ACL 2025 ~ Fall Music Preview

Experimental

Fall Music Preview ~ Experimental

The unusual, the odd, the exciting, the weird: outliers converge in our Experimental section, which gathers those with avant leanings under a single banner. From music that is creative yet accessible to that which tests even the hardiest listener, this article has it covered. Every artist here marches to the beat of their own drum (even if they don't have a drum; and some only have drums). If you're more interested in the outskirts than the mainstream, this is the place to peruse. As always, we've divided this preview into two sections: Jazz and Improvisation and Electro-Acoustic and Fields Afar. We hope that you'll be challenged, but also enthralled!

Our featured image is taken from Patricia Brennan's The Near and Far (Pyroclastic Records), covered below.

Electroacoustic and Fields Afar

Hatis Noit has recruited an astonishing array of artists on Aura Reworks, ranging from William Basinski to Jlin. The album can now be heard in an entirely new light (Erased Tapes, September 26). Vocalist Hollie Palmer works with a variety of guests on the aptly titled Metamorphosis, processing and pulling her voice in multiple directions (Colorfield, September 12). Vocal yet wordless, the all-female quintet IKI presents Body, which is sure to draw attention for its visuals. We hope that prospective listeners delve deeper to explore the experimental textures (Tila, October 17).

Roméo Poirier celebrates the unheard moments of recording studios, from outtakes to lost conversations, creating an amusing and enlightening collage. Off the Record may be the Spinal Tap of experimental albums ... but it's all real (Faitiche, October 10). dj sniff's Turntable Solos is exactly what one might expect, albeit a bit more abstract; the hip-hop era still manages to shine through (Discrepant, September 7).

Marja Ahti's Touch This Fragrant Surface Of Earth started as a tape piece, and is now a full album. The two long tracks meld struck metal and found sound, from deep low to piercing high, with guest appearances on clarinet, cello and percussion (fönstret, September 12). Undertow is the fourth collaborative album from Eventless Plot, each with matching artwork, this one recorded with Spyros Emmanouilidis and Savvas Metaxas. Voice and tape join live instruments on this mysterious journey (Innovo Editions, September 5).

Persistence of Sound is offering the quite amazing The Persistence of Sound Collection, compiling its first sixteen releases on six LPs or ten CDs (September 26). It's a great way to catch up before the release of two new albums, Brunhild Ferrari's Errant Ear, an impressionistic work that combines light field recordings and dark drone (September 19) and Annette Vande Gome's Tutti Frutti, collecting decades of electro-acoustic works composed for sculpture, dance, theatre and more (September 26).

Imagine walking around Brussels for a month, listening to small sounds and conversations, feeling at times as if one is eavesdropping but at other times feeling fortunate and blessed. Such recordings lie at the heart of Mark Vernon's Magneto Mori: Brussels, an intimate recording that feels like a sonic postcard (Flaming Pines, September 12). On Asterisk Fields, Michael Cloud Duguay focuses on the sound of eight residential blocks around his house, adding complementary music that is often performed by the residents of the neighborhood, imitating a block party or a street fair, teeming with local flavor (Watch That Ends The Nights, September 5). The fourth album in forms of minutiae's glacier series, Cheryl E. Leonard's near the bear, folds field recordings and object percussion (driftwood, bones, sand) into the mix. The album is out September 26, and will be followed by Pablo Discerns' concluding chapter as the year winds down.

Forgetting Is Violent, proclaims Patrick Shiroishi, but remembering is divine, which is what the composer does on this evocative album. Addressing racism head-on, Shiroishi enlists a list of impressive collaborators, including members of BIG | BRAVE and SUMAC, who help to underline his point (American Dreams, September 19). A potpourri of timbres inhabits knot of meanings, in which Nobukazu Takemura wrestles with technology while attempting to "rebuild his relationship with God." The stained glass artwork is a physical representation of the refracted tones (Thrill Jockey, September 26).

