A CLOSER LISTEN weekly #54.5
A CLOSER LISTEN weekly #54.5
ACL 2024 ~ SPRING MUSIC PREVIEWS
This post collects our complete spring previews, links to the posts on the blog (with complete images and embeds) in the table to contents, but the complete text is included below. Enjoy!
ACL 2024 ~ Spring Music Previews
table of contents
Ambient & Drone
Electronic
Experimental
Jazz & Improvisation
Modern Compositions
Rock, Post-Rock, Folk & Jazz
Ambient & Drone
Astronomical spring is only two weeks away, and hundreds of spring albums have begun to poke through the sonic ether like crocuses and daffodils through dirt. In a few weeks time, the bouquets will become fields, and the hills will be alive with the sound of new music. We love this time of year, as we’re venturing outside without jackets, putting away the sweaters, opening the windows and letting the fresh air in. After a somewhat slow winter, the music industry is also awakening from a months-long hibernation, with shows and festival announcements galore. This week, we’ll be previewing all the music we have permission to share in advance. We hope you’ll enjoy the 2024 edition of our Spring Music Preview, beginning with Ambient & Drone!
Our cover image comes from Montgomery & Turner’s Sound Is (Our) Sustenance, previewed below!
While the birds are returning, Shards founder Kieren Brunt is interested in another kind of Byrd: British composer William Byrd, now gone 401 years, his music once performed illegally in secret, now widely celebrated. Byrd Song is a gorgeous album of modern resettings, reminiscent of Ian William Craig; the album is also perfectly suited for Eastertide (Erased Tapes, April 19).
Some call the music of Pan American post-rock; if so, it’s the slowest, dreamiest post-rock we’ve ever heard. Teamed up with Shimmy Disc founder Kramer, the duo presents Reverberations of Non-Stop Traffic on Reading Road, a sprawling set that shimmers like an oasis (Shimmy-Disc, March 22). On the same day, Daou releases the sedate and lovely Forgotten Stories. The pieces drift, crackle and swirl, akin to the experience of reading a good book by an evening fire (rohs!).
The documentary Eno is controlled by A.I., and the chapters appear in different order every time it is screened. One can replicate this experience with the score simply by pressing Shuffle. The film opened this year’s Sundance Film Festival and is drawing critical acclaim; the score includes three unreleased tracks. Also, a classic unreleased 1968 concert from Brian Eno & Holgar Czukay & J. Peter called Sushi. Roti. Reibekuchen will be released on Groenland Records on May 24. Spring”s best historical release may be Triángulos De Luz Y Espacios De Sombra (Triangles of Light and Spaces of Shadow), a compilation of long-lost, restored electronic music from Mexican artists of the 1980s and 90s. Whether new age or new wave, Mesoamerican or modern, these artists found ways to distinguish themselves from others in the dominant music landscape. The double LP is a blast from the past, but was once a glimpse of the future (Séance Centre and Smiling C, April 8).
Harpist Andy Aquarius‘ took a hike in the Sardinian mountains, and returned with the ideas that would eventually become Golla Gorroppu. The music reflects the spirits of rocks, hills and local wildlife, in particular a surprising mouflon or wild sheep (Hush Hush, March 22). Mary Lattimore contributes her harp sounds to Montgomery & Turner‘s Sound Is (Our) Sustenance, joining flute, clarinet, saxophone, Wurlitzer and a host of other instruments tuned to the key of spring (Astral Editions, April 26). Only a couple weeks later, Lattimore will release Rain on the Road with Walt McClements (Thrill Jockey, May 9). Paul K channels Eno on Hyperobjects, a piano centric set that dances on the edge of modern composition, backed by field recordings and a sense of calm (April 19). Mini-movie The Shepherds gets a mini-score from Dylan Henner, its piano notes like sheep in the vast green fields of spring (Phantom Limb, March 22).
Will glacial ambience outlast glaciers? For now, Tewksbury‘s undulating Floes: Volumes I-IV offers the opportunity to reflect on the Canadian and Arctic scenes that inspired it. Comprised of Moog synthesizer and loops, the music is in no hurry; while listening, one can imagine the cold weather sticking around for a while (March 21). Ran Slavin‘s Oolong: Ambient Works can be experienced as the score to walking a tea path (with or without video). The premise is to slow down, to appreciate the sounds of nature and of micrograin music, in an attempt to connect the physical and immaterial, perhaps the terrestrial and extraterrestrial (Mille Plateaux, April 22).
Don’t be fooled by the cover art of Colin Johnco‘s Crabe Géant, which may remind people of Skinny Puppy; the music does have a sci-fi tinge, but it’s sedate, bolstered by layers of vibraphone, piano and synth (Johnkôôl, March 22). Sam Tabasi‘s After the Rave Rush is definitely a comedown album, one to play after a difficult night, dancing or otherwise. Preceded by the single Bloom, the full EP is out April 9. Daryl Groetsch, also known as Pulse Emitter, returns with the 75-minute, single track Above the Shore. Designed for napping or relaxing, the music acts as a sonic prescription to anxiety and stress (April 2). Piano loops, divided into “earth” and “ether” sides, form the basis of Thanos Fotiadis‘ The Hope Realm. Unique charcoal drawings are offered for each cassette (esc.rec., March 23).
Andy Clausen recorded Few Ill Words: Solo Trombone at The TANK, Vol. 1 in a converted water silo in Colorado, known for its extended reverberation (May 17). Like an ambient version of Coldcut, Group Listening starts Frogs with amphibian calls before adding keys, harpsichord and clarinet. “Frogs” is the first single from Walk (PRAH Recordings, May 10). On Earth, Our Planet?, Pedro Vian explores the climate crisis through compositions that begin in quietude and veer into electronic soundscapes. Trumpet, violin and piano make guest appearances, sharing space with the sounds of the sea (Modern Obscure Music, April 12). Projections of a Coral City is another pretty pink album from Balmat, inundated with seascapes and as soothing as the waves against the shore. The project began as a Miami installation in which coral images were beamed on the outside of a local building; the Coral City camera is still operational, and pairs well with the music of Coral Morphologic and Nick León (April 5).
