It’s safe to say that when International Anthem announces a new release, our ears tingle with excitement!
Having recently wowed us with releases from Resavoir, Angel Bat Dawid and Ben Lamar Gay the Chicago label welcomes new family member Damon Locks and as expected, his music is on some next level.
Next month will see the release of Locks LP called Where Future Unfolds — initially starting as a solo sound collage piece where Locks sampled Civil Rights era speeches and recordings, creating an improvisational pallet for performance on his drum machine.
The solo project has since blossomed into his 15-piece Black Monument Ensemble – featuring the likes of Angel Bat Dawid on clarinets, and Dana Hall on drums, it also includes alumni of the Chicago Children’s Choir, as well as members of Chicago youth dance company Move Me Soul.
Consisting of 10 tracks, Where Future Unfolds features recordings capturing the ensemble’s live performance debut at the Garfield Park Botanical Conservatory in Chicago.
According to the label the album recalls “the spirits of Phil Cohran’s Artistic Heritage Ensemble, Eddie Gale’s Black Rhythm Happening, Archie Shepp’s Attica Blues, and Public Enemy’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, the album presents an inspired, innovative & immediate intersection of gospel, jazz, activism & 808 breaks.”
For those of us who love vinyl, the LP comes housed in a heavyweight tip-on jacket coated in metallic gold foil, with dome-patterned inner-sleeve and Japanese-style obi strip.
Listen to ‘Statement of Intent / Black Monument Theme’ and ‘The Colors That You Bring’ two highly entertaining snapshots of Locks upcoming album.
Tracklisting:
1. Statement of Intent / Black Monument Theme
2. Sounds Like Now
3. Solar Power
4. Rebuild A Nation
5. Which I Believe It Will
6. Which I Believe I Am
7. The Colors That You Bring
8.The Future?
9. Power
10. From A Spark To A Fire
Where Future Unfolds is scheduled for release on 31/05 via International Anthem. Pre-order from Bandcamp or Norman Records.