One would usually expect to find Bruno Duplant in our Modern Composition section, but his collaboration with Judith Wegmann is astonishingly experimental. Univers Parallèles - Des Nuits Et Des Jours is a single extended piece with pointillist leanings, as precise as it is abstract (MFR Contemporary Series, September 26). Also on Moving Furniture, Fani Konstantinidou presents Undertones, in which small sounds are given space to echo and decay and the ringing of a bell is often set against longer reverberations (September 26).

Call London's Beachers what you will; just don't get them confused with the alt-rock group of the same name. Horns of Death is experimental, electronic and drone (ineffectual suns, September 12). Home recordings are the basis of BBJr's The Antique Heartbeat, an abstract offering that at different times approaches ambient, drone, jazz and rock. Every time one thinks the music has traveled too far afield, it returns, only to wander again (No Part Of It, September 1). background corn is as eclectic as it gets. After rediscovering a tape about seals recorded by his 11-year-old self, matt robidoux turned it into an experimental electronic album, originally released as a wristband with a phone number. For the cassette, go to Already Dead Tapes; to hear the full album, just call 1(888) 409-5815 (September 12).

An "electro-acoustically expanded drum kit" makes Extrametric II even more diverse than the premiere installment. Katherina Ernst explores polyrhythms and enhances them with electronics and voice (Extrametric, September 12). In the hands of Nathan Sherman / Alex Petcu, viola and percussion create Archeypes, an experimental set that borders on modern composition (Diatribe, September 21). A fascination with industrial noise inspired will sōderberg to create let the machines sing... [2] of desire to salvage, which is far more subtle than one might imagine, incorporating tiny sounds that bubble and pop (Machine Records, October 17). Will Glaser's double album Music Of The Terrazoku, Ethnographic Recordings From An Imagined Future takes place after an environmental collapse; the ocean reclaims its own while Glaser and a cavalcade of guests mourn the last new normal (Not Applicable, October 24).

Jazz and Improvisation

The "father of ethic-jazz," Mulatu Astake, returns with the self-referential Mulatu Plays Mulatu. The playing is loose and liberated, filled with Ethiopian instruments such as the krar, masenqo, washint, kebero and begena (Strut, September 26). Partially inspired by North African gnawa music, Toronto dectet Dun Dun Band releases Pita Parka Pt. II, the sequel to a live album released in July. The new set includes members of disparate bands united for a common cause (We Are Busy Bodies, September 12).

Modular synth and viola are the basis for an extended improvisation on Matthew Ryals's Exalge, recorded live in Milan. The LP also includes a bonus Brooklyn live track (Infrequent Seams, September 5). Jazz, chamber music and synth fill Compost Karaoke, a subtle set inspired by film scores. Matt Bachmann calls it "the score to his latest life transition" (Orindal, September 12).

Out of Your Head Records already has four releases in the pre-order stage. Live at FEMA is the fourth in the OOYH Beacons series, launched this summer, a live performance from Gray / Pirog / Ballou (September 12); Tomas Fujiwara presents Dream Up, written for percussion quartet and featuring Patricia Brennan on vibraphone, whose own LP is listed below (September 12); Webber / Morris Big Band are Unseparate, and the band is indeed large, with at least 17 participants. Just don't expect traditional big band music (September 26). And even though it's a vocal album, we don't want to leave Laura Ann Singh out; Mean Reds alternates between heartfelt vocals and vibrant instrumental interplay (October 24).

577 Records shifts into autumn mode with Matthew Putman, Hill Greene, Francisco Mela's Believe That Was Me, recorded in a single day, capturing a bit of synergy (September 5). Then the attention shifts to Eva Novoa's The Freedom Suite, Novoa / Carter / Mela Trio, Vol. 2, whose graffiti-filled cover evokes a certain time and place (October 3). On October 24, it's Ben Stapp's turn with the self-explanatory Uzmic Ro’Samg (Live Solo Tuba, followed a week later by bass clarinetist Leandro Cardenas' spiritually-toned, Afro-Cuban Against the Jazz Police.