Taner Torun, the founder of Fluttery Records and the artist known as Celestial Trails, describes the cover image of Lunar Beachcomber as a cross between a “llama, cat, lion, sheep, and dog.” The animal came to him as a dream, and now strolls happily along the imaginary beach. In like manner, the album invites daydreaming, awash in waves of comforting bliss (Fluttery, April 12).
Difficult Art & Music has a pair of releases lined up for early spring. However, the music is not difficult in the traditional sense; in fact, it’s quite inviting. Chelidon Frame starts the ball rolling with Flatline Voyages, which includes shortwave radio transmissions from across the world and is a bit like turning the dial all the way to the left in the wee hours of the morning (March 29). Then on April 8, Polygone resurfaces with a very interesting project. After recording only 18 minutes of live instrumentation and world music samples in 1988, they disappeared; this year, Tactics Faculty revisits the original project with remixes from electronic luminaries.
Where does electronic ambient end and ambient electronic begin? Perhaps somewhere in the region of Raveled Veiled Known, from modular synthesist LFZ. The album celebrates the birth of a new daughter, from anticipation to adaptation (Gnome Life, March 22). Veteran producer Chris Coco returns on April 5 with daydream utopia, preceded by the lush double-A Tokyo Ame/Serenity Test (DSPPR, pictured right). Arushi Jain, described as a “modular princess,” adds depth to Delight through organic instrumentation including cello, flute and saxophone, heard in the lush single “Imagine an Orchestra” (Leaving, March 29).
Now we turn our attention to Drone, and the season’s first array of thick, immersive, extended tone releases!
As always, Room40 has its act together when it comes to announcements and streaming tracks. Eight spring releases are already in pre-order status, with many more sure to follow. First up is Ogive with Opalescentia, which treats music like weather systems. On the closing track, one can hear the rain; or is it digital synthesis? The collaboration between Chris Herbert and Elías Merino continues to bear fruitful results (March 22). A week later, Stuart Argabright & AfterAfter offer a series of LA Drones: pitched down tape recordings that sound murky and subterranean (March 29). Ulrich Krieger unveils Aphotic III – Bathyal, a sonic reflection of oceanic depth, with electronics, flute, accordion and contrabass playing the parts of sea creatures under pressure (April 5). On the same day, Loscil teams up with label head Lawrence English on Chroma, a companion piece to Colours of Air, played on the organ at Brisbane’s Old Museum. Madeleine Cocolas experiments with water, breath and synth, producing altogether new and undefinable Bodies (April 12). On the same day, as if offering a counterpart, Pinkcourtesyphone, will release Arise in Sinking Feelings, drenched in the senses and thick with anxiety (April 12). Asher Tull‘s Opus is thick with loops and subliminal rhythms (April 19), while France Jobin‘s Infinite Probabilities (Particle 2) delves into quantum mechanics and the fluidity of time (May 10).
We love the description of Hanno Leichtmann‘s Outerlands as “organ drones, tones and odd signature arpeggios.” Highlighting the Villa Aurora organ, built 1928/29, the music nearly reaches centennial status (Discrepant, March 29). Calum Builder‘s Renewal Manifestation is even more immersive, written for organ, saxophone and CRUSH string trio. If the music seems foreboding, credit the approach to the organ as “a creature being taught how to breathe and sigh” (April 19).
Warm Winters Ltd. presents Quintela, an album of bagpipe drone. Those looking for something entirely unique will find it here; Carme López discards and dispels any previous stereotypes of the instrument’s range and usage, creating something otherworldly in the process (March 29). Using modular synth, bass clarinet and saxophone, Czarnoziem creates “magma drones,” a sub-genre title we’d love to see enter the mainstream. A touch of jazz is evident on Socha, but more blazing, bubbling atmospheres prevail (Séance Centre, April 8). With a similar vibe, The Johnny Halifax Invocation pushes its drone into ritualistic territory, bolstered by lap steel and harmonica. Açid Blüüs Räägs Vol.2 is out April 5, preceded by single Cosmic Fanfare (God Unknown).
who is this for may not be the best title for a release, but it fits the profile of those who prefer drone. missing scenes‘ album is rife with modular synth and static-charged clouds: two long tracks divided into movements (Varia, April 5). Julien Bayle‘s Attractor is comprised of three parts recorded in three takes, the remastered version of a 2016 release. Feedback threatens to burst the speakers but relents before the damage is done (Elli, March 22). Ohr Hiemis performs sonic alchemy on Opal Spine, whose title references the spinal difficulties of a loved one. The music bends and shifts, sometimes brittle, other times sharp, drawing on both drone and industrialism, creating a dark yet contemplative mood (Wic Recordings, March 22).
Electronic
What will you be listening to as the snow melts, the flowers bloom and the birds return? What will you play when you open your car windows for the first time this year, letting the fresh air in and the fresh music out? Our Electronic Music Preview has some energetic suggestions: perfect music for working out, running, highway driving, or getting ready for a night on the town. From the chill-out room to the factory floor, we’ve got you covered! We’re already excited about this year’s spring slate, and after reading this article, we’re confident that you will be too.
Our cover image is a photo of Jinjé, whose upcoming MESH release Escape from Luna is previewed below!
Not that Jlin ever needs help, but wow ~ Björk, Philip Glass and Kronos Quartet all make guest appearances on Akoma. The music is energetic, percussive and swift, one of the season’s most upbeat, enthralling releases, another triumph for an artist whose every release is already an event (Planet Mu, March 22). Wave Arising‘s The Rooted Sky is crisp and clean, tribal and spiritual, the collaboration between a techno artist and a choreographer. Monin Yiri is the first taste of a deep album (Ransom Note, April 26).
