22-Pistepirkko is a Finnish popular music band formed in 1980 at Utajärvi, Finland. The name "22-Pistepirkko" means a 22-spotted ladybug. The three members of the band are Asko Keränen, Hannu Keränen (P.K.) and Esa (Espe) Haverinen. 22-Pistepirkko now produce music in English, though at first their main language was Finnish. Their early albums were inspired by rock and roll and underground icons like Bo Diddley and The Sonics, but they have developed their unique sound by adding other influences to their music.

A Hawk and a Hacksaw is a band from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The band mainly consists of percussionist Jeremy Barnes (formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel) and violinist Heather Trost (formerly of Foma). The music is mostly instrumental, usually centred around Jeremy's accordion.

ʻA Winged Victory For the Sullenʼ is the first installment of the new collaboration between Stars of the Lid member Adam Wiltzie and composer Dustin OʼHalloran. The duo agreed to leave their normal home studio comfort zone and develop the recordings with the help of large acoustic spaces, and to hunt down a selection of 9ft grand pianos that had the ability to deliver extreme sonic low end. Other traditional instrumentation was used including string quartet, French horn, and bassoon, but always juxtaposed is the sound of drifting guitar washed melodies.

Aar Maanta moved from his native Somalia to the United Kingdom in the late 1980s due to the civil war there. As a lone child in a new country, he turned to music for comfort, absorbing many genres including pop, rock, hip hop, R&B and house.

Aar Maanta started studying music at school and then later at university. However, because of family pressure and disapproval due to his Muslim faith, he was discouraged from following a career path in music. Instead completing a degree in Science, eventually returning to music, Aar Maanta set up his own recording studio ‘Horn 2 Grove’ where he now produces an eclectic mix of styles blended with traditional Somali music.

Aar Maanta has worked with various artists including the critically acclaimed Polish jazz guitarist Maciek Pysz and the legendary Somali musician Ahmed ‘Hudeydi’ Ismail Hussein who is a master oud/lute player and one of Somalia’s greatest composers.