Shifting Paradigm's fall slate launches September 26 with Heirloom's Familiar Beginnings, the Milwaukee quartet's debut album, colorful and vibrant in hue. Then on October 24, Atlantis Quartet presents Live at Berlin, which ironically is not located in Germany, but Minneapolis. Pyroclastic Records releases double versions of each of their albums, one in hi-res. Ned Rothenberg starts off the season with Looms & Legends, playing alto saxophone, Bb and A clarinets and shakuhachi (September 5); Chris Taborn, Nels Cline, Marcus Gilmore form a Trio of Bloom, an aural reflection of the floral cover (September 26); and vibraphonist Patricia Brennan assembles a dectet (plus conductor) for The Near and Far, which blends jazz and modern composition in a fresh fashion (October 24).

Earshift Music has already announced four albums for fall, with a couple more on the way. Saxophonist-composer Tessie Overmyer debuts as the leader of a septet on Tidelines, partially inspired by the New Zealand coast (September 26). Sam Gill's Coursed Waters is a quartet that is coincidentally also led by a saxophonist-composer. Sensemaker will be released on October 24 (pictured right). James Bowers' My Quartet Album imagines the musicians as happy dogs on the cover, all having a wonderful time (October 10), while Potentially Interesting Jazz Music is a series of improvisations by the "stable quartet" I Hold the Lion's Paw (September 26).

Free Country (IV), featuring Hank Roberts, Jim Yanda, Drew Gress & Phil Haynes wants Liberty Now! (So do the rest of us!) Pairing new compositions with American standards, the quartet emphasizes the good in a nation gone bad (Corner Store Jazz, October 1). The debut album from Mexico's Los Cinco Cardones is funky, lively and upbeat. El Quinto Cardón may be filled with improvisations, but the quartet acts like a jam band, shifting time signatures on a dime (Some Other Planet, October 3).

Three trumpets grace Alloy, and that's only half of Dave Douglas' sextet. The album, released on Greenleaf Music, drops concurrently with the return of the trumpet-happy FONT Festival in NYC (September 5). The natural world inspires guitarist Rafiq Bhatia, who folds field recordings into the music of his jazz trio, which also includes trumpet and percussion. Environments is released on Anti- Records on September 12.

Homer is the first single from In the Garden, from saxophonist Alison Shearer. The album is part tribute, part "coming of age," sprightly and hopeful throughout, fleshed out by a small ensemble (Pinch, October 10). Saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh reunites with his quartet for the first time in a decade, and it sounds like no time has passed at all. The guitar adds a wailing rock flavor to Stand Up!, whose singles can be previewed here (Analog Tone Factory, October 17). Feedback sax is the secret weapon on the ironically titled SAME, from jazz-rock trio Phenomenal World (September 13), while basement sax and electronics grace Bryan Eubanks's Songbook, a decidedly abstract affair (Sacred Realism, September 3). We're always interested in "objects" when they are listed as an instrument; the Treen trio plays with such things, while highlighting the saxophone of Amalie Dahl. Kaikō is out Friday on Sauajazz. Anna Högberg Attack resurrects the alto saxophonist's ensemble as a double sextet. Dedicating to her late father, Ensamseglaren is an explosion of energy and a wild exhalation (Fönstret, 3 October). Tenor/baritone saxophonist Isak Ingvarsson leads a trio on The Calling, the set influenced by his Catholic faith and the voice of God (Haphazard Music, October 24). We wonder at the cover image of Goose Green's Ganso Verde; could it represent the three players of the group, or is it meant to suggest an olive? Either way, it makes us want a martini (Nakama, September 5).

International traveler, saxophonist and flautist Chip Wickham leads an ensemble of ten on The Eternal Now, whose spiritual underpinning and slightly funky vibe betray the fact that he once toured with Nightmares on Wax. Punctuated by occasional vocals, the album exudes a peaceful vibe (Gondwana, September 5). Are you ready to Love All Day? The label is releasing Volume 2 of Secular Music Group's surprisingly spiritual music, which makes their moniker all the more fascinating. Using only 70s equipment, the band takes fans back to a simpler time (September 5).