With guest stars and a style of music described as “hypercollage,” Lorem is set to make a splash with Time Coils. Drone, dub and rap are only a few of the scents in the smoke-filled room (Krisis Publishing, April 26). Uganda’s Masaka Masaka is Barely Making Much … for now. The artist’s conglomeration of styles, from gqom to trap and jungle, makes the album one of the season’s most diverse releases (Hakuna Kulala, March 22).
How does that dress stay on? We’re not exactly sure, but CLARAGUILAR is the rare artist with a costume designer, reflecting her interest in the visual aspect of her music. Figura draws from theatre and opera, modern composition and pop; we can’t wait for the live show (Lapsus, March 29). The sublime Drum & Lace‘s ONDA won’t be out until the end of the season, but until then, the single Solstice provides a hint of what’s to come; we’ve already heard the full album, fantastic and phantasmagoric (Fabrique, June).
Ben Chatwin’s Verdigris is a hybrid release, with the skin of modern composition, sinews of drone and a beating electronic heart. Buried deep in the mix are medieval choral samples, exuding a subliminal sense of spirituality. The title refers to the oxidization of copper, while the music and video images reflect this alchemy (Disinter, March 22). As Chris P. Thompson calls the sides of his new album Mirror Images, we’re struck by how the synth on one side imitates the piano on the other. Stay the Same is an counter-intuitive title, but fitting; the cover illustrates how seemingly opposite principles can both be true (Grin Agog, April 4).
Rejoicer‘s This Is Reasonable is downtempo and calm, a soothing set meant to induce feelings of inner peace. The music washes over the listener like fresh fragrance (Circus Company, April 12). Opening with the sound of sampled tears, Hame seeks to bring listeners on an emotional journey. Almost Home pulses and ripples in equal measure on its way to a measured synthesis (Noire & Blanche, April 3).
Ryan Teague continues to walk the line between modern composition and electronics. On Pattern Recognition, the piano provides the grounding while synth and drums take the music to the next level ~ this is one of the most active releases ever to come from Bigo & Twigetti (March 22). Cello, electronics and field recordings make an intriguing combination on Forest Scenes, whose mood is as important as its music. MIZU‘s atmospheres coalesce into structures that seem almost real, like architecture lost in a dream (NNA Tapes, March 22).
Prefuse 73 is known as an electronic artist, but New Strategies for Modern Crime Vol. 1 stretches in multiple directions, from jazz to cinema music to languid rock. While not an entirely new direction for the producer, it’s an intriguing shift (Lex, March 22). We first mentioned Catching Flies‘ Tides in our Winter Music Preview, mostly so we could share the track “Snow Day” before the drifts melted. The full album is just around the corner, a crossover set that includes multiple radio-friendly tracks yet sustains an independent sheen. Sometimes ambient, sometimes downtempo, and always head-bobbing, the album is primed to break through to a larger audience (Indigo Soul, April 5). In similar fashion, we expect big things from Christian Löffler‘s A Life, as lead single Ease is one of the most self-assured singles we’ve ever heard from the prolific producer (Ki Records, April).
Live drumming is a selling point for Kelpe‘s LP10 (which ironically contains an alternate drumless take on a key track). The electronic lattices are always evident, the sub-genres shifting from chill to jazz to drum ‘n’ bass (Kit Records, April 19). Live drumming meets drum machine on Valentina Magaletti‘s tiny yet tempestous Lucha Libre EP, a cavalcade of percussion tumbling in its wake (March 22).
Tabla meets wet synth on the self-titled album from Temporal Waves, exuding a sci-fi veneer with an 80s sensibility (people | places | records, April 12). How many harp and synth duos do you know? Masai may be the first to gain popularity. By adding chimes and bells, the duo produces a spiritual aura, one that often topples into all-out jams. The Galloping Cat is out March 22. As always, Chinabot provides us with something mysterious and otherworldly for our listening pleasure. Memeshift‘s Echoes travels across multiple continents, scoring the artist’s often harrowing journeys. Instead of souvenirs, he collects timbres (April 19).
Retro synth is the bread and butter of Clay Pipe Music, our Label of the Year in 2023. Golden Gate‘s Magic Lantern continues in this vein, with 25 miniature tracks that originally scored an audiobook anthology. Bittersweet and occasionally foreboding, the set flies by like a series of short stories (March 29). 80s sci-fi synth is the hallmark of Pye Corner Audio‘s The Endless Echo. Hints of Moroder and even Ultravox make the interstellar journey a cinematic ride (Ghost Box, April 5). When’s the last time you bought a record with a poster? It’s probably been a while, and Frank Rodas is ready to rectify the situation with a 50x70cm foldout. Roger Dean may have been an influence for the art, while Ritual‘s music is subdued psychedelic tribal (Utter, April 5).
Racine extends a fascination with abstraction on Boue, hard-edged and angular, although not inaccessible. The short story that accompanies the release is open to interpretation, which the title, which translates as mud, may provide an essential clue (Gin&Platonic, March 24). Loops, distortion and abrasion decorate grain, from the Vienna trio of Bernhard Breuer, Steven Hess and Stefan Németh (Innode). A video of abandoned metal cylinders cements the industrial association (Editions Mego, April 19). If Rbia Harsha Cinta is harsh, then so is the problem. YRLNG‘s album is a “remix” of a film about seaweed pollution in Morocco. Nothing would please the artist more than if listeners were scared into action (Antibody, May 17). Abrasive textures appear on Red On‘s Phantom Easy, but are just as likely to be balanced by melodic structures and vocoder (Präsens Editionen, March 22).
Breaking from the chill template, o k h o switches to synth and broken beat, the art of GROUP 1 reminiscent of a shadow play. If an internal war has broken out, the artist seems to be winning (March 29). Canblaster presents a cinematic excursion on LIBEROSIS, which visits multiple styles from ambience to breaks to dubstep. The album arrives in three acts or movements, akin to those of a theatrical performance (April 12). There’s more than a bit of rock found on Midnight Buffet, as PLESS serves up a healthy platter of dramatic tones and powerful beats (Everest, March 29).
