Castanets

The Profile

Castanets was an American musical project led by singer-songwriter Raymond Raposa, associated with the Asthmatic Kitty label and known for eerie, experimental folk textures within the freak-folk scene.

Castanets is the American musical project led by Raymond Raposa. Active roughly 2002–2014, with key releases on Asthmatic Kitty including Cathedral (2004), First Light’s Freeze (2005), In the Vines (2007), City of Refuge (2008), Texas Rose, The Thaw, And The Beasts (2009), and Decimation Blues (2014). Genres include freak folk and psychedelic folk.

A single, glowing review focuses on Cathedral, framing Castanets’ sound as post-blues with a gothic edge and neo-folk undertones. The piece dwells on absence, echoes, and jittery noise, balancing invocation and terror. Imagery of ghosts and anxiety-laced textures underlines a cohesive, shadow-carved album. Overall tone: deeply evocative and admiring.