Iceland's Ensemble Adapter & Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson create their own Clavis Metrica, inspired by the ancient poetry of their land, shifting and undulating like free verse (September 12). Stefan Goldmann, Ensemble 180° "translates electronic music into acoustic music for human players." On Input (The Sofia Versions), he works with a trio of composers to present multiple points of entry (Macro, October 10). Composed for piano and electronics, Per Bloland's Shadows of the Electric Moon was inspired by a dystopian novel by Juan Rolfo. The plot may be linear, but the architecture is not (New Focus, September 5).

Vibraphonist Yuhan Su expands to an octet on OVER the MOONs, the avant capitalizations a metaphor for the music, which is bursting at the seams (endectomorph, October 17). Vibraphone, guitar, marimba, contrabass and violin each stand out on David Occhipini's Camera Lucida, the guitarist leading a small ensemble (Elastic Recordings, September 12). An image comes to mind when one sees cello and guitar as the featured instruments, but Tristan Honsinger and Riuichi Daijo are not typical instrumentalists. In fact, they haven't even met yet; according to the wormhole title, We Met Tomorrow (DPS Recordings, September 15).

Drummer Tom Skinner shares his Kaleidoscopic Visions, one side instrumental, one side vocal, calling on a host of high-profile collaborators that include Adrian Utley and Meshell Ndegeocello. The guests may make the music accessible, but it's certainly not mainstream (International Anthem, September 26). We love the title of The New Awkward, from Johnny Richards & Dave King. Sometimes the awkward is worth doing, and seldom has awkwardness - jagged melodies, jumbled time signatures - seemed so instinctive (False Door, September 5). Neti-Neti (Amirtha Kidambi and Matt Evans) create an unusual style of world music with percussion and wordless vocals. Echo of Being/Grace in Rot sounds like a a tribal session deep in the heart of the forest, although it was recorded in a West Village studio (Dinzu Artefacts, October 10). Yea Big and Greg Saunier offer No Timing, a heavily percussive album that often sounds like more than the work of a duo (Yea Big is Stefen Robinson). The album is out September 26, sporting a cover reminiscent of underground comics (Personal Archives).

It's safe to say that we've never encountered an album based on "the wilderness of a fungus-growing ant population" before. Arnold/Schwer's Terra Formica is that album. The drummer and guitarist create an intricate score for miniature populations (September 12). One might pair the album with Not Normal from octet Modærn Qualitet, led by trombonist Emil Bø, due to the enticing mushroom shown on the cover (Sauajazz, October 17). Four artists in tune with the earth combine forces on For Real Life and Other Worlds, a percussive set with sparse vocals and a trance-like allure (Shiny Boy Press, September 5).

Hand drums, sax and bass make Nuke Watch a fun trio. The free improv band adds a touch of modular synth and some diagonal layering to Grave New World to make it seem as if more musicians are hiding in the wings. Fun fact: they are also known as Beat Detectives (Post Present Medium, October 3). Is Chris Cochrane really Unhinged? The guitarist assembles a nonet for his new recording, eventually using a dozen musicians in all. In similar fashion, the music is always on the move (September 5). The Cosmic Tones Research Trio imagines interstellar sounds on its self-titled album, simultaneously digging into world music and music that's out of this world (Mississippi Records, October 3). Perhaps the season's most out-there release comes from improvisors DNA?AND? and Lampeknusekontoret, whose crazy name should be a dead giveaway. Hot Hot Hot has no relation to the hit singles by The Cure or The Merryman. Sure, there's percussion and vocals, but that's where the similarities end (Den Pene Inngang, October 3). Blow It Up With Dynamite! says the eleven-strong Hill Collective, who makes a funky racket on its debut album, leaning in the direction of freeform rock, but with a myriad of other influences (October 7).

(Richard Allen)