BANKERT follows the template of previous releases, titling the latest work olO5. The beats are harsh, yet playful, sample-filled, chopped and spliced (March 28). DJ Marcelle/Another Fine Mess, a DJ who does not like cheese, releases her tongue-in-cheek A Different Fridge for Cheese on April 12, filled with amusing samples and a sense of fun. “Nice Feet” is particularly banging and strange (play loud!). Machine Records has two EPs lined up for early spring. Valley Lines‘ 13_16 is filled with abstract electronics, more for listening than dancing, while Phase4our‘s Language Barrier is better suited for clubs, with rhythmic beats that touch upon IDM (April 5). The Meson Peripheral Mix of “Hpirep” is the most distinctive, with drum patterns sputtering in all directions (April 26).
Kee Avil‘s Spine extends the field to rock and pop, with creative vocals stop shifting textures and patterns (Constellation, May 3). Gerry Reid‘s Not Quite There Yet is happy and housey, but it’s not happy house; instead, it’s a fun nugget for club goers and kitchen dancers (Shall Not Fade, March 22). Half-vocal, half-instrumental, Vegyn‘s The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions will appeal to multiple audiences within the club community; based on early response, we expect crossover success to happen pre-release (PLZ Make It Ruins, April 5). When samples of the word “love” pop up on multiple singles, one knows an album is drawing back the bow. Elkka‘s Prism of Pleasure is romantic, accessible and fresh (Ninja Tune, May 3).
Rhythm machine and mini sampler provide the swift and active sounds of Heart Fresh, a deep dive into the hyperactivity of a kinetic Tokyo. Kopy‘s sounds may be reminiscent of video games, but despite this similarity, she has a sound all her own (TAL, March 28). For a more direct video game connection, try Jacob Parke‘s rapid-fire Disappointingly Bassic, composed on a Nintendo system, with copious amounts of beats, beeps and guitars, a hyperkinetic tribute (March 29).
Monty Luke‘s Nightdubbing blends two prior EPs with five new tracks for a full serving of nocturnal house. One doesn’t even need to imagine the rain, already audible in the title track (Rekids, March 29). Millsart is another name for Jeff Mills, and Neo Tantric Parts offers new and alternate works from the artist’s treasure chest (Axis, March 29). We’re not sure if Tabliabue knows he shares a name with a former NFL commissioner, but his music is certainly deep and dramatic. Drawing from both techno and trance, Abisso is tailor-made for rave culture, and maybe even the stadium (Subject to Restriction, April 26). Jinjé’s Escape From Luna offers four solid club tracks, two with radio edits, that yield little sign of the artist’s former life as a founding member of Vessels. What is apparent is a love for the trance and an appreciation for a great build and release (MESH, March 29).
The harmonic puddles of Alluvium‘s cover image demonstrate the concept of polyrhythmic structures interacting through collision. The album’s base may be techno, but the math behind the music is sublime. Stefan Goldmann‘s sonic experiment is released April 15 on Macro. For techno of a more pounding nature, Perc‘s The Cut Off is sure to satisfy, with ten bangers selected to celebrate Perc Trax’s 100th release (March 22). Janek Sienkiewicz releases the 4-track techno EP Pivot on April 9, with each track ready to be sequenced into a DJ set (International Day Off). peachlyfe‘s Permission to Roam is trancelike and hi-energy, a sci-fi travelogue that addresses gender fluidity and is also offered with an illustrated book (UMAY, March 29).
Noémi Büchi expresses a love for “the physicality of music” on Does It Still Matter, whose sounds can be as intimate as a harpsichord and as devastating as a cyclone. The contrast between consonance and dissonance, hope and despair is a defining feature (~OUS, April 24). Hard beats and creative textures inhabit Yosa Peit‘s Gut Buster, which also includes a smattering of vocals. Lying on the outskirts of pop, the album suggests a new direction for the genre (Fire, 26 April). Harsh and dystopian, Saint Abdullah & Eomac‘s Light meteors crashing around you will not confuse you is partially a response to the violence in Gaza, mingling anger and grief and showcasing a wide selection of Iranian guest stars (Drowned by Locals, April 4).
Brazen beats populate Container‘s YACKER, which the artist admits was partially influenced by Nirvana. The music is heavy and distorted, as if it is erupting from cheap speakers in a crowded marketplace (A L T E R, April 5). Om Unit returns with the breaks EP Fragments, bolstered by psi-trance elements and a remix from Mr. Ho (April 5). Blistering is a good name for the new EP from Klahrk, as the tracks are filled with rapid-fire beats that make the set seem as stuffed as the cover art. How fast can one dance before shifting to every other beat? (SFX, March 22).
Heavy, harsh and industrial, Frank Vigroux‘s Grand Bal is nothing like the grand balls of old. Lead single “Loïc” may even remind some of “Thunderstruck,” with occasional screams and multiple hands-in-the-air moments (Aesthetical, March 29). Adventurous ndustrial clubs may be overjoyed at Extinct, a new collaboration between Meat Beat Manifesto & Merzbow. Percussive, abrasive and clubworthy (especially the radio edit of “FLAKKA”), the album recalls the industrial glory of the early 90s while exuding raw, untamed power (Cold Spring, April 26). Merzbow‘s own 12″ Tsubute Mosaic will be released April 19 on Modern Obscure Music, its chaotic cover art only a symbol of the unruly music heard within. Long live the noise!
Experimental
This year’s spring slate of experimental music is so large that we’ve split it into two parts. Today’s post covers electro-acoustic and avant-garde works, while tomorrow’s will cover improvised and experimental jazz. There are some truly unique recordings on the docket, from multi-media excursions to theatrical dance scores, concept albums to box sets. The hidden bonus is a revival of distinctive packaging, which took a blow during the pandemic but is again in a period of healthy growth. We are even more excited than usual about the upcoming avalanche of sounds paired with sights; this is the season of sonic bloom!
