditional music mixed with the punk atmosphere causing me to compare them to Ne Zhdali or, more recently, Gogol Bordello. Their web site appears to have most if not all of their music freely available. All three of their CDs are here. They are odd but occasionally brilliant bits of avant-rock and hardcore mayhem.

Stripcore appears to have been their first album and the first track exhibits their unique sound. Guitar, bass and drum is joined by violin in a neo-gypsy tune then seques straight into “Like it Like It”; a machine gun paced track with weird Zappa-styled lyrics. The band switches back and forth from metal to cabaret throughout, keeping the listener guessing.

No Brains No Tumor has the most punk sound of the three albums. The title tune and the cover of Tom Waits’ “Innocent When You Dream” are my two favorite tracks. Also interesting is the last track, a bonus live performance showing that 2227 must have been a very intriguing live band.

BI BI BI SABI appears to have been their last album and overall the most consistent and imaginative one. Lead songwriter and vocalist Macek seems more focused and the material seems tighter. There is also a more traditional hardcore rock trio sound on most tracks although there is some nice secondary use of violin and sax. This is the one that most punk and rock aficionados will enjoy. All three albums are a peek at a Eastern European rock scene that most of us were not familiar with until now.

All three albums are in 128kbps MP3.

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Stripcore
No Brains No Tumors
BI BI BI SABI

Xera’s free online album Lliendes is one of the most unique blends of Celtic and electronics I have heard. Traditional instruments such as bagpipes and violin soar over a dense electronic layer of beat and sounds. Xera manages to respect the Celtic tradition while adding a 21st century slant. I especially like “Elexia” which pits a violin against a increasingly tense percussive background. This also may be the first album on Free Albums Galore that features bagpipes but in a way that should win over ever the most fervent bagpipe hater. Also check out the epic sounding “Valdescabre” and the closing track “Trasmerna” which provides one of the few vocals on the album. This is a exhilarating effort.

The album in available from Jamendo in 192kbps MP3.

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Ail Fionn is a folk/traditional music duo consisting of Matthew on the saz and Inge on mandolin. For a good while Matthew and Inge were traveling musicians playing throughout Europe and The British Isles often with other local musicians or buskers. A number of their recordings documenting their in-the-field improvisations can be found at The Internet Archive’s Open Source collection. Five of the recordings span the years from 1995 to 2005. The Snailfriends albums are a collection of jams from various places and dates involving Ail Fionn and friends. These are casual on-the spot sessions. Ali Fionn plays primarily Welsh and Celtic music but all of Europe’s varied traditional musics tend to get blended in the mix. I’m not going to describe each album as they are pretty much similar except to say they are all worth a listen if you like Celtic music, instrumental traditional music, or folk. Do start with the Snailfriends collections and go from there. Ail Fionn belongs to a loose collective of musicians in Exeter, UK called Children of the Drone. So if you like the music, you might want to check out the web site and see what the other members are up to.

The albums are available in separate tracks or full album zip in either MP3 or Ogg Vorbis format.

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Sint-Niklaas, Samhain 1995
Cadamstown 1997
Sint-Niklaas, Spring 2001
Lodes, Autumn 2002
Les Hourquets, March 2005
Snailfriends 1
Snailfriends 2

Mike Link and Harvey Taylor have released their second album titled Beat Elementals continuing their successful blend of jazz and world music that was evidenced on their first album. Link’s keyboards and electronics still perfectly meld with Taylor’s cool trumpet style. Some of the tracks remind me a little of Bill Laswell’s world music hybrid. Aside from Link and Taylor’s usual impeccable playing they are joined by some excellent musicians, most noticeably the flute and vocals of Holly Haebig which can be heard to good effect on “Silver Swirl” and “PuraVeda”. “Room For All” has some intriguing didgeridoo work by Julio Pabon. Other fine tracks include “Angels of Mercy”, “Blue-Green Patina”, and “Sun Tour”. This is another exceptional album of jazz and world grooves from this Milwaukee-based jazz-fusion duo.

The album is available from Jamendo by the download link below in VBR MP3. If you enjoy the music support the artist by buying their CDs.

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The Sundayers from Madrid, Spain play reggae and ska with a decidedly Latin touch. This is good-time music best played on the beach or, at the very least, next to the pool with a sufficient supply of Red Stripe. “Eterno Domingo” is a nice track to get your feet moving while “Latin Jeta” is a sexy Spanish-Caribbean number that is custom made to suit your lazy Sunday. This six-track, 25 minute EP is a winner.

The album can be found on their Myspace page or be downloaded from Jamendo through the link below.

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I’m really excited about WMFU’s free music archive which will open in November. Anyone who has listened to the radio station or perused its blog has a good idea about how much great music must be hiding in their vaults. The new Selected Sounds From The Free Music Archives may be just a teaser to what we can expect. Since it is volume one, we might get a few more of these which is fine with me.

Volume one will more than do for now. The offerings are split between cuts from indie produced albums and tracks from live studio performances. The 21 tracks range from punk to experimental rock to world music. In other words, the album is as far-out as the radio station. Most of the artists are obscure so I hope the archive will provide more info on these musicians. It’s hard to pick favorites but Fursaxa’s eerie “Song of the Spindle Berry” sent shivers down my spine which continued with Nautical Almanac’s bizarre take on the children song “Rolling in The Green”. Of the live studio takes, I especially liked New Bomb Turks, Kinski and Citay’s somewhat Celtic “On The Wings”. Of the others, Lucky Dragon does a good job mixing cute with bizarre while Food For Animals w/ Faust provides the only hip-hop track of the anthology. This album will certainly hold you over until the full archive is unveiled in November. Thanks WFMU!

The album is available in separate tracks or a full album zip in varying MP3 bitrates.

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I’m afraid I’m going to have to plead ignorance when it comes to Russian bard music. As I understand it, Bard Music is sung poetry usually accompanied by a guitar. The lyrics are centered on Russian life or has potilical concerns. One of my readers was kind enough to point out these three free and legal albums by Ed Prizant, a young musician that stays in the tradition of this music. The web site is in Russian but with the help of the not-so-reliable Babelfish I’ve translated the album titles to Step From The Love (2007), Fire of The Large City (2004), and My Clownish Desire (2001). (Update: Mr. Prizant has replied and given me the corect title translations; One Step Away From Love, Big City Lights, and My Buffoon Majesty) These albums are difficult to review as the lyrics are so essential to this music and my Russian vocabulary is limited to “Vodka”. However I find Prizant’s voice quite expressive and have no trouble enjoying these very melodic songs despite the language barrier. Check out these three albums. You will not be disappointed.

Again we have albums available in lower than usual bitrate; 64kbps Mp3. However they still sound pretty good and shouldn’t distract too much from your enjoyment.

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