Our cover image is taken from 9T Antiope’s Horror Vacui, previewed below!
With 24 tracks in 26 minutes, Traces only seems slight. The project also includes a book of collages, while the original installation provided the backdrop for a series of stop-motion film clips. The love child of Filax Staël, this project is out March 22 on REV Lab.
Concept album Horror Vacui is another triumph for 9T Antiope, as spooky as the cover, which seems more suited for Halloween than spring. Mandolin, electronics, vocals and more score a tale best told at night (American Dreams, April 12). The founder of Phantom Limb (and Yndi Halda member) James Vella returns as A Lily for an entirely new sort of project. Sara I-Qamar integrates archival recordings from Maltese to produce a dialogue between nations and generations (Phantom Limb, April 5).
Alëna Korolëva gives us the year’s first great field recording album (and trust us, we’ve been looking) in premonitions, which travels from field to sea, calm to storm, a single-track, immersive soundscape (Forms of Minutiae, March 20). Sounds are turned to texture, instrument and percussion on Encyclopedia Sónica Vol. 1: an ocean wave, a passing vehicle, a buzzing mosquito, ping-pong balls and more. These tracks expose the hidden musicality in daily life and they represent a collected triumph for renowned Mexican composer Leonardo Heiblum (Language of Sound, March 26). Pando Pando combines the strength of two percussionists and one electronic performer, leading to an exciting, expansive sound. Their self-titled album is named for a series of interconnected trees (Not Applicable, April 12).
Unchained‘s Gabba is a set of homemade meanderings made for “daydreaming introspection,” augmented by bass and percussion. We’d call it ambient if it weren’t so abstract (A Colorful Storm, March 21). On Affirmative Action, Zachary James Watkins experiments with reverberation and investigates how sound interacts with body and environment (Sige, March 29).
An “homage to slow movers and late bloomers,” Michelle Moeller‘s Late Morning is built on a bed of electronics that keeps shifting beneath one’s feet (AKP Recordings, April 5). Synth and tape experiments form the basis of the dragon is still alive, by now solo artist T’iju T’iju. The moniker means “grasshopper,” and the music often sounds like a feeding frenzy in a field of wheat (Esc.rec. & MOLK, March 28). Noise of Cologne 3 combines 73 one-minute compositions from a wide array of artists, the resurrection of a vital series whose last installment arrived over a decade ago (A-Musik, April 5).
Electric air pump allows FUJI||||||||||TA to investigate the sonic properties of the organ. On FUJI||||||||||TA – MMM, the tones are dronelike in their extension, with some Friday the 13th-esque vocal intrusions (Hallow Ground, April 18). Organ, Yamaha and subtle glitch is an unusual combination, one found on James Rushford‘s Turzets. The two side-long pieces are filled with sonic exploration (Blank Forms Editions, April 5).
Referencing “Creep,” Guests laments, “I wish I was special”. The album features angular, disjointed voice atop lofi atmospheres (World of Echo, April 5). “Voice, bleeps and boops” populate Nicolas Cueille‘s angular Curiositi, which sounds like something Emma Stone’s character from “Poor Things” might enjoy (unjenesaisquoi, April 12). Spoken, whispered and shouted word is the starting point for the self-titled album from SPECIO. The duo’s atmospheres are just as important, the combination disorienting (Prohibited, April 11). Ciro Vitiello‘s The Island of Bouncy Memories is fanciful and beguiling all at once, with unusual vocalizations reminiscent of a children’s book on tape (Haunter, April 12).
Nick Dunston‘s COLLA VOCE is “an Afro-Surrealist Anti-Opera,” the first time we’ve seen those words in that combination. The results are suitably dramatic, bursting the boundaries of speakers and stage (Out of Your Head, April 28). The score to a contemporary dance piece, Áron Porteleki‘s hi-energy Smearing includes spoken word, screaming and a whole lot of drums and guitars, making it an experiment in avant garde metal (blindblindblind, March 23).
Ka Baird‘s Bearings: Soundtracks for the Bardos is deeply weird, sometimes purring and other times screaming, a visceral experience with over a dozen participants. The album is released March 22 on RVNG Intl. But as always in this section, YoshimiO gets the last word, because SAICOBAB‘s NRTYA is the season’s wildest, most raucous release. We can’t wait to hear what these intense vocalizations and international timbres sound like live! (Thrill Jockey, March 22).
Jazz & Improvisation
We usually separate jazz into our Experimental and Rock, Post-Rock, Folk & Jazz sections, but this season there’s so much of it (in pure and improvised forms) that we’ve given it a spotlight. This being said, we hope that our readers leave their expectations at the door, because there’s everything here from smooth, accessible jazz to raucous, dissonant jazz, with side trips to post-rock and modern composition. Jazz is notoriously undefinable, but we know it when we hear it! The variety of music heard below may be enough to challenge assumptions and attract some brand new fans.
Our cover image is based on Goran Kajfeš Tropiques’ Tell Us, previewed below!
We’ve grown accustomed to starting with 577 Records, and this season is no exception, as seven albums are already in pre-order status. Robert Mitchell‘s A Study (In The Key Of Now) is an album-length exploration played on grand piano, a slight departure for the prolific label (March 20). Ayuti Ishito‘s Roboquarians, Vol. 1 (feat. Kevin Shea and George Dragons) is nicknamed “Black Flag jazz” due to its roots in the punk movement (March 29). The self-titled album from Teiku offers rearrangements of Passover melodies, a fine release for the upcoming season (April 12). Leo Genovese, John Lockwood, Nat Mugavero present The Art of Not Playing, although they are, in fact, playing (April 21). Francisco Mela featuring Leo Genovese and William Parker present Music Frees Our Souls, Vol. 3, the latest in a series of successful collaborations (May 10). Then Francisco Mela, Shinya Lin team up for Motions, Vol. 2 (May 14) and Room 31 takes us to Crazy Town, which may be located right next door to Funkytown, but sounds completely different (May 24). Leo Genovese also appears on Joris Teepe‘s The American Dream Today, which is introduced in a one-minute video. The bassist leads a sextet on these occasionally bluesy numbers (April 5).
One of the season’s massive releases is the 5-disc Giant Beauty, which includes a 96-page book. The quartet [Ahmed] uses this space to honor composer, bassist and oud player AhmedAbdul-Malik (1927-1993) (fönstret, April 8). Another is the handsome Three Cellos, the first release in Grayfade’s new FOLIO format. Kenneth Kirschner‘s set comes with a 6.5 x 8″ hardback book of extended narratives and notes that amplify the need for liner notes in a digital age (April 26).
Silent, Listening is a great name for an album, close to the name of our site. Fred Hersch‘s intricate piano explorations allow room between the notes, using an occasionally pointillist approach. Shhh … listen (ECM, April 19). Liberski/Yoshida pairs two great forces on piano and percussion. The tracks of Troubled Water refer to ocean dangers, while the cover asks which is more insidious, sharks or debris (Totalism, March 21). Matthew Shipp‘s New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz is self-explanatory, the continuation of a project begun in 1990 (ESK-Disk, April 5).
Those who know Shabaka as the leader of The Comet Is Coming may be surprised by the relative placidity of End of Innocence, the first single from Perceive its Beauty, Acknowledge its Grace, whose guest list is like a who’s who of the alternative jazz-funk world (Impulse, April 12). Dun-Dun Band delves into minimalism and prog rock, and if the album title Pita Parka, Pt. I: Xam Egdub is said quickly, it sounds like “Peter Parker.” The band is a direct descendent of Glissando 70 (Ansible Editions, May 3). Trumpeter Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic offers the vibrant Strange Arts, the artist’s 7th album but his first with this 7-piece ensemble. Hints of modern composition sneak in below the jazz, especially on “Rain Tune” (Slow & Steady, March 22).
Scott Marshall‘s The Solitude Suite was inspired first by COVID solitude, then the solitude of its aftermath. The saxophonist is joined by eager friends on bass, trumpet and percussion (March 22). Those who like their coffee smooth, sweet and just a little bit funky should love Brent Birckhead‘s Cacao, preceded by the title track. The saxophonist leads a small ensemble, while voice is included on two late tracks (April 5). Sax and electronics make Josh Johnson‘s album An Unusual Object; the album is danceable, although improvisations run rampant (Northern Sky, April 5). Sax and drum duo continues its partnership on Intercept Method, rounding out a second decade of collaboration (April 12). NZ saxophonist Lucien Johnson is in fine form on Ancient Relics, but the harp is a secret weapon, transforming the album into something more spiritual (April 1). Dayna Stephens uses Closer Than We Think as an avenue to explore similarities between nations, cultures and genders. The saxophonist’s ensemble serves as a metaphor for his message (Cellar Live, April 5). Sax, guitar, voice and synth swirl about Caroline Davis & Wendy Eisenberg‘s Accept When, imitating the cover paint (Astral Spirits, April 12).
Jim White‘s All Hits: Memories is a showcase for the drummer, whose extensive kits produce a variety of percussive sounds. We also love the dual meaning (Drag City, March 29). We’re not sure how Fiona Apple ended up on drummer Amy Aileen Wood‘s The Heartening, but we’re glad she did. By no means mainstream, the album is searching, investigatory and confident. Rolling Stops is the first single (Colorfield, April 29). Drummer Willy Rodriguez is Seeing Sounds on his debut release, his synesthetic vision strong enough to attract an octet (March 29). Kabir Dalawari makes an interesting choice on Last Call, making “Last Call” the opener; will fans stick around after the bar has closed? From the sound of the drummer’s sextet, they will (Shifting Paradigm, April 5).
Here’s a mouthful: Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie‘s Står op med solen’ (Rising with the sun). The Norwegian free jazz quartet draws members from other bands, but allows each their sonic space (Aguirre, April 5). The free jazz quartet Ivo Perelman, Chad Fowler, Reggie Workman and Andrew Cyrille is Embracing the Unknown on its latest set, preceded by the raucous (and perhaps oddly titled) Introspection (Mahakala Music, March 29).
Fire Lapping at the Creek may look like a straight-up Appalachian blues album, but the music is rife with improvisation and experimentation. Alec Goldfarb‘s ensemble brings a touch of New Orleans to the deep woods, even more surprising as the artist hails from Brooklyn (Infrequent Seams, April 12). A world music vibe is evident on Timing Birds, a lovely album from Silvia Bolognesi / Dudú Kouate / Griffin Rodriguez, featuring ngoni, kalimba, poetry and more (Astral Spirits, April 16). Jazz, rock and world music combine on Rachel Z‘s Sensual, a playful set that highlights the artist’s piano while exploring other territories as well (Dot Time, March 29).
Worlds in a Life, Two is an unusual album in that it is comprised of samples from the first six albums from Thollem. The music is ghostly and disconnected, with swirling voices worthy of a haunting (ESK-Disc, April 5).
Tonal Prophecy is a fun project for the now-octet Hill Collective. The ensemble seems energized and fluid, bolstered by the voices of the 20-strong Grand Unison Choir (April 20). Dozens of performers are included on Cassie Kinoshi’s seed., a collective whose music verges at times on big band (naturally) and even post-rock. gratitude has a widescreen sound, augmented by turntables and orchestra (International Anthem, March 22). Goran Kajfeš Tropiques also ventures beyond jazz on Tell Us, available on pretty marbled vinyl. “Hypno-jazz” is one proposed name for the sound of the Swedish quartet, with kosmische as an additional influence (We Jazz, May 3).
Modern Compositions
This year’s spring slate is packed with so much sweetness, it can hardly be contained. From solo piano albums to chamber orchestras, ballet to film scores, entire worlds are represented. Some artists find a Crayola box of timbres in a single place, while others suggest a walk in an arboretum. And let’s not forget World Piano Day, which lands on the 88th day of the year, March 28, the heart of Holy Week. This preview may be compact, but it contains music of great weight and power, perhaps the best value per note of any preview in our spring collection. We’re proud to present this cornucopia of sound!
Our featured image comes from Jordi Forniés Hela Nokto, previewed below!
The star-studded film Falling Into Place receives a star-studded score, presented by Ben Lucas Boysen with special guests Jon Hopkins, Lisa Morgenstern and Anne Müller. As lovers meet, part and reunite, the music offers a tender backdrop (Erased Tapes, March 28). Based on a new ballet, Dustin O’Halloran‘s 1001 pooints its face to a technological future. The composer’s piano is the starting point, bolstered by the Reykjavik Silfur Choir, Budapest Art Orchestra, and other special guests. The four-movement score travels from the performance hall to the far reaches of outer space (Deutsche Grammophon, March 22). Nocturnal music is the theme of Jordi Forniés‘ Hela Nokto, an expressive set whose keys cascade like falling stars, and whose lead single, streaming below, is translated “bright light” (Decca, April 5).
Glowworm‘s Harvest is off to an incredible start with the video for “The Garden,” seen below. Glowworm was once known for post-rock, and still contains a tiny bit of that flair, while moving comfortably into modern composition. Now a duo featuring guests, the act presents Harvest as a reflection of “the joy that comes with the morning” (Post Dog Productions, March 29). Danny Clay returns with the sumptuous No More Darkness, No More Night, dedicated to Hank Williams, whose song “I Saw the Light” is quoted in the title. Composed for pedal steel and string quartet, the album offers both tribute and elegy (LAAPS, March 28). The story of Glacis‘ Perseverance begins with an out-of-tune piano and continues as a meditation of the seasons, political change and the concept of borders. The album reflects on and hopes for the grace of its title (oscarson, April 5).
Stephan Moccio‘s Legends, Myths and Lavender is a calm set of compositions for miked piano, preceded by the single Nightingale (Center Stage, May 10). Rapidfire piano keys and synth are the hallmarks of Ezéchiel Pailhès‘ Ventas Rumba, in which the artist travels beyond his electro-pop origins as a member of Nôze (Circus Company, May 17). We would normally place the album Not Me But Us in our Electronic section, save for the identity of one of the composers. Bruno Bavota and Fabrizio Somma, the former known for romantic piano music, join forces on the surprisingly pulsating Two. This new venture is already opening new doors (Sonic Cathedral, March 22).
Organ and voice swirl together like comfortable companions on Keeley Forsyth‘s The Hollow. The composer’s voice is in turn splintered, layered and integrated into choral settings, making the album a spiritual treatise, soaring far beyond the physical realm (FatCat, May 10). String quartet, voice and electronics populate Paratonnerre, the euphoric debut album of Griffure. The colorful cover is a confident announcement, the music reflecting its vibrancy (Umlaut, April 12).
Oootoko is a fun name for a diverse group. After making a splash with the dramatic, cinematic Elvas, the 19-strong collective shifted gears with the choral “Little Ghost.” Their self-titled album is released May 19. Daniel Elms‘ Collected Works 2018-22 bundles three works for orchestra, synthesizer and tape, and delve into the subjects of thought, memory and perception. 14 players flesh out the sound, creating a three-dimensional timbre (April 12). The Casimir Connection‘s timely Reflection is inspired by “uncertainly in times of loss and war.” Equally straddling the fields of modern composition and jazz, the album should appeal to a wide array of audiences (One Little Independent, April 19).
Cellist Georges Crotty, known for his background in jazz, switches gears a bit on the EP Inner Nature. The music draws upon Baroque and Celtic themes, with a welcoming tone (April 1). ann annie (composer Eli Goldberg) plays multiple instruments on The Wind, including piano, cello, trumpet and pedal steel. While grounded in modern composition, the album contains folk and new age influences (Nettwerk, June 7).
Sitar player Anoushka Shankar (daughter of Ravi) presents Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn, the middle installment of a trilogy. The light breaks in the closing piece (LEITER, April 5). Omar Sosa’s 88 Well-Tuned Drums is the score to the documentary of the same name, chronicling the life and achievements of the Cuban percussionist (Ota, April 20). Denovali Records is ready to release Darts & Kites, the debut album of drummer Taroug, but listeners may be surprised by the piano base of the title track. The artist invites numerous friends to illustrate this colorful palette (May 3).
Gabriel Vicéns offers a wide variety of chamber music on Mural, from piano trio to wind quartet to ensemble. The sound justifies the title (March 29). Well in time for Mother’s Day, Nova Pon is finally seeing wide release for Symphonies of Mother and Child, an expansive chamber work performed by Turning Point Ensemble and available on Redshift March 29.
Rock, Post-Rock, Folk & Jazz
The final segment of our Spring Music Preview covers releases in a variety of genres, symbolizing the vitality of the industry. We’re super-excited about spring, and this is only the tip of the (melting) iceberg. This week we’ve covered hundreds of releases, and many times that will eventually be unveiled. Remember to check our Upcoming Releases page for more! We hope that you’ll stay with us throughout the season and the year as we sort through thousands of albums and highlight one a day, like a vitamin. A happy, healthy and music-filled spring to all of our readers!
Our cover image is taken from sleepmakeswaves’ It’s Here But I Have No Name For It, covered immediately below!
Our post-rock highlight of the season is the return of Australia’s sleepmakeswaves. It’s Here But I Have No Name For It is also a return to the primarily instrumental sound we first fell in love with, after the vocal excursions of 2020’s these are not your dreams. Lead single “Super Realm Park” is a mammoth, stadium-sized rocker, only a hint of the album’s full power. We’re especially enamored with the verdigris swirl vinyl LP (Bird’s Robe/MGM, April 12). Another veteran band, Oklahoma’s Unwed Sailor, returns with an album that purposely references classic 80s bands, heard in “Final Feather,” reminiscent of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.” Underwater Over There is out May 10.
Ease the Work is another triumph for Hour: warm, laid back and gorgeous, the work of nine musicians who isolated themselves in a theatre on a remote Maine island to begin the recording process … and experienced an island-wide power outage on their first day. The album displays none of the frustration one might expect from this story, instead conveying a peaceful, all-enveloping calm (Dear Life, April 12).
Ex-Easter Island Head is a band in flux, but the sound of Norther is confident and clean, referencing threatening weather conditions through the squall of guitar and the pounding of drums, yet riding out the storm with a sense of safety. The tracks build like the systems they reflect, landing gently when all is said and done (Rocket Recordings, May 17). Percussive trio De Beren Gieren returns with What Eludes Us, which was produced by Jaga Jazzist and includes some of the expected jazz flair. The Houses is the first single (Sdban Ultra, March 29).
Aptøsrs references the famous dinosaur, and produces large footprints. Cinematic references abound, as synth and strings seep into the mud-soaked holes: nods to the artist’s background in film scores. Elders is released March 29 on SkyBabyRecords. Fans of pure progressive hard rock will be well-served by Pyramids‘ Beyond Borders of Time, the visual correlation of single “Solar Flare” represented on the splatter vinyl (Subsound, March 22). Richard Pinhas & RG Rough rock out on the two side-long tracks of End of the Line, in no hurry to reach said end. This allows the pieces room to build, erupt and recede (Bam Balam, April 20). In contrast, this is NOT the end, claims Present on the polyrhythmic octet’s final album, a tribute to founder Roger Trigaux, who sadly died during the recording (Cuneiform, March 29).
SticklerPhonics plunges deep into an electronic, jazz-soaked realm, lacking bass and chords, but adding a bit of scratching and a whole lot of funk. The music of Technicolor Ghost Parade is as colorful as the album title and cover (Jealous Butcher, May 3). John Cage speaks on “Silence Is Traffic,” the lead single from Menchaka/Noga‘s Activity of Sound, a juxtaposition that Cage might have found ironic. The album jumps between genres, but the guitar is always apparent, as is a sense of sonic curiosity (March 22).
Flute, guitar, electric cello, keyboard and drums, plus a love for progressive rock and jazz, make Vision Is the Identity a cross-genre release. Christopher Hoffman holds it all together despite the presence of the Grim Reaper in the cover art (Out of Your Head, March 22). “Power octet” FYEAR offers a dynamic sound on its self-titled album, which includes spoken word and punchy, System of a Down-esque flourishes. Is is jazz? Is it poetry? Is it hardcore? We’ll let the listeners decide (Constellation, April 5).
Good Folk
Magic Tuber Stringband is recommended to fans of label mates Black Twig Pickers, offering a homespun sound that perfectly reflects their North Carolina home. Asking “what does a modern string band sound like?”, the duo answers with a wealth of tones tumbling down the mountains like melting spring water. Needlefall is out March 22 on Thrill Jockey. There may be some very scary hands on the cover of Kevin Coleman‘s Imagining Conversations, but the album itself is benign. These fingerstyle guitar compositions, augmented by strings and synth, are recommended on the artist’s Bandcamp page to fans of Magic Tuber Stringband, so we’ve linked them in the same paragraph (Centripetal Force, March 19). The warm fingerstyle guitar of tripliciti is showcased on opening single For My Father. The band is billed as a “guitar supergroup,” a slightly misleading phrase that implies a much louder sound. Instead, the trio is more interested in texture, emotion and mood. Their self-titled album is out April 4.
The dream collaboration of Jim White and Marisa Anderson releases Swallowtail on May 9, merging their skills on drums and guitar to create something more than the sum of its prodigious parts (Thrill Jockey). Folk string trio Fran & Flora delves into the traditional music traditions of multiple cultures, adds percussion and voice, and creates a tapestry of sounds and styles. From Transylvania to Ukraine and rock to modern composition, Precious Collection bewilders and beguiles (Hidden Notes, April 12).
We can’t believe Mike Post is still around ~ yes, the same Mike Post who composed the theme song for The Rockford Files and more! Better yet, he’s still relevant, and Message from the Mountains & Echoes of the Delta should bring him a whole new generation of listeners (Sony Masterworks, April 5). Raoul Eden‘s Incarnation is his second release in as many seasons, a flowering of 6 and 12-string guitar, lap steel and drone, improvising yet fluid (March 31). Add ambience, tape hiss and quiet noise to fingerpicking, and you have Black Brunswicker, a solo artist signed to Nettwerk, whose debut album will be out this spring.
David Murphy‘s album won’t be out in time for St. Patrick’s Day, but we suspect that Cuimhne Ghlinn: Explorations in Irish Music for Pedal Steel Guitar will be worth streaming all year long. These tender tracks include contributions from Peter Broderick, Steve Wickham and more, celebrating Irish music across the years (Rollercoaster, April 19).
The sound of Khôra is mystic and global, a trance-inducing journey whose atmosphere is built through meditation bowl, ehru, kalimba and (surprise!) drum machine. Gestures of Perception is offered with a 42-page book to enhance the experience (Marionette, April 19). Farah Kaddour showcases the buzuq on her solo debut Badā, with a guest appearance by Ali El Hout, who plays Persian dak on two tracks. This mix of composed and improvised music traverses worlds, transporting the listener through time and space (Asadun Alay, March 29). Derek Monypeny offers a smooth folk-drone hybrid on The Oppositional Imagination by layering electric guitar and oud. The end result is relaxing and uplifting (Debacle, March 22).